Synonymous with the Christmas season is the Christmas tree, Santa Claus, sleigh bells and of course, the Candy Cane. For nearly 350 years, people have been eating this delicious peppermint candy with its unique crooked shape. With time the candy cane has become more versatile as people use them for more than just enjoying the cool, peppermint taste. They make great additions to Christmas trees and terrific accents for table decorations. Even though the full swing of Christmas day has reached its peak, the candy cane is still an intricate part of remaining celebrations. In fact, candy canes can be found throughout the entire year.

December 26 is...

National Candy Cane Day

http://www.food.com/recipe/candy-cane-cocoa-44062

Candy Cane Hot Cocoa (Recipe)

Historians believe that candy canes date back to the 17th century when Christians would use sugar stick to represent a shepherd’s staff. At the time, the all-white candy canes were given out to the kids during church services to keep them from behaving badly. There’s also another theory that the candy cane looks like the letter “J”, which stands for baby Jesus. Many stories and songs accompany its history with a variety of ways to enjoy this sweet treat other than simply the cane by itself.