The Candy Cane: A Delectable Dive into History and Production | The Sugar Association (2024)

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What is the history behind candy canes? ›

A Sweet Prelude: The History of Candy Canes

One popular tale traces it back to a German choirmaster seeking a solution to keep children calm during Christmas Eve services. The candy's crook symbolized shepherds, while the red and white stripes embodied the purity of Christ.

Cane: Is like the staff used by the shepherds in caring for sheep. Jesus is our “Good Shepherd.” The Color Red: Is for God's love that sent Jesus to give his life for us on the cross. The Stripes: Remind us of Jesus' suffering-his crown of thorns, the wounds in his hands and feet; and the cross on which he died.

A Candy maker prayed for a way to capture the meaning of Christmas in a piece of candy. Thus, the Candy Cane's shape signifies a Shepherd's staff to remind us Jesus is the Good Shepherd and when turned upside down it forms a “J” for Jesus.

One legend suggests that an Indiana-based candymaker shaped the peppermint stick into a “J” shape to represent Jesus, with the white stripe symbolizing the purity of his birth and the red stripe later added to acknowledge the blood he shed on the cross.

One of the oldest traditional candies eaten for special occasions like Christmas is marzipan. This almond-based confection dates back centuries, with origins in Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. Each region has its own uses for the sweet.

This hard candy was shaped so it would resemble a “J” for Jesus or, turned upside down, a shepherd's staff. He made it white to represent the purity of Christ.

Candy canes were originally solid white, but during the turn of the 20th century stripes started to appear. Prior to the late 19th century, Christmas cards of that period show nothing but plain white candy. Some believe the stripes came from the candy maker Bob McCormack in the 1920s.

The white color is for purity, how Jesus was pure and sinless. White is also for the virgin birth. Finally, how you break the cane as you eat it represents how Christ's body was broken on the cross for us.

If we choose to follow Him, He will gently lead us to safety and peace. The red stripes on candy canes symbolizes Christ's sacrifice and the white background, His purity. Reflection: Lord, you came to shepherd and guide us. Gently guide us to the path of salvation at times when we may wander.

What is the lesson of the candy cane? ›

The Bible tells us that before he was crucified, Jesus was beaten with a whip which made blood-red stripes across his back. The Bible says that we are healed by those stripes. The stripes on the candy cane should remind us that Jesus suffered and died, so that we can have everlasting life.

(Psalm 31:3). Next the candy maker made the candy in the shape of a 'J' for the name of Jesus who came to earth as our Savior (Matt 1:21, Acts 4:12). When the candy was turned upside down, it is the shape of the Good Shepherd's staff (John 10:11). "I am the good shepherd.

In 1847, he made a candy to symbolize Christ. The cane's "J" shape stands for Jesus; when turned upside-down, it becomes a shepherd's staff. The white color signifies purity; the red represents Christ's blood, shed for the world's sins, and three red stripes symbolize the trinity.

The big mystery is when confectioners started to add peppermint to candy canes, which were a Christmastime treat. The unconfirmed legend of the candy cane itself is that a German choirmaster asked the candy maker to add a shepherd's crook to the candy stick to remind kids of the nativity scene, but nobody really knows.

The first candy was used by the Ancient Egyptians for cult purposes. In ancient times, Egyptians, Arabs, and Chinese made candies with fruits and nuts that caramelized with honey. The two oldest candy types are licorice and ginger. The historical roots of licorice are found in the early years of man's appearance.

The first historical reference to the familiar cane shape though goes back to 1670. The choirmaster at the Cologne Cathedral in Germany first bent the sugar-sticks into the shape of canes to represent a shepherd's staff. The all-white candy canes were then given out to children during the long-winded nativity services.