The Sweetest Day is a holiday usually celebrated in the Midwestern United States and parts of the Northeastern US. Traditionally, it is celebrated on the third day of October. This 2014, the Sweetest Day is observed on Oct. 18. So, are you ready to have a date on this annual tradition?

The Sweetest Day 2014 is an annual tradition set aside for romantic deeds or expression and to honor or show appreciations to loved ones. It has also been referred to as "Concocted Promotion" created by the candy industry exclusively to increase the sales of sweets. Oct. 18 is a day for romantic dates, giving of gifts, cards, candies or flowers to loved ones.

In the United States, the Sweetest Day is observe in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin, and areas of both New York and Pennsylvania west of the spine of the Appalachian Mountains.

The first Sweetest Day was declared on October 8, 1921 in Cleveland. According to The Cleveland Plain Dealer's October 8, 1922 edition, the first Sweetest Day was organized by a committee of 12 confectioners led by candy maker C. C. Hartzell; the team was called "The Sweetest Day in the Year Committee." The group distributed more than 20,000 candy boxes to newsboys, old folks, orphans and the less-fortunate.

Nowadays, the Sweetest Day is a day intended for showing appreciation and honor to loved ones. It is more than candy or gift giving. Some who celebrated the annual tradition opt for more romantic stuff; like dinner dates, watching concerts, strolling in the park and so on. And like Valentine's Day, the Sweetest Day is often associated with heart-shaped boxes highlighted with colors of red and pink. This 2014, the ideas for the Sweetest Day celebration has stepped up.

Aside from romantic dates, the Sweetest Day is also a time of giving American Greetings and Hallmark greeting cards. In 2006, both greeting-card makers have marketed over a hundred card designs for Sweetest Day. The Retail Confectioners International described the annual tradition as an important event for candy makers. And this 2014, the Sweetest Day is still observed and celebrated in some parts of the United States.

Since the primary goal of the annual event is for commercial interests that stood to profit such a holiday, the Sweetest Day 2014 is not just a date to think about oneself or just a loved one. It is about doing something "sweet" for others. Remember, more than the gifts and dates, it is always the thought that comes with the gesture that really counts.