The History of the Candy Cane

Today, the candy cane is one of the most popular symbols of Christmas, these sweet treats adorn thousands of Christmas trees, and find their tops sticking out of stockings everywhere - but how did it come to be so popular and what does it have to do with the meaning of Christmas?

The legend of the candy cane says that the candy cane originated in 1670 when a choirmaster at Cologne Cathedral bent candy sticks into the shape of a shepherd’s crook, most likely meant to symbolize the first people that worshiped the newborn Christ, and handed them out to children during the living nativity service.

Today’s candy cane is still a symbol of Christmas, though its origins are all but forgotten. The red and white stripes and peppermint flavor have nothing to do with the story of the candy cane, but show how far it has come from its beginnings.

Some Christians still use the candy cane to represent the true meaning of the holiday, seeing the shape to represent the shepherd’s crook or the letter “J” for Jesus. Some look at the red stripes as a symbol of God’s love and the white stripe as a symbol of the purity of Jesus and the virgin birth. The hard candy is sometimes viewed as solid like a “rock,” the church’s foundation.

It was not until many years later after that choirmaster handed out the candy sticks that the little canes began to show up on Christmas trees and other decorations. They had established themselves as a symbol of the holiday season, but it took a while. It was not until the turn of the 20th century that the red stripes and peppermint flavor became part of the symbol. These plain little sugar sticks have certainly come a long way.

For more related information:

Candy Canes | Candy | Mixed Candy