Heaps of sweets

Fifteen 4-year-olds in rosy satin princess dresses waving wands and wearing sparkling tiaras are a sweet sight, indeed.

But it was the three tables laden with candy that catapulted Hilary Whitaker's birthday party to OMG-it's-sugar-heaven status.

Next to dozens of glass vases filled with Gummi Bears, Swedish Fish, and saltwater taffy were licorice vines, Starbursts, M&Ms, rock candy necklaces, and three kinds of bubble gum. There were boxes of Nerds, Ring Pops, sheets of Candy Buttons, and rolls of Smarties. And let's not forget the lollipops: Hello Kitty marshmallow, giant swirls, and Blow Pops dotted the table.

"It's unbelievable," said Jennifer Ferrera, the mother of guest Isabella. "I mean, these Hello Kitty lollipops and these swirly pops? They really bring me back."

"Candy buffets" - over-the-top sugar shindigs that can cost a hostess between $500 and $2,000 - are the trendiest, prettiest, and most delicious additions to the kiddie party scene. Their success is pretty simple to explain: Kids love candy.

But the trend reflects more than just children's natural affection for confection. Parents are nostalgic for these treats of their youth. A sky-high pile of Skittles offers a simple pleasure with a twist. Fashion is finally embracing bright hues again. And such a fine display of colorful candy is enough to earn another notch in the belt of the Joneses.

"I wanted something that couldn't be replicated for her party," said hostess and mother Diane Barr. As she talked, Tiffany Gabbay, owner of South Jersey-based Couture Candy Buffets, rushed around Barr's kitchen in Aston, Delaware County, tying pink bows around vases. She is one of at least three candy buffet specialists in the area. "Last year we had a party with princesses and limousines," Barr said, "and we sat club box at the Wachovia Center. It was wonderful."

Candy buffets are a direct descendant of cookie tables (a tradition said to have been born in Pittsburgh), now a favorite at over-the-top celebrity weddings, said Anja Winikka, a senior editor at The Knot.com. One of the biggest celebrity-wedding candy buffets was at Khloe Kardashian's 2009 nuptials to L.A. Laker Lamar Odom.