Fun Facts About Candy Canes: Holiday Treats
Few holiday treats are as instantly recognizable as the candy cane — that red-and-white striped, peppermint-flavored hook that shows up on Christmas trees, in stockings, and in candy dishes every December. But behind its cheerful simplicity lies a surprisingly murky history full of competing legends, clever machinery, and a little food science. Here is what the facts actually tell us.
Candy Canes Facts At-a-Glance
Earliest known precursor: 17th-century hard candy sticks in Europe
Classic appearance: Red stripes on white, curved hook, peppermint flavor
Christmas cards before the late 19th century: Show only plain white candy canes — no red stripes
Machine that changed production: The Keller Machine, invented in the 1950s
Peak daily output (end of 1950s): 1.8 million candy cane sticks per day
Why peppermint feels cold: The receptor TRPM8 detects menthol and signals the brain that something cold is present
National Candy Cane Day: December 26
Sources: Smithsonian Magazine, The Conversation, HISTORY, EBSCO, The Sugar Association, Wikipedia
Ancient Roots: Where Candy Canes Came From
The candy cane’s story starts well before it became a Christmas staple. Its origins trace back to 17th-century Europe, though the exact details remain hazy.
- In 17th-century Europe, people made hard sticks from pulled sugar, a type of sweet that preceded the modern candy cane.
- One theory holds that the hook shape was added so candy canes could be easily hung on Christmas trees alongside other treats.
Legends and Myths: The Shepherd’s Staff Story
Several popular stories attempt to explain the candy cane’s distinctive hook shape and its connection to Christmas. These are widely repeated, but historians have found little evidence to back them up.
- According to legend, the choirmaster bent the candy sticks into a hook shape to resemble a shepherd’s staff in honor of the nativity occasion.
- A 1938 article about a ceremony honoring Imgard’s contribution described tree ornaments of paper, kuchen, and gilded nuts but made no mention of candy canes.
- There is a historical pattern of church traditions associating Christmas customs with Christian symbolism, which sometimes becomes accepted as factual origin stories.
- According to a popular Christian origin story, the J shape of the candy cane represents the name of Jesus or the staff of the Good Shepherd.
- A popular Christian origin story claims the red stripes on candy canes symbolize the wounds Jesus received and the blood shed on the cross.
How the Red Stripes Appeared
The iconic red-and-white striped look that everyone recognizes today is actually a relatively recent development in the candy cane’s history.
- Christmas cards from before the late 19th century depict only plain white candy canes.
The Machine That Made Candy Canes for Everyone
For most of their history, candy canes were shaped by hand — a process prone to breakage and waste. That all changed in the 1950s thanks to a clever piece of machinery.
- In the 1950s, Gregory Keller, brother-in-law of candy maker Bob McCormack, invented a machine called the Keller Machine (or crooker) that automated the candy cane bending process.
- The Keller Machine was later perfected by Dick Driskell and Jimmy Spratling, both employees of Bob McCormack, making candy canes come out nearly perfect every time.
- Through the Keller Machine, the McCormack company increased production from thousands to millions of candy canes per day, reaching 1.8 million sticks daily and national sales of US$3.3 million by the end of the 1950s.
How Candy Canes Are Made Today
Modern candy cane production is a precise, multi-step process that transforms simple ingredients into the familiar striped sticks found in stores every holiday season.
- Traditional candy canes are made by heating corn syrup and sugar in large kettles, pouring the mixture onto a cooling table where flavoring is added, pulling and stretching it until white, then adding red-tinted candy before a batch roller and twister create the striped rope shape.
- Candy canes are wrapped before being shaped into a hook to prevent breakage, which was a chronic problem when shaping was done by hand.
The Science Behind That Cool Peppermint Feeling
Biting into a peppermint candy cane produces a distinct cooling sensation — and there is real biology behind why that happens.
- The cooling sensation of peppermint candy canes occurs because the receptor TRPM8 detects menthol and sends a signal to the brain indicating something cold is in the mouth.
- A classic candy cane combines a hooked end, red-and-white stripes, and peppermint flavor.
Beyond Peppermint: Unusual Flavors and a Holiday of Their Own
The candy cane has come a long way from its simple sugar-stick origins. Today it comes in flavors that would surprise even the most adventurous sweet tooth — and it even has its own dedicated day on the calendar.
- The candy brand Archie McPhee & Co. has released unconventional candy cane flavors including pickle, ketchup, mac and cheese, and bacon.
- National Candy Cane Day is observed on December 26.
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