What red and white striped candy is often associated with Christmas?

The red-and-white striped candy often associated with Christmas is the candy cane. Traditional candy canes are curved stick candies, usually flavored with peppermint and decorated with red stripes on a white base.

The confection has a longer history than its modern holiday image suggests. Straight peppermint sticks with white coloring and colored stripes were described in an 1844 confectionery recipe, while the term “candy cane” appeared in print by 1866. By the late 19th century, candy canes were being mentioned as Christmas decorations and were hung on Christmas trees.

A popular story says that a choirmaster in Cologne, Germany, introduced a hooked candy in 1670 to represent a shepherd’s crook. That tale is widely repeated, but historians regard it as probably apocryphal because reliable early evidence is missing. The candy’s Christmas association is nevertheless well documented.

Candy canes were once shaped by hand, a slow process with substantial breakage. In 1957, Gregory Keller patented a machine that automated much of the twisting and forming process, helping make large-scale production practical.