That's what Campbell Findlay did last week when he celebrated his 12th birthday at Hallam's Fyna Foods, the maker of Wizz Fizz sherbet, Fads candy sticks, and 600 other confectionery lines.

Campbell and 15 mates had a factory tour and feasted on giant chocolate freckles that they made, and on raspberry jellies, liquorice bullets, Wizz Fizz Fizza Ballz and musk sticks.

It might sound like a sugar overload to some, but Campbell is a fourth-generation Wizz Fizz kid.

In 1947, Campbell's great-grandfather, Arthur Campbell, started Fyna Foods in one room in Fairfield, hand crafting musk sticks and Hoppa??? Pops lollipops, named after fictional cowboy Hopalong Cassidy.

His best known brand was Wizz Fizz, the sherbet powder eaten with a little plastic spoon.

The party is a tradition that Campbell's mother, Anna Campbell-Findlay, who is a Fyna director, reserves for each of her four sons' 12th birthdays.

Ms Campbell-Findlay herself doesn't eat sugar outside of tasting at the factory.

"We don't pretend what our product is," she says. "It is sugar and it's a discretionary item that people can choose, or not choose, to have at their parties, or in celebration. It's not hidden. It's a treat."

Having learnt about moderation, one day the boys could run the joint: Fyna is going fine, and is celebrating 70 years in the tough confectionery business.

When great-grandfather Arthur got permission to use Disney characters on the sachets - combined with the lolly's distinctive sizzle on the tongue (from bicarbonate soda and malic acid) - Wizz Fizz was propelled to household-name status.

Today about 35 million Wizz Fizz products (either the sherbet powder or the cone with sherbet, marshmallow and hundreds and thousands) are produced each year.

Fyna's Fads candy sticks used to be Fags - mock cigarettes we pretended to smoke - until pressure from the anti-smoking lobby caused the name change in 1995.

Today, Fyna makes an average 150 tonnes of lollies a month and has 85 employees.

Since Arthur died in 1989, his descendants have kept Fyna afloat amid fierce competition from cut-price imports; moves by supermarkets to slash margins; and a more health conscious society.

Mr Campbell's son, current chairman Terry Campbell, says the company has been profitable enough without having to sell. It has contracts with Woolworths, Coles and Aldi.

And his being successful in other businesses (he owns Three Point Motors and is emeritus chairman of Goldman Sachs) meant he could inject capital when needed.

They have never seriously considered moving production overseas. Mr Campbell inherited his father's satisfaction at employing locals.

"And apart from anything else it's quite a good fun business."