The History Of Candy Canes

As this Christmas 2010 season winds down, it's so nice to take a moment to reflect on the history of candy canes. The practice actually dates back to the 16th century when food began to be used to decorate trees used to celebrate Christmas. However, the early candy used was straight in shape until around 1670 when some churches began to give candy shaped like Shepherd's hooks at church services.

The familiar red stripe on modern candy canes actually didn't appear until around the early 20th century, and quite possibly might have originated in the U.S. And some say that the white and red stripes have some religious significance as well.

Regardless of the origin of the candy cane, I'm just so delighted that they were invented. No matter how old I get, candy canes bring a real smile to my face.