A Sweet Tradition That Sticks
For one local family, homemade popcorn balls have kept generations connected for more than 40 years.
Some family recipes are measured in cups and teaspoons. Others are measured in memories.
For REMC member Debbie Monday and her family, homemade popcorn balls fall firmly into the second category.
The tradition began with Debbie’s parents, Tom and Deloris Miles, after their three daughters were grown and began having children of their own. Each Halloween, the family would take the children trick-or-treating, then end the night at Grandpa and Grandma Miles’ house with candy and homemade popcorn balls.
As the family grew, so did the batch. Eight grandchildren eventually brought another generation into the tradition, and making enough popcorn balls became a sizable undertaking. As Tom and Deloris grew older, family members began arriving after work to help with the popping, stirring and shaping. Deloris eventually saw the tradition shared across five generations.
After Tom died in 2012, the family continued gathering at Deloris’ home. When she died in 2017 and the family home was later sold, the younger generations began asking what would happen to the tradition.
One great-granddaughter, whose own children had shared in it, had the answer: They still needed to make the popcorn balls in memory of Grandpa and Grandma.
So they did.
Today, the family gathers sometime in October rather than necessarily on Halloween night. Attendance varies as family members have spread farther apart, but the purpose remains the same: remember Tom and Deloris, spend time together and keep the tradition going.
When plenty of helpers can make it, they can turn out around 200 popcorn balls.
The family now starts with two microwaves, an air popper and a Stir Crazy popcorn popper. Everyone brings supplies, including plenty of caramel and popcorn, and pitches in where needed.
One niece has even graduated from individually wrapped caramels to buying caramel by the brick, saving the family from one of the least glamorous jobs of the day: unwrapping caramel after caramel.
And not everyone wanted the original version. When one family member decided caramel wasn’t for him, the family added marshmallow popcorn balls to the lineup.
Once the hot caramel is poured over the popcorn, patience is required.
“You can’t go in right away because you’ll get burned,” Debbie said.
They stir the mixture until it is cool enough to handle, then butter their hands and shape each ball. By the end, there are sticky hands to wash, caramel to scrape from the floor and plenty of temptation to sample the finished product.
Some years bring a big turnout. Other years, fewer family members can make the trip. But every gathering offers another chance to remember the people who started it all.
For Debbie, the fondest memories will always be of making popcorn balls with her mother. Continuing the tradition keeps a little piece of those days alive while giving younger generations memories of their own.
After more than 40 years, the family has the process pretty well figured out.
Pop the corn. Melt the caramel. Butter your hands. Shape the balls. Try not to eat too many along the way.
And when it’s over, scrape the caramel off the floor.
Because sometimes the best family traditions are the ones that stick.
Debbie’s Family Popcorn Balls
Like many recipes passed down through generations, this one is made more by feel than by exact measurements.
You’ll need:
• Freshly popped popcorn
• Caramels or bulk caramel
• Butter
• Optional: marshmallows for a different version
To make them:
Melt the caramel until smooth, then pour it over the freshly popped popcorn. Stir the mixture with a large spoon while it begins to cool.
Be careful: The caramel will be extremely hot. Do not handle the mixture until it has cooled enough to safely touch.
Once it is cool enough to work with, generously butter your hands and shape the coated popcorn into balls. Set aside to cool completely.
For Debbie’s family, repeat until you have enough for everyone — which might mean making nearly 200.
