Howdy, y’all! Penny here. I am so honored to be a guest again on Petticoats & Pistols. This time, I’m here chatting about A Heart’s Hope, my latest Christian historical romance. A Heart’s Hope takes place in 1881, and as I was writing the book, I discovered many interesting things about toys and candy from yesteryear.
When high-society socialite McKenzie Chesterton answers a rugged rancher’s mail-order bride advertisement, she later discovers the man she is about to marry has a young son named Davey. As such, she purchases a few fun items from the toy shops and candy stores in Boston.
One gift McKenzie gives Davey is a harmonica. Some sources say the ancestor of the harmonica originated in the 1780s. Others believe the forerunner came from ancient China’s sheng instrument. Some sources cite the origin of the harmonica as a way to help tune pianos. Regardless, the harmonica as we now know it grew in popularity in the 1800s, and was even called a “mouth organ”.
Marbles came into great popularity when mass production started in the 1840s. Glass marbles were the most common.
The jump rope has been a common toy for at least a few centuries, but did you know it was called “skipping rope” in the 1800s? Different sources have cited a variety of origins for the jump rope, and there may be evidence that suggests it was used in Ancient Greece. It is believed the Dutch brought skipping ropes to America.
Just as toys have changed through the eras, so has candy. McKenzie gifts Davey a chocolate bar. Did you know the first chocolate bar was produced in 1847 by Joseph Fry? Hershey didn’t begin chocolate production until around 1900.
Chocolate bars weren’t the only thing to come along in the 1800s. One of the more interesting discoveries was that chewing gum was first produced from tree sap in the 1840s. One of the first, if not the first, packaged box of chocolate was released in 1854. The 1890s are when the first batch of peanut brittle is rumored to have accidentally been created due to a wrong ingredient.
Topics like toys and candy from days past always provide entertainment while we authors conduct research. I once heard that authors research for hours just to write one sentence. As one who has written numerous historicals, that is certainly true.
I’m super excited about the release of A Heart’s Hope on June 16.
She’s from high society. He’s a humble rancher. Can an unorthodox marriage lead to love?
What happens when truths are disclosed, and McKenzie’s real reason for answering Noah’s advertisement comes to light? Will the fragile love that has begun to grow between McKenzie and Noah survive the truth? Can God take an unconventional situation and bring two lonely hearts together?
A Heart’s Hope is a heartwarming, faith-filled, marriage-of-convenience love story that shows that God truly is the Changer of hearts.
Go here to snag your copy of A Heart’s Hope.
I’m giving one lucky winner their choice of a paperback or ebook of A Heart’s Hope. (Limited to U.S. residents only).
To enter the giveaway, please leave a comment in answer to this question:
What was your favorite childhood candy or toy?
Thank you for joining me today.
As a special gift, be sure to snag An Unexpected Arrival, a Wyoming Sunrise novelette, for free by going here.
Penny Zeller is known for her heartfelt stories of faith-filled happily ever afters. Her books feature tender romance, steady doses of humor, and memorable characters that stay with you long after the last page. She is a multi-published author of over three dozen books and is also a fitness instructor, loves the outdoors, and is a flower gardening addict. Penny resides with her husband and two daughters in small-town America and loves to connect with her readers at her website at http://www.pennyzeller.com
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So glad to have you here, Penny. Sorry about the technical glitches.
Thank you so much for having me, Karen. It is always such an honor!
My favorite candy was Hershey’s chocolate almond bar.
Ooh, yes, those are tasty! Thank you for stopping by, Connie!
Chocolate M&Ms
Oh, yes! Those are a great choice!
Licorice!
Oh, yes, licorice! Red Vines come to mind!
Barbie was my favorite toy.
Hi Denise! Such a fun, iconic toy!
Snickers candy bar was my favorite. And, a Bun candy bar that had a maple filling with milk chocolate and peanuts.
Sounds like tasty choices! Thank you for stopping by, Kathy!
Not entering because I help with the site, but wanted to answer that my favorite toy was my lemon skip. It attached at your ankle and you swung it around and hopped over it like a jump rope. I added your book to my TBR pile.
Hi Lori! Oh, yes, I remember the lemon slips. We found an old one in the garage, and of course, I had to try it. Eek. Let’s just say it was much easier in grade school! Thank you so much for adding A Heart’s Hope to your TBR pile. 🙂
Penny,
My favorite toy was Barbie and my favorite candy is M&Ms!
Thank you,
Julie Bullock
My favorite toys were the kind i could be creative with such as Crayolas and color books, construction paper, and crepe paper, paste and scissors.
i have always been artistic and creative with watercolor paintings and other art projects.
Thank you so much for having me as your guest on Petticoats & Pistols. It is always an honor to be here, and I can’t wait to read everyone’s answers. A special thank you to Karen, who truly has the gift of hospitality. I really appreciate all her help as we deal with the crazy technical glitches.
Snicker’s candy bar
I always enjoyed playing with Polly Pockets.
Penny I’m going to refer to this blog post in my writing., Some of these things existing back then surprised me!
Hi Mary! So nice to see you here. That is such a compliment to have this post referred to in your writing. I agree, some of the things really surprised me, too, especially the chocolate bar. Have a great weekend!
My favorite toy was a baby doll. It had a com[posit head and rubber body. My grandmother had repainted the head and sewn clothes for her. Unfortunately, when we moved she somehow disappeared. I was in 7th grade and not playing with her anymore, but she was special to me because of the connection to my grandmother. I still have the clothes for her and really wish I still had the doll.
Thank you for An Unexpected Arrival.
When I was 5 or 6, I wanted the Care Bear stuffed animals. I wanted all of them, but I wasn’t a greedy kid. It’s all I asked for from everyone for every holiday/occasion until I had the collection. I was very committed & the last couple were the hardest and took several years.
The candy I loved skittles, starburst, nerds, airheads, butterfingers, milky way, crunch, score bars, & york peppermint patties! Major sweet tooth!
Aww, I loved Care Bears! Definitely sounds like you have a sweet tooth, Joannie! 🙂
Cracker Jacks! They even had a toy inside.
I loved stuffed animals, and I still do (i bought a stuffed pig when i flew to attend my uncle’s funeral)
What a fun thing to collect! So sorry to hear about your uncle, Becky. Prayers for you and your family for peace and comfort.
I had a Beth doll. I loved it and had it until it fell apart.
I loved it when we splurged and went to the local dine store where we could get “fancy” candies by scoop—maple nut goodies and French burnt peanuts were our two most often picked.
My favorite toys were my dolls. Even paper dolls I played with most of time. My favorite candy was the homemade peanut butter fudge.
Hi Anita! Dolls are so much fun, and homemade peanut butter fudge…I probably shouldn’t be reading all of these wonderful comments so close to dinnertime! 🙂
I loved being creative as a kid. Spirograph was among one of my favorites, in fact I still have it. I also remember fondly a metal rack and I would weave potholders, and a spin and paint craft that was definitely used outdoors only to avoid inside messes.
So, so nice to see you here, Laurie! What fond memories! I remember a friend had some of those potholders with a little loom. Hope you have a wonderful rest of your weekend!
A doll named Tippy Toes
Hi Penny, you’re in grand company riding with the petticoats and pistols gang. Fun research on the candy. I’d love to read this new book of yours.
My favorite toy was a Thumbelina doll that I named Bonnie Blue after the girl in Gone With the Wind. Don’t ask me why I was watching that movie at 6 years old lol. Favorite candy was Bit-o-honeys.
I enjoyed skipping rope, marbles, Pick Up Sticks, and dolls,
Licorice, candy dots, Black Jack gum, orange flavored chewy candles, fruit slices and Peppermint candies.
Lots of good memories with those.
My favorite toy was my cowgirl cabbage patch girl with her own black pony. My favorite candy from my childhood was the Brach’s Neapolitan Coconut Sundaes candy.