The other McClain family Christmas tradition besides the McDonald’s gift certificates was the LifeSavers Sweet Storybook. It was a thrill to open one of those every year. We weren’t often allowed to have candy of any kind in my mother’s and stepfather’s house, so the expectation was that we would have the whole storybook gone by the time we left from our dad’s and grandparents’ houses.
Currently, the LifeSavers Sweet Storybook contains six rolls of the 5 Flavor assortment. So boring. But back in the 1970s, The LifeSavers Sweet Storybook contained TEN rolls of LifeSavers of various flavors. When you opened it up, it held five rolls of LifeSavers on each side! And you would get not only two 5 Flavors rolls, but Wild Cherry, Butter Rum, Tangerine, Spear-O-Mint, Pep-O-Mint, Orange, Root Beer, and Tropical Fruit! It felt scandalous to be carrying more candy in my pocket than I would eat the entire rest of the year.
When I sat down to write this little memory, I did a little digging and found out that LifeSavers Sweet Storybook dates all the way back to 1935 (when they packed 12 rolls!) and have been a Christmas tradition ever since. Having seen a couple of images, I kind of want to try Clove-flavored LifeSavers, as well as Molas O Mint.
