Valentine’s Day presents couples with many difficult choices. Should you dine out or stay in? What rom-com do you watch together? What gifts – if any – do you give? And just how big, expensive, and meaningful are those gifts supposed to be? 

While couples celebrate Valentine’s Day with varying degrees of significance and style, it’s always acceptable to give your special someone candy on this of all holidays.

Valentine gifts of candy, chocolate in particular, date back to 1861 when Richard Cadbury (a familiar name in the world of chocolatiers, who is indeed that Cadbury) began packaging his confections in dainty boxes decorated with hearts and Cupids to appeal to prim Victorian English clientele.

Gifting a prettily packaged box of chocolates remains a time-honored tradition today, but choosing your sweetheart’s favorite candies is the best way to personalize any Valentine’s gift. Although it may seem like yet another daunting decision to face as you select your sweetie’s favorite treats, it may not be so difficult… Perhaps, you may say, the answer is written in the stars.

Starry Destinies and Sweet Decisions

For millennia, people have tried to derive meaning from the alignment of the stars and planets. Astrology, the field of study based on such interpretations, originated in Mesopotamia as early as 3000 B.C. Its Western form, which divides the skies into 12 constellations of the zodiac, emerged during the Hellenistic period, 323 – 31 B.C., when the influence of Greek civilization reached the peak of its spread across the Mediterranean region and far beyond.

Many ancient cultures believed that the interplay between the stars and planets influenced their daily lives and controlled their fates. Even lovers’ destinies were determined by the stars. 

While we at the Mast Store wouldn’t consider ourselves qualified in any way to read the stars’ messages pertaining to your life, relationship, or either’s future, we do consider ourselves experts on candy thanks to the abundance of our Candy Barrel.

So, with Valentine’s Day in mind, we played to our strengths and skillfully perused the Candy Barrel. We conducted incredibly unscientific – even by the standards of astrology – but very tasty research as we examined the sugary sweet skies and mapped the colorful constellations of candy. We did all of this in an effort to interpret which of the Candy Barrel’s many offerings would best match your special person’s candy preferences based on their zodiac sign. 

Just like a daily horoscope, we can’t guarantee the accuracy of our suggestions, but, at least, this might make your Valentine’s Day gift shopping a little easier. After all, you can sweat your other important Valentine’s Day decisions, but don’t sweat the sweets.

Read Your Candy Constellation!

Without further delay, here’s the Mast Store Candy Barrel’s Officially Unofficial Guide to pairing the perfect candy with the astrological sign of your significant other, object of affection, secret person of admiration, “Galentine,” or bromance buddy… Not to mention, it’s also simply for all who want to treat themselves on Singles Awareness Day because they love candy as much as we do and deserve it, too.

Aries (March 21 – April 19) – Ambitious and independent. Courageous and strong-willed. Aries kick off each new year of the zodiac with the spring equinox, so of course they’d appreciate a bold, if not daredevilish, flavor to blaze a trail. Go all in for an Aries with Atomic Fireballs. Also available in 5-pound bags.

Taurus (April 20 – May 20) – A shoulder to cry on. A helping hand. An old friend. Always count on a Taurus to come through. While steady and reliable for others, who’s to say they don’t have a slightly decadent side of their own? For a Taurus treat that’s chill and silky smooth without “trying too hard,” we recommend chocolatey Ice Cubes. Refrigerate them for elevated enjoyment.

Gemini (May 21 – June 20) – Witty and inquisitive, Gemini are vibrantly vivacious. Few candies match their liveliness like Zotz. Most appropriately, Zotz capture the dual nature of the “Twins” sign with a pleasingly fruity exterior that curiously gives way to a playfully fizzy, sour center. 

Cancer (June 21 – July 22) – Full of passion and deeply emotional, Cancerians take heart in their sense of home. What better treat to conjure all the love and longing for the place they hold dearest than the ultimate comfort snack? With its ooey-gooey marshmallow center and nostalgic aura, a MoonPie is a sure way to a Cancer’s heart.
 

Leo (July 23 – August 22) – With a showy sense of theatrics and a flair for drama, no one steals the show like a Leo. Still, despite their inclination to stand out, they include others in their fun with a warm and inviting nature. The rainbow of bright flavors that burst from a Sour Power Quattro Belt in all their lip-smacking glory is purely Leo-licious.

Virgo (August 23 – September 22) – Poised, meticulous, and practical. Virgos can identify! And, like just them, is there a candy more focused on its target than a Bullseye? A pristine vanilla cream center neatly nestled inside a ring of caramel is right on target for the aesthetically-oriented Virgos.

Libra (September 23 – October 22) – Likeable Libras get along with pretty much anyone. Their charming, easygoing ways put people at ease and connect social circles large and small. With the scale as their sign, try a treat with a harmonious balance of savory and sweet that puts an open-minded twist on a classic, and give the Libra in your life Reese’s White Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups.

Scorpio (October 23 – November 21) – Unafraid to be authentic. Strong-willed Scorpios may sometimes seem to get in your face, but they have a soft side that suggests there’s more to them than what you may see on their surface. Bold in taste but delicate in composition, Black Licorice Laces, like a Scorpio, leaves an unmistakable, intriguing impression.

Sagittarius (November 22 – December 21) – Don’t be surprised if you find a Sagittarius taking a carefree stroll down the road less traveled. These adventurous intellectuals are light in spirit and happy in freedom. Any such sagacious Sagittarius would appreciate a candy as playfully stretchy and brightly fun-flavored as Laffy Taffy.

Capricorn (December 22 – January 19) – Who has high standards and knows exactly what they like? A Capricorn! But don’t worry if you’re choosing their favorite sweet because a buttoned-up and practical classic like Jordan Almonds are a prudent call that are as perfect as it gets for any Capricorn… Almost. 

Aquarius (January 20 – February 18) – A true original with an enviable blend of brains, creativity, and intuition. Aquarians are also friendly and fun-loving, but still, at times, need to be reminded of how much they’re loved. What better than Hershey’s Kisses, the most tried-and-true, bona fide bites of chocolate candy, to accomplish that for the Aquarian in your life?

Pisces (February 19 – March 20) – Compassionate, selfless, and supportive. Pisces also possess the power of a boundless imagination. As whimsical as their energy, Chocolate Covered Gummi Bears present a wildly inventive flavor combination that’s as gushy inside, in the best possible way, as a Pisces’s sensitive soul.