The story of the candy cane begins in a simpler form: straight sticks of hard sugar. In Europe in the 17th-18th centuries, “pulling sugar” and making candy sticks were already known techniques in confectionery. According to one account, the form of the sugar stick that would become the candy cane dates to around the 1600s. For example, one legend states that in circa 1670 the choirmaster at the Cologne Cathedral in Germany used sugar sticks to quiet children during a long Christmas service. n this version the sticks were bent into the shape of a shepherd’s crook so that children could hold them, or as a religious symbol referencing the shepherds in the Nativity.
While this story is charming, most historians regard it as apocryphal — there is little direct documented evidence from that time to support the exact details (for example, candy-makers in the 17th century were often apothecaries rather than confectioners in the modern sense).
What is better documented is that by the early 19th century, sugar sticks (plain white) were being made and exhibited. For example, in 1837 an exhibition in Massachusetts listed “stick candy”.
And a recipe for straight peppermint candy sticks (white with colored stripes) was published in 1844.
So we have the technical foundation — sugar pulled, shaped into sticks — and the notion of sugar sticks being used in festive or religious contexts. But neither the curved “cane” shape nor the red & white stripes were yet standard.
The candy cane slowly became linked to Christmas traditions. A key moment often cited is in 1847 when a German-Swedish immigrant, August Imgard, in Wooster, Ohio, decorated a small blue spruce tree with paper ornaments and candy sticks that resemble candy canes.
The colorful decorative use helped integrate the candy stick into the tree-ornament tradition. In terms of naming, the term “candy cane” is first documented around 1866.
And by 1874 the connection to Christmas is clearly made: a magazine mentions “candy-canes” in the context of the holiday.
Around this time the candy sticks were still largely white, straight and without complex decoration. The red stripes we now associate with candy canes did not appear until somewhat later (turn of the 20th century).
Thus, in the 1800s we see: sugar sticks → candy cane term → use in holiday decor → straight white form → evolving association with Christmas.
Over time, various symbolic interpretations have been attached to the candy cane, especially in Christian holiday tradition. Some of these include:
- The “J” or hook shape representing the letter “J” for Jesus, or the shepherd’s staff (symbol of the Good Shepherd).
- The white colour representing the purity or sinlessness of Christ; the red stripe(s) representing the blood of Christ; some suggest three thin red stripes represent the Trinity.
- The peppermint flavor representing the hyssop plant (used for purification in the Old Testament) or just the bitterness of sacrifice.
However: many candy-history scholars caution that these interpretations are retrospective — that is, the symbolism was applied later, not proven from original makers. For example, one article states that the religious legends “lack historical evidence” and are mostly 20th-century additions.
So, while the symbolism adds richness to the candy cane’s story, it should be treated with care as largely the product of tradition and myth.
The 20th century saw major changes that turned the candy cane from a niche Christmas treat into a mass-produced seasonal icon. Some key developments:
- In the 1920s, Bob’s Candies (in Albany, Georgia) began making candy canes specifically for Christmas, distributing to local children, friends and stores.
- In the 1950s the Keller Machine was invented (by Gregory Harding Keller, Bob’s brother-in-law) which automated the twisting and bending process of candy cane production.
- The red stripe and peppermint flavour combination became the dominant form. The stripes aided identification and decoration; peppermint gave a fresh festive taste.
- Today, the U.S. alone produces roughly 1.7 to 1.8 billion candy canes annually, with about 90% of sales occurring between Thanksgiving and Christmas.
These changes reflect broader trends: industrial manufacturing making mass-production feasible, packaging improvements (cellophane wrappers etc.), improved shipping and marketing aligning the candy with Christmas décor and gifting. The candy cane evolved from a simple sugar stick to a shaped, striped, flavored confection tied inextricably to the holiday season.
Why did candy canes become so firmly associated with Christmas? A few reasons stand out:
- Decorative utility: The hook shape allowed the candy to hang on tree branches or be used as stocking stuffers. The red-and-white palette fit well into Christmas colour schemes. For example, the Wooster, Ohio case of 1847 demonstrates the candy’s use in tree decorating.
- Seasonal marketing: As confectioners focused on Christmas, making a special candy for a brief festive window created novelty and demand. The fact that 90% of sales fall in the holiday season speaks to that.
- Replication of tradition: Families who saw or adopted candy canes on their trees passed the practice on; over time the candy cane became expected as part of holiday décor and ritual.
- Symbolic attachment: As noted, religious or moral symbolism became attached, which gave the candy a “meaning beyond sweet” for many families, further reinforcing its place in the holiday canon.
Over decades the candy cane became as much ornament as confection — hung from trees, inserted into stockings, stirred into hot cocoa, incorporated into Christmas crafts and imageries.
In summary, the candy cane’s story can be seen in three broad phases:
- Pre-19th century / Europe: Sugar sticks used as confectionary items; legend of 17th-century Germany hinting at bent sugar sticks and shepherd’s crooks.
- 19th century / transition: Straight white candy sticks appear; they begin to be used in Christmas decoration in America (1847); the term “candy cane” emerges mid-century; red stripes and peppermint flavours are yet to become standard.
- 20th century / mass production & codification: Hook shape becomes standard, red/white stripes dominate, production machinery (e.g., Keller Machine) enables mass manufacture, the candy cane becomes a Christmas icon worldwide.
It’s important to emphasise the uncertainty of some aspects: many symbolic explanations (J shape for Jesus, red stripes for blood) are probably retrospective. The historical record is clearer on the manufacturing evolution and marketing context than on the semi-legendary origins. Nevertheless, the candy cane is a wonderful example of how a simple confection can become layered with meaning, tradition and commercial importance. What began as sugar pulled and shaped by hand is now a familiar fixture of holiday décor — from tiny stocking stuffers to giant tree ornaments, from peppermint-flavour classic to myriad flavour innovations (fruit, chocolate, vegan etc.).