Ribbon Candy: A Sweet Holiday Tradition with a Twist

If you’ve ever unwrapped a box of ribbon candy at Christmas and thought, How in the world do I eat this without shattering it into a million pieces?, you’re not alone. This delicate, swirly confection has been a holiday staple for generations, but its story goes way beyond being the world’s prettiest (and most fragile) candy.

A Sweet Start in the 1800s

Ribbon candy has been around since the 19th century, first made by hand in small candy shops across the United States. Originally, it wasn’t just for eating—it was also used as a fancy decoration in shop windows, showing off the skills of master candy makers. Back then, they shaped each piece by hand, pulling and twisting the warm sugar into those iconic ripples before it hardened into its signature glossy finish.

The Peppermint Classic

While ribbon candy comes in all sorts of flavors, peppermint has long been the star of the show—especially around Christmas. By the early 1900s, it became a popular holiday gift, often tucked into stockings or given as a festive treat. It was the perfect way to share a little sweetness (and possibly break a tooth) with family and friends. Some people even used it to decorate Christmas trees, proving that it really was the candy that could do it all.

Sweet, swirly, and just sharp enough to make your dentist nervous.

A Machine-Made Marvel

As charming as the hand-pulled versions were, making ribbon candy was a seriously labor-intensive process. That all changed in the 1940s when candy companies started using machines to shape and fold the candy, making it easier (and more affordable) to produce. Today, you can still find classic peppermint ribbon candy at holiday markets and in nostalgic candy shops, often in the same festive tins your grandparents probably had.

Ever wonder how ribbon candy gets those perfect curls?

Click on the image below and prepare to be mesmerized.

A Nostalgic Treat

Even though ribbon candy might not be the easiest snack to eat (is there a proper technique, or do we all just wing it?), it remains a beloved holiday tradition. Whether you’re cracking off a piece to nibble, using it to decorate your gingerbread house, or just admiring its festive swirls, it’s a sweet reminder of simpler times—when Christmas candy came in fancy tins and didn’t melt in your pocket.

So, the next time you see a box of ribbon candy, take a moment to appreciate its long and twisty history. And maybe grab a few extra pieces… because let’s be honest, at least one is bound to shatter before you even get it out of the box.

Unwrapped joy, slightly shattered dreams. (But still delicious.)

Our Inspiration

At Penny & Rose, peppermint ribbon candy was the inspiration behind our Merry Mint seasonal fragrance. Every Christmas, Penny would gift his beloved Rose a box of the festive treat, its crisp peppermint scent filling their home with holiday cheer. Of course, whether Rose actually got to enjoy much of it is another story—between the kids and grandkids sneaking pieces when she wasn’t looking, it’s safe to say that ribbon candy didn’t last long. But the sweet memories (and the scent of peppermint) lingered, which is exactly what we wanted to capture with Merry Mint—a seasonal fragrance full of holiday warmth, nostalgia, and maybe just a hint of mischief!

We hope you enjoyed this sweet trip down memory lane as much as Rose enjoyed her peppermint ribbon candy—when she could actually get to it before the grandkids did!

Whether you’re snacking on the real thing or just enjoying the festive scent, here’s to keeping the holiday spirit (and maybe a few unbroken pieces of candy) alive!

Have a ribbon candy memory? Did your grandma keep a tin on the table—or did you sneak all the peppermint swirls before anyone noticed? We’d love to hear your story—scroll down and share it with us!

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