Three cheers for the candy cane! Christmas may be over, but hold onto those candy canes because today is their day to shine. It's National Candy Cane Day!
The sweet treat is said to have been around for some 350 years but not in its most recognizable form. According to candyhistory.net, the first versions were simply white sticks only flavored with sugar - that is until the turn of the 19th century when they gained their stripes as well as their traditional peppermint flavoring.
The shape is said to have come about in the mid -1600's when legend has it that a choirmaster at a German church bent the sugar sticks to resemble a shepherds staff and handed them out to kids in attendance.
Since then, the candy has become synonymous with Christmas with 90% of sales taking place between Thanksgiving and December. Just how many are produced each year? Well, that would be more than 1.75 billion! Thankfully you only need a few to make one or two of these delicious recipes. Enjoy! #HappyCandyCaneDay
