Candy Canes
Candy Canes are a fun holiday tradition that taste good too. Their pretty red and white stripes make them perfect Christmas tree ornaments while the crook at the top makes them easy to hang.
It is said that the first candy canes were created in 1670. The choirmaster at the Cologne Cathedral in Germany noticed that his youthful singers became restless during the long holiday ceremonies.
There had to be a way to keep the children from distracting the congregation with their noisy whispering between hymns. A wonderful idea occurred to him - the choirmaster gave the singers sugar sticks to enjoy during the breaks. And because it was Christmas, he had the candies bent into the shape of a shepherd’s crook. The ancient symbol of a shepherd’s crook represents those humble shepherds whom legend has it were the first to worship the newborn Christ.
The candies became popular and over the years people began to use the candy canes as Christmas tree decorations. It wasn’t until the late 1800s however, that the cheerful red and white stripes and the peppermint flavoring were added.
