How to Celebrate National Candy Cane Day on December 26

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Mon 26 Dec 2011

I'll let you in on a little secret – I keep a small stash of candy canes in my home for most of the year. With that said, I'm pretty excited that December 26 is National Candy Cane Day. Now when my family jokes with me about eating candy canes on and off throughout the day, I have an excuse to give them for doing so. If you love candy canes as much as I do, you can also use the day as an excuse to celebrate by purchasing gifts for yourself, indulging in candy cane desserts and drinks and even getting a head start on next years Christmas decorations.

Learn the facts

One of the best ways to celebrate National Candy Cane Day is to learn the facts about the treat. The candy cane has been around for quite some time. The first candy cane was eaten around 350 years ago, but the traditional red and white striped ones we know today were made around 1900. There are a whopping 1.76 billion candy canes made each year. The largest candy cane ever was 36 feet 7 inches.

Eat some candy canes

Of course the best way to celebrate National Candy Cane Day is to eat candy canes, but if you're not a huge fan of the peppermint variety, there are several other types you can try. The Chocolate Mint Candy Canes are absolutely delicious. Those who appreciate a little additional candy flavor can try the Starburst Strawberry & Green Apple variety, Sweetarts Candy Canes , or Jelly Belly Candy Canes . Another type of candy cane, which goes really well with hot chocolate, are the Cinnabon Cinnamon Roll Candy Canes .

Candy cane ornaments

New Yorkers love their sports, so what better way to show their pride for some of their home teams than hanging up candy cane sports ornaments? The New York Yankees Ornaments come in a set of six, the New York Mets Ball Ornament Set comes in a plastic candy cane case, and the New York Knicks Candy Cane Ornament Set comes in a set of six. Although Christmas is over on December 26, it's never a bad time to purchase ornaments to use for next year. Also, don't hesitate to buy them and put them up anyway even though it's no longer Christmas.

Candy cane flowers

If you want to give someone candy canes, you don't just want to hand them a box – you want to give them in style. Well if you're in NYC, send the recipient a bouquet that combines candy canes and flowers. One option is through Anthos Florist, which is located on York Avenue in NYC. The standard Candy Cane Christmas Bouquet is $52.95. Another is to order the Candy Cane Lane Bouquet for $39.99 from Park Florist in the Bronx.

Wear candy cane clothing and accessories

On December 26, dress in candy cane attire in honor of the day. You can wear the Candy Cane Women's T-Shirt , the White & Red Candy Cane Long Sleeve Shirt , or the canes and snowflakes pajama pants&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_ship_to=US&ga_search_type=handmade&ga_facet=handmade Candy Cane & Snowflakes Pajama Pants . You can also wear the cane &ga_view_type=gallery&ga_ship_to=US&ga_search_type=handmade&ga_facet=handmade/jewelry Candy Cane Christmas Earrings , the cane &ga_view_type=gallery&ga_ship_to=US&ga_search_type=handmade&ga_facet=handmade/jewelry Candy Cane Charm Bracelet , or the cane necklace&ga_order=most_relevant&ga_ship_to=US&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_type=handmade&ga_facet=handmade Scented Candy Cane Necklace .

Make candy cane desserts

Should you have a ton of leftover candy canes and want to do something with them, there are quite a few recipes you can make. Chocolate Cheesecake Candy Cane Bars are easy to make and require different ingredients to make each of the three parts of the bars – the glaze, crust, and filling. Another recipe to make is for Candy Cane Truffles , which take less than an hour to create. You can also make Candy Cane Fudge , which requires using only a hand-full of ingredients such as vanilla baking chips and peppermint extract. Another easy one is for Kisses Candy Cane Blossoms – if you've never had Candy Cane Hershey Kisses, they're phenomenal. Every Christmas my aunt makes Candy Cane Twist Cookies ; I love them that much and wait all year for them.

Make candy cane drinks

Save some of those leftover candy canes to make some themed drinks. The Candy Cane Cocktail requires ingredients such as strawberry Vodka, cranberry juice and crushed candy canes. Another Candy Cane Cocktail involves using white chocolate liqueur, peppermint schnapps, vanilla rum and a candy cane. You can also make Candy Cane Cocoa , which involves using ingredients such as milk, whipped cream, and chocolate.

Make candy cane crafts

In honor of National Candy Cane Day on December 26, there are a couple of crafts you can make to decorate your home or give to loved ones. Purchase Candy Cane Fabric to make No Sew Throw Pillow Covers for pillows on your couch or bed. You can also make Candy Cane Reindeer – my mom and I used to make them when I was little and it's always been one of my favorite crafts. We would give them out to friends and neighbors and the treats were always a hit.

With so many ways to celebrate National Candy Cane Day on December 26, the day is almost sure to be an experience whether you're indulging in treats on your own or with a group of your nearest and dearest.

Photo copyright belongs to Nicholas Bufford via Flickr

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!date 26/12/2011 -- 26/12/2011
%wnnewyork