What's Christmas Without Candy Canes?
By Susan
@HazySue (39265)
Gouverneur, New York
December 22, 2017 8:59am CST
I can't remember a Christmas that has passed without the wonderful sweet candy cane hanging on my tree. As I looked at images today on Pixabay I began to wonder just how did it come into being.
According to folklore the candy cane began as a sugar stick in Cologne, Germany in 1678. Apparently the church leader asked a candy maker to make sugar stick for the children so they would not make noise during the Christmas Eve prayers.
He asked the candy makers to add a crook to the stick so it would remind the children of the shepherds who visited the Baby Jesus. At this time the sticks were pure white.
Colored stripes were added in or around 1844 and in 1882 people began to hang them on their tree at Christmastime.
The first flavor is reported as having been peppermint but now there are hundreds of different flavors. Some of the flavors are great like cherry, licorice, banana, bubble gum and grape. Some of them are really different such as dill pickle, sriracha (believe it or not, this is said to be a top seller), and bacon flavored.
What is your favorite candy cane flavor?
20 people like this
21 responses
@JohnRoberts (109841)
• Los Angeles, California
22 Dec 17
I go for the traditional peppermint.
6 people like this
@FourWalls (86615)
• United States
22 Dec 17
I agree with John. If it's a "tradition" of candy canes, go with the "traditional" flavor of peppermint. Oh, and put enough peppermint in is so I can actually taste it. 
4 people like this
@just4him (323168)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
22 Dec 17
I heard a story about the candy cane many years ago. There's a little more to it that you might enjoy. The red stands for the blood of Jesus, shed on the cross, and the white for the purity we have when our sins are cleansed by that blood. It's a beautiful reminder of what Christmas is really all about. I like the original flavor best.
2 people like this
That's a great thing to do.
@dgobucks226 (37621)
•
23 Dec 17
I am traditional but bubble gum sounds interesting. I enjoy hanging some on the tree. They make a nice decoration.
1 person likes this
@shaggin (74988)
• United States
29 Dec 17
How could I never have thought about how they originated before. Very interesting infornation here thank you! I don't really care for them but my kids enjoy them. We buy them and hang them on our tree and they each are allowed to eat one a day.
1 person likes this
@toniganzon (77120)
• Philippines
23 Dec 17
Candy canes has never been our tradition. But because of the western influence and the American Christmas movies we watch, kids have been longing for candy canes. I don't really have a favorite flavour.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (128831)
• Gainesville, Florida
23 Dec 17
I love putting candy canes on the Christmas tree every year, but I don't like eating them. I used to love them as a kid, but for some reason I just don't like them now. But that's okay, it leaves more for my kids to eat! haha
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (128831)
• Gainesville, Florida
31 Dec 17
@HazySue Yes, I agree, they are a beautiful decoration! And what a wonderful idea to give your leftover candy canes to the students! I'm sure they loved them! Kids often will love anything that is sweet or candy!
1 person likes this
@Courtlynn (67089)
• United States
22 Dec 17
The three of us never liked candy canes.. but we did hang them on the tree growing up. Stopped awhen we became 12. Because even if we only bought one box for a dollar, it was such a waste of money with none of us eating them.
There's definitely alot of different flavors now a days though. Like swedish fish, oreo, sour patch, think even butterscotch
1 person likes this
@misunderstood_zombie (8765)
• United States
23 Dec 17
I don't really eat them, but I do enjoy seeing them on m tree.
1 person likes this
@LovingMyBabies (85923)
• Valdosta, Georgia
22 Dec 17
I always loved the blue raspberry and butterscotch flavors as a kid. I don't have candy canes anymore but my kids of course love them! This year we bought sour patch kids candy canes, oreo ones, and skittles! They have much more variety now than when I was younger.
1 person likes this
@TiarasOceanView (70020)
• United States
22 Dec 17
I will get by just fine without them..I only liked them when I was little.
1 person likes this
@Marilynda1225 (91044)
• United States
22 Dec 17
I stick with the good old traditional peppermint candy cane and love to have them hanging on my tree. My daughter is a pickle lover and she's been eyeing those pickle flavored ones but the price is crazy.
1 person likes this
