Legend has it that in 1670, the choirmaster at the Cologne Cathedral handed out sugar sticks among his young singers to keep them quiet during the long Living Creche ceremony. In honor of the occasion, he had the candies bent into shepherds’ crooks. Legend also has it that in 1847, a German-Swedish immigrant named August Imgard of Wooster, Ohio, decorated a small blue spruce with paper ornaments and candy canes.

It wasn’t until the turn of the century that the red and white stripes and peppermint flavors became the norm.

Although modern technology has made candy canes accessible and plentiful, they’ve not lost their purity and simplicity as a traditional holiday food and symbol of the humble roots of Christianity.

The candy cane starts with a stick of white candy. The white symbolizes the purity of the Christmas season. Red stripes are for the blood shed by Christ on the cross so that we may have eternal life. The candy cane is formed into a "J" to represent the precious name of Jesus, and the staff of the good shepherd. The hardness of the candy represents the solid rock, the foundation of the church, and the firmness of the promises of God.








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