Candy canes are one of the most recognisable aspects of Christmas itself. They are red and white sweets shaped like a cane and taste like peppermint. They are incredibly delicious and festive, but what is the story behind them? Where did candy canes come from and how did it become a Christmas tradition?
There are a number of early records of candy canes, going back as far as the 1800s.
The first documentation of candy canes came in 1837 when confectionary was judged competitively at the Exhibition of the Massachusetts Charitable Mechanic Association. A record of “stick candy” is mentioned.
A recipe for straight peppermint candy sticks was published in 1844. These sticks were white with coloured stripes. The first connection of them with Christmas came in 1874 from The Nursery monthly magazine. Candy canes being hung on Christmas trees was first mentioned in Babyland magazine in 1882.
However, candy cane folklore dates back to almost two hundred years prior in the 1670s. The story goes that a choirmaster at the Cologne Cathedral in Germany asked for a local candy maker to create “sugar sticks”. This is because children would make noise during the Living Crèche tradition of Christmas Eve. The choirmaster wanted to keep them quiet.
The choirmaster instructed the candy maker to add a crook to the stick. This was in order to help children remember the shepherds that visited the infant Jesus. The white colour of the converted sticks to teach them about the Christian belief in the sinless life of Jesus.
From here, they spread throughout Europe. Candy canes were handed out during plays reenacting the Nativity.
True Treats Historic Candy founder, Susan Benjamin, suggested that there was some credibility to this story. However, she told History.com that it was “just as likely Germans added the hook to hang them from trees, alongside cookies, fruits and other treats.”
They made their official debut in the U.S. in Wooster, Ohio. A German Swedish immigrant had decorated a small blue spruce with paper ornaments and candy canes and the popularity grew from there.Until mass-production was automated, different colours and stripes were not possible.
Different colours and stripes were not introduced until mass-production was automated. The red stripes and even the peppermint flavour soon emerged as the most popular choice at the turn of the 20th century.
Although she wasn’t sure about the validity of it, Benjamin said, “With the stripe came legends of stories about the candy cane, such as it being a secret code among persecuted Christians in Germany or England in the 17th century; a secret language amongst the Christian faithful depending on the stripe – three represented the trinity, one Jesus’ sacrifice) and the more general role of the stripe as the blood of Jesus.”
The most important question is how do you eat your candy cane? Most people believe that the best way to eat it is to start with the straight end. Then, suck it until it is pointy. Bite it down after this before putting the U shaped hook into your mouth to suck until it breaks down.
How do you eat yours? Let us know down in the comments!
