Advent calendars
This wooden perpetual Advent calendar, designed so that sweets can be tucked behind the tiny doors, has delicate tracery that gives away its folk-art roots. The rustic swirls are a perfect foil to candy-cane stripes. We added red ribbon along the edges to play up the colour scheme. Calendar, Seasons of Cannon Falls.
The sweet story of the candy cane
There's a charming legend about the origin of the candy cane. It's said that back in 1670, the choirmaster of Cologne Cathedral in Germany had small candy sticks distributed to the children attending the nativity pageants to quell their fidgeting. Pure white candy sticks had been favoured treats for some time. What made these ones novel was that they were shaped like shepherd's crooks – the shape we know today. All-white canes appear on Christmas postcards before 1900; red and white ones appear in the early 20th century. No one knows who first added the stripes, but in the 1920s, Bob McCormack of Georgia started up a company with peppermint-flavoured red and white canes, and now the company claims to be the world's largest producer.
Table settings
Red and white are happy invitees at a holiday party, complete with a trio of raspberry, vanilla and chocolate sponge cakes in the shape of mini yule logs. Here, the vintage white linen tablecloth embroidered with red tea cups sets a snowy stage. The café au lait bowls carry the theme along, as do napkins tied with red rickrack – the perfect place to tuck a candy cane favour. Pitcher, lidded pitcher, plate (under bouche), all Moutarde; jugs, creamer, linens, glass jar, measuring glass, dishes, cutlery, glasses, vase, all Arthur Quentin; antique red plate, votive, tablecloth (on shelf), all Vie de Campagne; chairs, candlesticks, candles, all Stacaro.
0 Comment