Red Vines Wants To Give Away Free Candy For A Year. Here's How To Win

Any candy with its own holiday probably has a story – and a history – to tell. Licorice, for instance, just may be one of the oldest candies in the world. Traditional black licorice is derived from a plant named Glycyrrhiza Glabra, and its first uses can be traced all the way back to 2300 BC, according to Toms. It was first used for its medicinal properties, as it was believed to help improve hydration, reduce inflammation, aid in stomach troubles, and even help improve congestion and allergy symptoms, according to Candy Club.

Although a true licorice candy refers to a sweet that contains part of the licorice plant, today, we now use licorice as something of a catchall term to describe a variety of sweet candies, including Red Vines, which actually do not contain any real licorice at all. However, that small technicality won't stop Red Vines from celebrating National Licorice Day on April 12th (via National Day Calendar).

The American Licorice Company, the candy manufacturing company behind Red Vines, wants to help its fans celebrate the special occasion by offering them the chance to win free candy for an entire year. The company is on the search for the perfect name for its brand new licorice stick-figure mascot and is enlisting the help of licorice lovers nationwide. From April 4 through National Licorice Day on April 12th, fans can submit their best mascot names on social media or through the Red Vines Landing Page. Once all the entries have been submitted, the company will post its top five favorites on its website from April 22 through April 30, where fans can then vote for one, according to the official rules.

The winner, who will be announced on May 6, will receive free Red Vines candy for an entire year, according to a press release sent to Mashed. However, even those who don't end up being the lucky winner won't be going home empty-handed. Any fans who participate by voting on their favorite mascot name will receive a 25% discount they can put towards a candy order. And even candy fans who don't want to be involved with the contest at all can still receive a free 5-ounce tray of Red Vines if they simply place an order online throughout the month of April.