This Candy’s Special Wrapper Has Fascinated Illinoisans For Decades

The iconic Tootsie Roll Pop has been a beloved treat for Illinois for several decades, but there's a little-known secret that added an extra layer of excitement to the unwrapping experience: the star on the wrapper.

Candy Problems In Illinois

If you have young kids, I'm willing to bet a cupboard in your home is currently stuffed with trick-or-treat candy just like mine is...which is a big problem.

Don't worry, I'm not going to sit here and preach about how eating candy is bad for your health and your teeth. My problem with candy is strictly a self control issue. My sweet tooth is off-the-charts-bad, so when it's in the house, I can't stop eating it.

Anywho...as I was doing my daily peruse of my kids' candy stash I noticed a Tootsie Roll Pop that has a star on the wrapper, and the kid in me immediately got excited!

You know what I'm talking about, right?

The Legend of the Tootsie Roll Pop's Shooting Star

What did YOU think the star on a Tootsie Roll Pop meant when you were a kid?

I used to think finding a star on the wrapper meant you got a free bag of Tootsie Roll Pops, but it's something I never tried to cash in on.  (Even though I always had a stash of star wrappers hiding somewhere in my bedroom.)

So, what does the shooting star on a Tootsie Roll Pop really mean? Here's the answer according to Tootsie Roll's website;

It has been rumored that local convenience stores used to give a free Tootsie Pop to anyone who brought in a wrapper containing the image of the shooting star. Unfortunately, we do not know how this rumor started and Tootsie Roll Industries has never actually honored this promotion. In fact, the shooting star appears on 1 in every 4 to 6 Tootsie Pop wrappers, just as frequent as the other images appear.  However, we do believe the star is a sign of good luck to come.

The shooting star is only on the wrapper to bring a good luck?!? Are you feeling as bummed out as I do right now? Sure, having good luck is cool, but a free bag of suckers is way cooler.

If you want to know the reason why shooting stars were added to some Tootsie Roll Pop wrappers, read the full story, here.

Ready for more blasts from our candy past? Check these out...