The story of red and white candy canes

Do you put candy canes on your Christmas tree?

I tried it once but realised it was a no-go when Harry our (now sadly departed) Norfolk Terrier chomped his way through a few, including the wrappers (this made a nice change from his usual snack, which was SIC’s Lego).

The candy cane story is that the white represents the purity of Jesus and the red his blood while the shape represents a shepherd’s hook.

It can be hard to know if tales like this are true, a cute retrospective confection (‘scuse the pun) or happenstance arising out of someone years ago only having red food colouring in their kitchen cupboard.

Whatever the origins, I love a colour tale, don’t you? If you have one of your own to share I’d LOVE to hear it.

Martha, The Colour File x

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