Nearly 2 Billion Candy Canes Are Sold In The Four Weeks Leading Up To Christmas And Hanukkah.

National Candy Cane Day is on December 26, and while that doesn’t mean it’ll keep us from munching on the sugary sticks as early as Thanksgiving, it does give us a chance to indulge as much as we can before New Year’s. With origins in 17th-century Germany, these sweet treats were shaped to resemble shepherds’ crooks. They later immigrated to the United States in the mid-19th century. Now we see them everywhere, even on trees.

• 1670 – The story of candy canes began in the Cologne Cathedral in Germany, where the choirmaster handed out the bent sweet sticks to his youngest singers to keep them quiet during the long Living Creche ceremony.
• 1837 – The earliest verifiable reference to stick candy is a record of the 1837 Exhibition of the Massachusetts Charitable Mechanic Association, where confections were judged competitively.
• 1844 – A recipe for a straight peppermint candy stick, which was white with colored stripes, was published.
• 1847 – August Imgard, a German-Swedish immigrant, decorated a small blue spruce with paper ornaments and candy canes in Wooster, Ohio.
• 1859 – Candy canes most likely evolved from a Swedish candy called polkagris. Invented in 1859, these straight candy sticks were originally peppermint flavored with red and white stripes.
• 1866 – Literature begins mentioning the candy cane, and it was first known in connection with Christmas in 1874.
• 1882 – As early as 1882, candy canes have been hung on Christmas trees.
• 1900 – Striped red-and-white candy canes were first introduced in 1900.
• 1920s – In Albany, Georgia, Bob McCormack began making candy canes by hand as special Christmas treats for his children and friends.
• 1921 – The first machine to make candy canes were invented in 1921 by Brasher O. Westerfield. Until then, they were made by hand.
• 1950s – Gregory Keller, a Catholic priest, invented a machine to automate the production of candy canes.
• The average candy cane is 5 inches tall.
• While most candy canes are not sugar or calorie-free, they do not have any fat or cholesterol.
• The curved part of the candy cane is called the “warble,” and the straight part is called the strabe.
  • Traditionally, candy canes are flavored with peppermint, but there are a variety of flavors like:
  • Pickle – Sometimes the sour taste is just the right balance needed.
  • Bacon – Wake up with some bacon (candy canes) and eggs!
  • Rotisserie chicken – A main course and dessert — all wrapped up in one!
  • Wasabi – If you’ve always thought candy canes were missing a spicy kick, then these are just right.
  • Gravy – Now if only they made candy cane mashed potatoes!
• A standard, 6-inch candy cane contains two servings with approximately 50-60 calories per serving.
• Nearly 2 billion candy canes are sold in the four weeks leading up to Christmas and Hanukkah.
• Geneva, Illinois, built the world’s largest candy cane, chef Alain Roby in 2012.  It was 51 feet long and required about 900 pounds of sugar.
• Peppermint candy canes are touted for substantial health benefits, including relieving gastrointestinal discomfort, curbing cravings, easing headaches, relieving stuffy noses, and, of course, freshening breath.
• A study by the National Confectioners Association shows that seventy-two percent of people feel eating the straight end first is best, while twenty-eight percent start with the curved end first.
• Meaning and Symbolism of the Candy Cane
• Shape:
• J-shape: The candy cane is shaped like the letter “J,” symbolizing Jesus, the central figure of Christianity.
• Shepherd’s staff: Turned the other way, it resembles a shepherd’s staff, representing Jesus as the Good Shepherd who guides and protects His flock (John 10:11).
• Color: 
  • White: The white color signifies the purity and sinlessness of Jesus Christ.
  • Red stripes: The red stripes symbolize the blood of Christ shed for humanity’s sins during His crucifixion. Some interpretations suggest the larger red stripe represents Jesus’ sacrifice, while smaller stripes (if present) may symbolize the stripes He received during His suffering on the cross.
• Texture: The candy cane’s hardness reflects the solid foundation of faith and the strength of Jesus as a “rock.”
• Flavor: Peppermint: This is reminiscent of hyssop, a plant used in biblical times for purification (Psalm 51:7), symbolizing Jesus’ role in spiritual cleansing.

Sources:

National Day Calendar

Mobile-cuisine

Crosswalk

The Daily Meal

National Today