Sugar and Stripes and Everything Nice!
Candy canes are a popular treat during Christmas, but they were not always connected to the holiday. Long ago, candy sticks were just plain white and didn’t have any special meaning.
Around 1670, a choirmaster in Germany wanted to keep children quiet during church services, so he gave them sweet sticks shaped like a shepherd’s staff. This shape reminded people of the shepherds who visited baby Jesus, and that is how candy canes started to be part of Christmas.
Later, people began adding red stripes to the candy canes. Some say the red stands for the blood of Jesus, and the white stands for his purity. Others believe the stripes were just added to make the candy look more festive.
Peppermint flavor also became popular, and it is the taste most people think of when they eat a candy cane. Over time, candy canes became a symbol of the holiday season and have been used to decorate Christmas trees and homes.
Today, candy canes are a fun and tasty part of Christmas celebrations. You can find them in many colors and flavors, but the red and white peppermint ones are still the most common.
People enjoy giving them as treats, hanging them on trees, or using them in holiday crafts. Candy canes remind us of the joy and sweetness of the season, and their shape still connects us to the story of Christmas.
KIDS IN THE KITCHEN
Chocolate-Peppermint Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 3/4 sticks (14 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 3/4 teaspoon pure peppermint extract
- For the Icing:
- 4 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- Crushed peppermint candies, for topping
Directions
- Make the cookies: Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, salt and baking powder in a medium bowl. Beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Beat in the egg yolk and vanilla and peppermint extracts, about 30 seconds. Reduce the mixer speed to low; beat in the flour mixture until just combined. Pat the dough into a rectangle and place between 2 sheets of parchment paper. Roll out into an 8-by-13-inch rectangle, about 1/4 inch thick. Refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour.
- Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven; preheat to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Cut the dough into 1-by-2 1/2-inch rectangles. (If the dough is too soft, refrigerate 15 minutes.) Arrange 1 inch apart on the prepared pans.
- Bake, switching the pans halfway through, until the cookies are set around the edges, 18 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes on the pans, then transfer to racks to cool completely.
- Make the icing: Melt the chocolate with the heavy cream and butter in a medium heatproof bowl set over a small saucepan of simmering water, stirring (do not let the bowl touch the water). Remove the bowl from the pan and let cool 5 minutes. Spread on the cookies. Sprinkle with peppermints.
Literature Corner
The Candy Cane Fiasco
By Rachel Hilz
You won’t believe the candy cane fiasco that ensues when Santa tries to help! What parent hasn’t struggled with a sticky child? Parents will laugh along with the kids in this over-the-top adventure loosely inspired by real-life experiences with a sticky kid. For ages 4-8, 31 pages.
Nancy and Plum
By Betty MacDonald
So begins the story of two orphaned sisters at Mrs. Monday’s Boarding School. But nothing is heavenly for Nancy and Pamela (aka Plum): their parents died in a tragic accident years ago, they’re constantly punished by the cruel Mrs. Monday, and they’re all alone for the holidays.
Luckily, Nancy and Plum have each other, and though their prospects may be bleak, they’re determined to change their lot for the better. If their plan works, the spirited sisters will never spend Christmas at the cold, dark boarding school again. But what will they find on the other side of Mrs. Monday’s gate? For ages 8-11, 240 pages.
Lardie’s Laughs
Q. What do gingerbread men use when they break their legs?
A. Candy canes.
Q. Why do reindeer like Mrs. Claus so much?
A. She sleighs.
Gab in Gaelic
Happy Christmas to you = Nollaig Shona duit (pron: nullig hunna dwit)
