Candy canes
Today’s mug is an interesting shape and features images associated with Christmas festivities. I’m familiar with all of them, though the candy canes were not something associated with Christmas when my children were growing up. I have noticed them increasingly in recent years and they now seem to be an established part of Christmas décor in UK.
A legendary explanation for the origin of candy canes comes from Germany. It claims that in 1670 a harassed choirmaster at Cologne Cathedral was seeking a way of keeping his high-spirited choirboys quiet during Mass on Christmas Eve. He asked a local confectioner to make some sugar sticks that he could give the boys. In order for the sweets to be acceptable in a religious setting, he asked the confectioner to bend the tops of the sticks so that they resembled shepherd’s crooks, which would remind the children of the shepherds involved in the Nativity.
Image courtesy Wikimedia Commons
There is no way to prove the truth of this story, but references to it were not made until the middle of the twentieth century. The tradition of candy canes spread from Germany to other European countries and eventually to the United States. The first recorded use of candy canes in the States came in 1847, when a European immigrant in Ohio decorated a small tree with canes.
For two hundred years, candy canes were white. Coloured stripes were not introduced until the beginning of the twentieth century. Traditionally, candy canes are red and white, and flavoured with peppermint, but today they can be found in assorted colour combinations and tastes.
Peppermint is a natural deterrent to animals. It is thought that peppermint canes were hung on Christmas trees to discourage rodents and other small animals from damaging them.
I heard that candy canes were introduced by a headmaster at Eton who was rather too keen on caning the lads' backsides. Then he fell in love with the school matron and she softened his heart to a point where he admitted to himself that he had been a cruel tyrant. It was her idea that he should make amends by giving out sticks of rock before Christmas. Unluckily he left them by the furnace and the tops bent over creating the cane shape. It was a reminder of his past sadism and he gave out sweet canes until he reached retirement age.
ReplyDeleteP.S. I made this story up!
Top marks for imagination!
DeleteI love the mug! I didn't grow up with candy canes being on trees, but my husband and my children did. I think it's sort of like the chocolate coins that I grew up putting on the tree and the chocolate ornaments. They aren't really a thing here. My children grew up with that too!
ReplyDeleteWhere America leads, UK follows it seems. 🤣
DeleteI Love that mug! Before we moved here we rented a huge house in town that had a bit of an ant problem I remember sitting looking at the christmas tree one evening, thinking it was moving ...& what was happening was the candy canes my children had hung on it were crawling with ants, some inside the plastic, some trying to get in!!! Not a fun sight at all.
ReplyDeleteJulie, that's horrible. I'm shuddering visualising it.
DeleteI love the mug. Like Julie above me here I also had an ant problem with candy canes, so have never hung any since and don't even buy them anymore.
ReplyDeleteIt's not a nice thing to happen, Elsie. I'm not surprised you don't have them any longer.
DeleteLovely x
ReplyDeleteAlison in Wales x
😉😀
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteI like your latest mug. Very pretty! Sorry for the delete. Typo!
ReplyDeleteSome days typos seem to take over!
DeleteImagining a choirmaster using candy canes to keep choirboys quiet during Mass, with their shape symbolizing shepherd’s crooks, paints such a vivid picture of how traditions can start. The spread of this custom from Germany to other parts of Europe and eventually to the United States is a testament to how beloved these peppermint treats have become.
ReplyDeleteI never knew that candy canes were originally all white and only got their iconic red stripes in the early twentieth century. Also, the idea of peppermint acting as a deterrent to animals is both practical and amusing. It's amazing how these small festive items carry so much history and tradition within them.
The traditions make life so much more colourful and interesting.
DeleteCandy canes seemed like a very recent Christmas thing to me. I hadn't realised they had been around that long.
ReplyDeleteI was surprised by that, too.
ReplyDeleteHmmm, for anyone who has a cat that climbs the Christmas tree I wonder if the smell of candy canes would keep them off. Thankfully I don't have that problem and the other thing is is I really don't like to eat candy cane so I won't buy them.
ReplyDeleteA determined cat will not be deterred, I fear. 😺
DeleteDuring a brief mind wander, I wondered about the candy canes decorating Princes Bridge. I know a bit more now.
ReplyDeleteThere you go - live and learn. 🎅
DeleteCandy Canes have always puzzled me - why have one of those when you could have chocolate!
ReplyDeleteChocolate's much better for you!
Deletewe always had candy canes at Christmas, but not on the tree, and daddy love the big 10 inch fat canes, with no crook at the top. he got one under the tree just for him. he loved hard candy, my brother and I did not.. bob and I have found all sorts of traditions that his family did that we did not and vice versa. depends on where and when and what ancestors we came from. he lived in the froze north in Pennsylvania, me in the steamy south. every holiday has something different. they never ate RICE and we lived on it. at Christimas they had Dutch potato stuffing and we had cornbread dressing. same ingredients except one potato one cornbread.. interesting details about the canes. maybe someone should test a cane to see if it stops the cat. ha ha
ReplyDeleteIt's interesting to hear about different traditions and even to try some of them.
ReplyDeleteIn church, boys are known to often raise a little cane.
ReplyDelete. . . and not just in church!
DeleteI never knew where the tradition of candy canes came from, so thank you for enlightening me! xxx
ReplyDeleteAre they a thing in Belgium?
DeleteI heard the story of the origin of candy canes, but as the letter J for the Baby Jesus. Either way, shepherds hooks or letter J cute story. Your mug is adorable, too. Happy T Day
ReplyDeleteThe letter J - that's sweet.
DeleteI do like the mug you've shared today, very nice illustrations on it and an unusual shape handle ... is it easy to hold?
ReplyDeleteAll the best Jan
It's a very comfortable mug, Jan.
DeleteThat's good, thank you.
DeleteAll the best Jan
I love the slight wonkiness of that cup!
ReplyDeleteI know. It's great, isn't it?
DeleteI want that mug!!!
ReplyDeleteIt's almost like a Christmas list!
ReplyDelete