CHICOPEE, Mass. (WWLP) - Monday is National Candy Day, which celebrates sweet treats with a long history. Where to vote on Election Day in Massachusetts According to the National Day Calendar, Middle English first began using the word candy in the late 13th century. Candy is derived in turn from the Persian Qand and Qandi, which means cane sugar. Currently, we treat candy bars, chocolates, licorice, sour candies, salty candies, tart candies, hard candies, taffies, gumdrops, marshmallows, and much more as candy. However, sugar was not always easily accessible, so people would make candies from honey. Nuts, fruits, and flowers were coated with honey, which preserved them and also made forms of candy. Candy was also used as a form of medicine that calmed the digestive system or cooled a sore throat. To celebrate, Yelp has created a list of the top candy stores to visit in western Massachusetts: Sturbridge Candy & Gift Shoppe - 500 Main Street, Sturbridge Robin's Candy - 288 Main Street, Great Barrington Sweeties Fine Chocolate & Confections - 68 Main Street, Northampton Richardson's Candy Kitchen - 500 Greenfield Road Route 5 & 10, Deerfield Williamsburg General Store - 12 Main Street, Williamsburg Mo's Fudge Factor - 9 State Street, Shelburne Falls Pete's Sweets - 32 Shaker Road, East Longmeadow Atkins Farms - 1150 West Street, Amherst Firetype Chocolate - 150 Main Street, Northampton Chocolate Springs Cafe - 55 Pittsfield Road, Lenox Local News Headlines East Longmeadow denying all outdoor burning permits Crash on Route 10 in Bernardston causes power outage Basketball Hall of Famer Gregg Popovich suffers ‘health issue,’ to be sidelined indefinitely Democrats call for investigation into grocery prices WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com.