Would You Believe It?

Crayons Smell Like Grandma January 29, 2008

Would you believe it, crayons that smell like grandma? According to a report in Newsweek, it’s true. There was a time that Crayola came out with Magic Scent Crayons. They smelled like coconut, chocolate, and even bubble gum. But parents were concerned that the children might mistake the crayons for edibles, even though studies showed that they did not. Nonetheless, the company replaced the former food fragrances with smells like “fresh lumber, dirt, leather jacket, and flowers.” In a blind scent test, the experts, children between the ages of four and eleven, were asked what the magic scents really smelled like. Their answers were surprising. Cedar chest crayons they said smelled like fire; shampoo like lipstick, and eucalyptus like cigarettes. The “new car” fragrance smelled like a vacuum cleaner to the little scribblers, and the leather jacket smell reminded them of dead worms. But the response that was most interesting was their reaction to the rose crayon; they said that “smells like my grandma.” Shakespeare said, “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” Maybe that’s why the sweet smell of the rose made them think about grandma.

There may be no more precious relationship in the entire world than that of a loving grandmother. Mothers are loved, fathers are idolized, and dotting grandfathers are adored. But no one can steal the heart of a child like grandma. Part of the secret may be that her purse usually hides some special treat. But I’m sure it goes much deeper than that. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if every boy or girl in the world could know the joy of a grandmother’s love? Unfortunately, the experience of many children is described by a respected physician who said, “American children are often overly fed with gastric foods but seriously starved for love and a feeling of emotional security.” A rose smelling grandma could supply a lot of that.
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