Candy Cane Christmas
For More Candy Cane Christmas Info Click On The Blue Links Below

Candy canes have been around for over 350 years and play a large part in the Christmas festivities. They add colour and interest to any Christmas tree and are a sweet delight for children to enjoy. Their traditional design, bright coloured stripes and assortment of flavours makes them unique - although they were originally just straight, white sticks of hard sugar candy.

Candy canes first became popular around 1670, when a choirmaster at the Cologne Cathedral freely distributed white sticks of candy to children attending the long ceremonies. These sticks of white candy were bent into the shape of a shepherd.

By the 1800s, America was introduced to these remarkable sticks of candy, but they remained white for some time before they gained their traditional red stripes - flavourings of peppermint and wintergreen were also added to give them more appeal. As they became more and more popular, both amateur and professional candy makers began producing them - they were, however, very time-consuming to make and could never be produced in large quantities.

Around 1950, a man by the name of Bob McCormack, from Atlanta, Georgia, started making candy canes for his family and friends. Seeing their popularity and time-consuming nature, his brother-in-law, Gregory Keller - who was a Catholic priest - invented a machine to mass-produce them. Bob’s Candies, Inc then became the largest distributors of candy canes in the world.

Candy canes are readily available almost anywhere these days and are made by heating sugar and corn syrup together. It is then vacuum cooked and poured onto cooling tables, where starch and peppermint are added. After mixing and kneading, the candy eventually turns from brown to white. The white sticks are then placed on a special heated table where they gain their traditional stripes. They are then formed into the right shapes, cut and packaged. Amazingly, around 1.76 billion of these sticks are produced every year!

There have been many theories over the years as to what the candy cane actually symbolises. Some people think that they resemble a shepherd’s staff and were thought to be a suitable way of keeping the children quiet. Eventually, the offering of candy at such ceremonies became such a tradition that the practice gradually spread throughout Europe. who was a Catholic priest - invented a machine to mass-produce them. Bob’s Candies, Inc then became the largest distributors of candy canes in the world. ’s staff; others consider them to be a “J†- standing for Jesus. The stripes are thought to represent the blood and purity of Christ and the hardness of the candy symbolises the strength of the church’s foundations - even the peppermint flavouring is thought to represent the use of the herb, Hyssop, which is mentioned in the Old Testament. None of these theories have been proven, however, but they still help to make the candy cane a special Christmas gift –  so much so, that they even have their own special day in America on the 26the December, which is known as “National Candy Day.â€

About the Author:

S Canfield, owner of Accent the Party selling many different types and themes of unique wedding party favors, bridal shower favors and holiday party favors.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Candy Canes – a Symbol of Christmas