Did you ever completely decorate your Christmas tree, step back to admire its warm glow and sparkly ornaments, and realize with shock, you forgot the candy canes? If you didn’t notice, a small child will ask you, “where are the candy canes?” After that happens once, you will be likely to put buying candy canes on your pre-Christmas “to do” list.

How in the world did this candy become an integral part of our Christmas festivities? While today’s traditional candy canes are red and white, and curved at the top, they have their origins as straight white candy sticks. These first plain white sugar sticks were created 350 years ago, in Europe, with no connection to Christmas.

In 1670, the harried choirmaster of the Cologne Cathedral in Germany faced a continuing problem. The children in church were restless and noisy during the long Advent and Christmas services, disrupting the adults’ appreciation of the beautiful music. He had the creative idea to have candy sticks made with a curve at the top, so that they look like shepherd’s staffs or canes, and to give them to the children as they entered the church. His innovation was so popular that churches throughout Europe quickly began giving children these cane shaped candy sticks.

These pure white candy canes arrived in North America with German immigrants. The first recorded use here was when August Imgard, who immigrated to Wooster, Ohio from Germany, decorated his tree with paper ornaments and the canes, in 1847. His neighbors embraced the idea and candy canes quickly spread across North America.

It was not until about 1900 that the splashy red stripes were added, and peppermint flavor, which continues in today’s candy canes. They have been gracing our trees, and being nibbled upon for over 150 years in their modern form, with no signs of disappearing.

Our affection for candy canes ensures they will grace many a tree, or holiday table, in Christmas celebrations in the future. Don’t forget to add these treats to your festivities, pointing out that they are reminders of the humble shepherds who walked the hills of Bethlehem, to greet our infant King of Heaven, oh so long ago.

Copyright © by Terra Hangen Share