V​intage Treats: Do you remember PEZ?

W​hen I was young, PEZ dispensers were something special. You would lift up their heads and get a piece of candy out of it. It was so cool.

T​oday, while perusing the sweet aisle at the supermarket I work at to find something for another post, I got way more than I had bargained for.

In fact, I had actually forgotten PEZ heads existed.

L​oading up Hermione.

L​oading up Hermione.

L​oading PEZ dispensers is easy. You unwrap one side of the reload and just push it in. Once the head is back in position, you are ready to go. If it goes right. If not, you have to load them brick by brick. Or you just give up and snack right out of the wrapper. W​hen you then push back on it, the candy comes out of the head's throat. I actually find that a little concerning.

P​EZ coming out.

P​EZ coming out.

Some fun PEZ facts

A​nd now for the things I did not know about PEZ.

PEZ are from Austria, and they started as peppermints back in 1927. It's also where they got their name from: 'Pfefferminz' means 'Peppermint'. And somehow they made PEZ out of it.

The now famous dispensers came to be in the late 40s, but they only got their heads when PEZ started selling them in the US in the mid 50s.

Today, those dispensers are considered collectible items by some. One even sold for $7,000.

A​nother one, reportedly owned by JFK, is valued at $13,000!

Do you know PEZ? Do you like them? Let me know in the comments.