Day 152: Find Your Peeps

Despite the pandemic, these colorful birds and bunnies aren’t flying off the selves like toilet paper, bread, and coffee. Sales are probably stagnant, if not down. Easter is right around the corner and no one cares yet. But that doesn’t mean that the retailers can just not prepare for the next holiday two months early. Yes, the wonderful treat, Peeps, are in your center aisles of your favorite Meijer and Walmart. Get them while you can.

Now, I know how some of you feel about these delicious Easter candies, but I must assure you that you are wrong. Peeps are delicious. Period. They are marshmallows covered in sugar. How can that be bad?

I get it though. Everyone has their own taste and we are all indifferent about certain sweet snacks. Milk Duds can not exist for all I care. Some people will fight over red and black licorice. Our taste buds change and some people don’t have taste.

Beyond the mouth-watering flavor of Peeps, there is a factor of nostalgia for me (and my sister) when eating the first bird head of the year. We used to go on a bowling trip to West Branch every year with my grandma and a few dozen relatives. We stayed at a hotel for a weekend. We swam, played the claw machine, and ate Peeps. Our Grandma never failed to get a pack for my sister and I. Unfortunately, the bowling tradition for the family has petered out. But that doesn’t stop us from thinking about all those great times we had while eating sleeve after sleeve of happy diabetes.

Like them or not, they are an Easter tradition. Peeps, for me, are more than candy. They are a reminder that I can still enjoy the things I liked as a kid. They are a reminder of family and all the love we shared. And right now, we could use some of that childhood nostalgia in our lives. So whatever it is that makes you remember the good times, in the upcoming weeks, I hope you can find your Peeps too.