CHARLOTTE, N.C. — It’s the time of year when stores are making a killing on candy canes. But how did the sweet treat become such a holiday staple and get its iconic look?
While candy canes were first documented in the United States in 1847, the National Confectioners Association said the candy didn’t actually catch on until the 1950s, according to TIME.
The treat came over from Germany and was mostly just a candy stick at first, but people wanted to use them as tree decorations, so candy makers started twisting them into a cane.
But cane or stick, they remain an integral part of the holiday season.
CandyStore.com said the U.S. produces at least 1.7 billion candy canes every year and 90% of them are sold in the weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas.