History of Candy Canes

Once upon a time, about 350 years ago, people started to use white sugar sticks as a special treat. These early candies weren't fancy. They were just straight, white sugar sticks. But, guess what? They were the great-great-grandparents of today's candy canes.

The story of how these sugar sticks turned into candy canes is quite interesting. It began in Germany about 250 years ago. During a long church service, the choirmaster wanted to keep the children quiet. So, he gave them sugar sticks. But there was a problem. The church didn't think it was right to give out candies during worship. So, the choirmaster came up with a clever idea. He bent the top of the sugar sticks into a hook shape, making them look like shepherds' staffs. This way, the candy could remind children of the shepherds who visited baby Jesus. The church liked this idea, and that's how our candy canes got their famous hook!

But, when did candy canes get their red stripes? Well, this didn't happen until around 1900. Nobody knows for sure who first added the stripes, but we're glad they did because it makes candy canes look even more festive! Some people believe that the white part of the cane symbolizes the purity of Jesus, and the red stripes are for His love.

Finally, peppermint, the flavor we all love in our candy canes, became popular in the 20th century. Did you know that Bob McCormack, from Georgia in the United States, was one of the first to make candy canes with peppermint flavor? His company, Bob's Candies, is still one of the biggest candy cane producers today.

So, the next time you enjoy a candy cane, remember its sweet history. It started as a simple sugar stick and turned into a symbol of Christmas joy. Whether you love them for their taste, their shape, or the happy memories they bring, candy canes are a special part of our holiday traditions.