What is it about candy canes that makes them feel like the official start of December?

Maybe it’s the crinkle of the wrapper, the rush of childhood nostalgia, or the way peppermint somehow becomes its own personality this time of year. Whatever the reason, candy canes are pure holiday magic, and that makes them the perfect launch point for our very first Snack Files.

In this series, we’ll take one snack at a time and explore its history, where it pops up in pop culture, and, of course, how it tastes when we put it to the official Snack Society test.

In this Snack Files, we’ll cover:

• A surprisingly twisty history of candy canes
• The pop culture moments that made them iconic
• A Snack Society taste test
• Some places you can visit to get your candy cane fix.

Snacks packed? Playlist ready? Let’s find the fun.