Holiday candies offer sweet messages of love

Being terse may be the latest rage in the world of government leaders, corporate chiefs and business managers, but all things curt are not necessarily mean-spirited.

Especially when it comes to matters of the heart.

For more than 100 years, the makers of NECCO Sweethearts Conversation Hearts have come up with the sweetest, and sometimes corniest, Valentine's Day one-liner expressions of admiration, desire and romance.

Some favorites among the dozens of sayings have been in circulation since the candies were first factory-made in 1902, according to Holly Hartman and David Johnson at infoplease.com.

Classics include "Kiss Me," "Sweet Talk" and "Be Mine." Sometimes a motto is discontinued for a time then reappears, while others are erased permanently, according to the Web site. Sayings considered outdated by NECCO include the archaic "Dig Me" and the cheerful-but-confusing "You Are Gay."

NECCO officials say selecting new words is a tricky process.

The new sayings can't be "offensive, distasteful or too wordy," Walter Marshall, retired NECCO vice president, told Hartman and Johnson.

Space is also an issue. Conversation hearts come in two sizes - the standard 1Ú2-inch and the larger 3Ú4-inch versions. The smaller hearts generally can fit no more than two words with four letters each, while the large hearts may accommodate two words with six letters each. Fortunately, creative phrasing can help fit longer sentiments onto the tiny hearts, as in the case of "EZ 2 LOVE."

While bartenders have been known to put out dishes of them as conversation pieces on or around Feb. 14, classrooms are among the most popular places the hearts are found.

For about 15 years in South Lake Tahoe, Bijou Community School second-grade teacher Linda Loughrin has used the hearts as part of a curricula that emphasizes friendship, spelling and creativity.

"We use them all. I give them as treats and incentives. They have to read them in front of the class if they are rewarded with one," Loughrin said. "Except for the ones that say 'Kiss Me.' I tell them they don't have to read that one if it embarrasses them."

Students Vanessa Ruiz and Eric Gonzales say they like the candies' colors and sayings.

But they have a different take on Valentine's Day.

While Vanessa, 8, prefers the purple hearts, she said she's not looking for anything from boys except friendship. When asked if she has a boy in mind to which to give a Valentine, she emphatically said "No."

Eric, 7, whose favorite color is red and favorite conversation heart says "Hug," doesn't have a sweetheart, but says he would like one soon.

New Ways to Say 'I Love You'

Candy hearts introduced for 2005:

#1 Fan

Fit for Love

Dream Team

Love Life

Be A Sport

Love My Team

Cheer Me On

Be My Hero

Heart Of Gold

All-Star

Source: NECCO Sweethearts Conversation Hearts