| With the holiday season quickly approaching we start | | | | just a yummy treat: Not at all! We have become an |
| to see candy canes popping up in store windows, on | | | | inventive lot at the holidays, and folks find many |
| people's clothing, and even on wrapping paper. But | | | | diverse uses for their candy. Try some of these:Make |
| how exactly did the tradition of the candy cane get | | | | a minty candy stirring stick for hot chocolate, tea, or |
| started?The old urban legend says a candy maker in | | | | any hot drink.Make creative decorations with them: |
| Indiana wanted to symbolize the birth of Christ with the | | | | Attach brown pipe cleaners to the crook of the candy |
| use of a piece of candy, so he took a hard candy | | | | cane and make antlers for a candy cane |
| stick which was pure white then shaped it into a letter | | | | reindeer.Decorate frosted cakes or cupcakes with |
| "J" for Jesus and added some red stripes to represent | | | | crushed candy canes.Make a garland for the fireplace |
| God's love and the trinity. This legend has been | | | | using the candy canes and evergreens boughs.Use |
| disputed, unfortunately; although one could believe what | | | | the tiny candy canes to make a Christmas wreath for |
| one wants regarding the Christmas delicacy.The actual | | | | the door. Leave in wrappers of course.Stick a candy |
| history of the candy cane goes more like this. At | | | | cane in the glasses or mugs on your holiday table with |
| Cologne Cathedral back in 1670, the choirmaster was | | | | name tags attached for each guest.Make your own |
| nervous that the children who were attending the | | | | holiday cards using a candy cane on the front.Make a |
| pageant of living nativities would become a little too | | | | peppermint cream pie using the broken pieces of your |
| antsy and disruptive, so he gave them a white candy | | | | candy canes.Leave them in their cellophane wrappers |
| stick bent into the shape of a shepherd's crook. This | | | | and put them on the Christmas tree.Dip the candy |
| kept the little tikes appeased and became a tradition | | | | canes in chocolate for a new twist on an old |
| throughout Europe.The candy canes became popular | | | | favorite.Or, if you just can't think of anything better to |
| in America by the 1800's and were used to help | | | | do with a candy cane; try just sitting down and eating |
| decorate Christmas trees. The little canes were still | | | | one. Whatever you do with them and whatever you |
| pure white at this time and were even depicted on | | | | think they represent; the fact is they are a delicious |
| Christmas cards as such.In the early 20th century, the | | | | Christmas treat known all over the world: So |
| canes gained the beautiful red striping they bear today. | | | | enjoy!Christopher Pratt is President of Candy |
| Bob McCormick of Albany, GA, is the confectioner | | | | Warehouse, the leading online Candy Store for bulk |
| responsible for reinventing the candy cane into the | | | | candy discounts and specialty candy for specific |
| model we buy today.Now, what all can one do with a | | | | occasions. Right now see their Christmas Candy Gift |
| Candy Cane? Well, it is possibly one of the most | | | | ideas for the holiday season. |
| recognized symbols of Christmas today. But, it is not | | | | |