Why Do We Have Candy Canes at Christmas?
DISCLAIMER: Sweet Post Ahead.
Beginning in November, curved minty sticks appear to adorn shelves and holiday decorations. One of the most prolific representations of the season, each year 1.76 billion candy canes are made, with over 90% of them being sold between Thanksgiving and Christmas.
But why candy canes? Read on to find out!
One of the oldest Christmas Candy Canes legends is about 350 years old. Back then, candy canes were plain white sticks of sugar.
It is said that in the year 1670, a choirmaster of Cologne Cathedral, Germany was frustrated by children fidgeting in church. He desperately wanted the kids to be quiet and sit still during the hours-long Christmas Nativity Mass. He devised a plan to mix bribery with education and fashioned the sugar sticks so one end was curved. The truth has been lost to the ages, but some say the curve was to represent the curved crooks of the shepherds who visited the baby Jesus during Christmas, and others claim the curve was for the letter J for Jesus.
Sometime around 1900 red stripes and peppermint were added. The white represents purity, red for the blood of Jesus that was spilled, and peppermint for hyssop which purified the bible.
The earliest published reference of the candy cane was in 1837 at a confectioners competition, and a recipe for the modern red and white striped candy cane was published and circulated in 1844.
Canes were being hung on trees by 1882.
Early candy canes were a labor of love. Sugar was melted and handspun, then repeatedly folded and pulled to great lengths much like taffy. Then it was rolled tightly into evenly shaped stick forms and cut.
In early 1920's Chicago candy makers Bunte Brothers patented the first mass candy cane machine, but the bending was still done by hand. As each cane came down the assembly line workers hand curved them to shape, with about 20% breakage. Before this, the canes were made entirely by hand. By the middle of the century, Atlanta's Bob McCormack was the world's leading candy cane producer.
Necessity breeds invention.
Due to the major candy loss and amount of physical labor involved, McCormack's brother-in-law had an idea.
Gregory Harding Keller was a seminary student in Rome who spent the summer breaks at home working in the family candy factory.
In 1957, the same year he was ordained a Roman Catholic Priest he patented the Keller Machine, which automatically twisted the spiral stripes and curved the end of the candy cane.
Candy canes now come in a variety of flavors and colors and remain one of the most recognizable symbols of Christmas worldwide.
Christmas Legends and Traditions- Italy
Christmas Legends and Traditions- Ireland
Images via Pixabay, Unsplash, and Creative Commons
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I know this is kind of a fluff piece, but I enjoyed it. And it's the sort of thing I might write myself ... if I had time ... if I were triplets ... if one day I just say "screw it" and start doing my own thing for a change.
I really do like reading about the little "histories behind traditions" ... like folklore and other items of interest. I am not your average person. Evidently neither are you. Neither is The Weasel, but I'm not going to delve deeper into that topic. It's way too late and I am way too tired. Catch you again on the backswing, @arbitrarykitten. You decide if that's a threat or a promise.
This excellent post was included in our new curation effort The Magnificent Seven -- a collaborative work by @enchantedspirit and @catweasel. You have received a 100% upvote from each of us to show our appreciation for your post. To see your creation showcased here ... and the fine company you keep ... please visit this link.
We appreciate your support both for our work on this project and for the other creators of exceptional content who make it all possible. (Follow @catweasel to catch our future Magnificent Seven posts. He's really not as annoying as you might think.)
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I'm sure @arbitrarykitten has a low enough opinion without you denigrating me like that.
Trust me, I'm a doctor.
Whatever low opinion she has of you at this point -- after such a very, very, very short time, it hasn't begun to find its proper level. But I'm not worried. It'll get there. No effort from me required. (:-p ~~~~~
Pro Stalker Tip: from one who's witnesses many.
Ditch the ink. Seeing where you've been helps foretell where you'll be next...
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@arbitrarykitten I just wanted to give her a SWEET UP VOTE !
Sweeeet :)
Thanks <3
great story.thanks for sharing @arbitrarykitten.i like your post and upvoted.
Thanks for reading!
This post has received a 1.56 % upvote from @drotto thanks to: @banjo.
Short and educative @arbitrarykitten
Thanks T!
I like this post thanks for sharing
Sweet!
Thanks!
@arbitrarykitten I love candy canes. They are Strypey!
I have heard this legend before about the candy cane. Thanks for writing it all out for us. :) I haven't had a candy cane this year - I need to go out and find some. I know my kids would love to have one.
I hadn't heard this particular legend yet, I was pleasantly surprised :) I found it while doing my Christmas legends and folktale research.
Nice! The story of how they are made is interesting! It is crazy they used to be pulled like taffy.
Loved the disclaimer. Ate some salt just in the start to neutralize all the sweetness that followed after. Enjoy finding out more fun facts and trivia about all things Christmassy. <3