Today the candy cane has a crooked curved end and comes in more flavors than anyone can count. And these fit perfectly on the branch of a Christmas tree.
But back in the 17th century of Europe, Christmas trees were often decorated with cookies and stick candy made of just sugar. These early candy canes were pure white and straight. Getting the candy sticks into a cane shape had to be done by hand and was labor-intensive. But a choirmaster serving the Cologne Cathedral in Germany in 1670 bent the sticks to look like shepherd’s staffs. These were handed out to children during services.
This practice soon spread throughout Europe and eventually made its way to America via a German immigrant named August Imgard, who decorated his Christmas tree with candy canes and paper ornaments.
The stripes and peppermint flavor came later, near the beginning of the 20th century as candy makers added more than just sugar to the canes. One company, owned by Robert E. McCormack, became famous for making candy canes. The original name Famous Candy Company was renamed Bob’s Candy Company in 1924.
Another Catholic priest has his hands in furthering the making of candy canes. Fr. Gregory H. Keller was the bother-in-law to Bob McCormack and he invented the Keller Machine, a cane forming machine which candy sticks are fed into.
With the candy canes history in the church, it is not hard to believe the candy cane was used for religious beliefs. The “J” shape for Jesus. The red and white stripes represent blood and purity. The three stripes for the Holy Trinity. The hard candy for the Church’s foundation. And the use of the herb hyssop, which is a small bushy plant in the mint family. Hyssop was used in the Bible for purification.
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