National Peppermint Patty Day is observed on February 11 every year, celebrating the combination of chocolate and peppermint. The holiday honors the York Peppermint Patty, which was first introduced in York, Pennsylvania, by the York Cone Company in 1940. Initially, these candies were popular only in the Northeastern United States, Florida, Ohio, and Indiana, but they gained national recognition in 1975 after being acquired by Peter Paul. The York Peppermint Patty is distinctive for its hard and crispy sweet filling covered in bitter chocolate, setting it apart from other softer patties on the market. The candies became more widely known after the introduction of the character Peppermint Patty in Charles Schulz's comic strip Peanuts in 1966. Interestingly, peppermint patties are considered to be lower in calories and fat compared to many other popular candy bars.