22 is the worst age to birthday shop for in San Francisco.

I don’t have candle-sales data, but the demographics support my theory and lived experience. The 2024 American Community Survey estimates that 42,802 San Franciscans are aged 20 to 24 and another 163,546 are aged 25 to 34. Together, that’s roughly one in four city residents. Fierce competition for “2” shaped birthday candle!!

Good luck finding even one “2” candle in the store, let alone two of them at once.

Every single time I get a cake and candles for my friends finding the “2” candle is a nightmare. They’re mostly unavailable. Every other number candle is right there except the “2”. I’ve been birthday shopping for my 20 something friends for 3 years in the city and have foraged for “2” candles in Safeway, Woodland and Whole Foods. It’s always a struggle.