The Sweet Story of Candy Canes: A Christmas Tradition
As December approaches, the world begins to transform with the magic of the holiday season. Streets glow with colorful lights, joyful music of carols fills the air, homes are filled with the scent of freshly baked cookies, and Christmas decorations transform homes and streets into magical winter wonderlands. The warm glow of string lights, the shimmer of ornaments on a towering tree, and wreaths adorned with red bows and pinecones bring the festive spirit alive. Socks hang by the fireplace, garlands drape over mantels, and snowflakes sparkle in windows. At the heart of these decorations is a symbol of the season: the candy cane. At the center of holiday decorations stands a timeless symbol of Christmas cheer: the candy cane.
The candy cane is more than just a treat-it’s an iconic Christmas decoration. Whether dangling from tree branches, tucked into stockings, or arranged in festive jars, candy canes add a touch of sweetness and nostalgia but have you wondered how it came to be? If not, then it’s a story time!
A Humble Beginning
Candy canes became strongly associated with Christmas starting in 17th-century Europe, where straight, white sugar sticks were popular treats for children. Legend has it that around 1670, a choirmaster at Cologne Cathedral in Germany sought a creative solution to keep children quiet during long Christmas services. He asked a local confectioner to bend the sugar sticks into the shape of a shepherd’s crook, symbolizing the shepherds who visited baby Jesus in the Nativity story. These bent sugar sticks were distributed to children, merging sweetness with spiritual significance.
Later the association grew in the 19th century when August Imgard, a German-Swedish immigrant in the U.S., used candy canes as Christmas tree decorations in 1847. By the late 19th century, red stripes and peppermint flavor were added, further cementing their festive appeal. Their widespread popularity surged in the 20th century with innovations in mass production by Bob McCormack’s company
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https://candyville.ca/blogs/news/the-sweet-story-of-candy-canes-a-christmas-tradition
Originally published at https://candyville.ca on December 16, 2024.
