Candy canes are one of the first sweet treats that we think of whenever someone mentions Christmas—but did you ever wonder how they became associated with this holiday? This sugary stick candy with white and red stripes comes with an interesting backstory that takes us back to 17th century Germany.
Before taking the form of everything from decoration to jewelry, candy canes were—first and foremost—a delicious sweet treat. Legend has it they were first invented in Cologne, Germany in 1670, as a way of keeping the choirboys quiet during the Christmas Eve service.
The choirmaster at Cologne Cathedral asked a local candy maker for some sugar sticks that would keep the boys calm. Since eating candy at the church wasn’t appropriate, he added a hook to each cane, making a reference to the shepherds who visited the infant Jesus. It’s also believed that the crooks were added so that candy canes could be hung from the trees with other treats.
Another interesting fact about candy canes is that they were originally the color white. Red stripes were only added once they became mass-produced, most likely as a marketing strategy. Since it’s now impossible to imagine candy canes without their red stripes, and with their iconic peppermint flavor, it’s safe to say that their strategy worked!
