National Candy Cane Day

National Candy Cane Day is a sweet and festive observance held annually on December 26. Occurring immediately after Christmas, this holiday gives candy lovers a dedicated excuse to enjoy the surplus of red-and-white striped treats found in stockings and on trees. It marks a transition from the main holiday rush to a relaxed period where leftover confections can be savored or repurposed into new culinary creations.

History of National Candy Cane Day

The origins of the candy cane trace back to 1670 in Cologne, Germany. Legend states that the choirmaster at Cologne Cathedral wished to quiet the noisy children in his choir during the long Christmas Eve Living Crèche ceremony. He asked a local candy maker for sugar sticks but requested they be bent into the shape of a shepherd’s crook to justify giving candy during a church service. This curve served as a reminder of the shepherds who visited the infant Jesus. For nearly two centuries, these treats remained solid white and were primarily known within Europe before making their way across the Atlantic.

The candy cane made its recorded American debut in 1847, when a German-Swedish immigrant named August Imgard decorated a small blue spruce with them in Wooster, Ohio. However, the iconic red stripes and peppermint flavor did not become standard until the turn of the 20th century. Mass production truly began in the 1920s with Bob McCormack of Georgia, but the process was labor-intensive until the 1950s. It was then that McCormack’s brother-in-law, a Catholic priest named Gregory Keller, invented a machine that automatically bent the sticks, revolutionizing the industry and making candy canes a ubiquitous and affordable symbol of the winter holidays.

Why is National Candy Cane Day important?

This day provides a practical and fun solution to the abundance of sweets left over after December 25. Rather than letting these hard candies go stale or sit forgotten in a bowl, the holiday encourages creativity. It transforms a simple garnish into a central ingredient for baking and crafting. Celebrating this day extends the festive cheer just a little longer, allowing families to unwind and enjoy the season’s flavors without the pressure of gift-giving or formal events.

Culturally, the candy cane serves as a powerful symbol of holiday nostalgia. Its shape and colors are instantly recognizable, evoking memories of childhood winters and family traditions. The day acknowledges this history and the candy’s unique role in American folklore—from its religious symbolism representing purity and sacrifice to its secular role as a humble, shared treat. It is a moment to appreciate how a simple sugar stick has survived centuries of changing trends to remain a holiday staple.

• It offers a creative way to use up leftover holiday sweets
• The day celebrates the history of a 350-year-old tradition
• Families can bond over simple kitchen activities and crafts
• It marks the start of post-holiday relaxation and sales
• The candy symbolizes the enduring spirit of the winter season

How to Celebrate National Candy Cane Day

The most popular way to observe this day is by incorporating candy canes into post-Christmas recipes. Crushing the hard candy makes an excellent topping for peppermint bark, cookies, or ice cream. Many people also stir a candy cane into their morning coffee or hot chocolate, allowing it to melt and add a minty kick to the beverage. Since many stores discount their holiday stock on December 26, it is also a strategic time to buy premium flavors or bulk bags for future projects.

For those looking for non-edible activities, candy canes make excellent supplies for games and crafts. Parents can organize a “candy cane hunt” around the house, hiding the hooks on doorknobs and bookshelves for children to find. You can also use them to create wreaths or attach them to thank-you notes for a sweet personal touch. If you simply want to relax, unwrapping a classic peppermint stick while watching a movie is a perfect, low-stress way to honor the occasion.

• Crush candy canes to sprinkle over hot cocoa or desserts
• Play a “hooking” game using canes to fish for objects
• Buy discounted gourmet candy canes at local sales
• Make a batch of homemade peppermint bark
• Learn about the mechanical history of candy production