Why Candy Canes, Christmas Trees and Mistletoe?

I spent this past Thanksgiving with a friend's family in Bremerton, and while waiting for the ferry I came across a copy of the Kitsap Sun. Thanks to the research that they did I've listed the orginins of Candy Canes, Christmas Trees and Mistletoe below.

"Candy Canes:
According to the National Confectioners Association, in the 17th century, the coirmaster at the cologne Catherdral in Germany gave his young singers sugar sticks to keep them quiety during ceremonies.
In honor of the occasion, he had the candies bent into shepherds' crooks. In 1847, a German-Swedish immigrant decorated a small blue spruce with paper ornaments and candy canes.
By the 1900's, the candy cane got its red and white stripes and peppermint flavors. They were mass produced by the 1950's, eliminating the laborious task of making the treat, and their popularity spread.

Christmas Tree:
Germand would decorate fir trees, inside and out, with roses, apples and colored paper. The tradition hit England and America via the German immigants in Pennsylvania in the 1800's.
Of course, a Christmas tree isn't complete without ornaments. Decorating trees dates back to the Victorian times. Woolworths department store sold the first manufactured Christmas tree, and the trend spread.

Mistletoe:
The Scandinavians thought of mistletoe as a peaceful and harmonious plant. And the linked Frigg, their goddess of love, with mistletoe.
The combination of these two schools of thought brought about the custom of kissing under the mistletoe. Those who kissed beneath the mistletoe were thought to have happiness and good luck the next year."



In the days to come I'll be adding more Christmas symbols and their origins, so stay tuned!
Happy Holidays from all of us at Paper Route Greetings! :^)