There are special aspects and traditions that help make Christmas wonderful and memorable, such as spending hours and hours wandering through the malls and shops to find just the perfect Christmas present for each person on your list, thoughtfully wrapping each gift and tucking it beneath the Christmas tree, holiday travel, and family and friends gathering around a dinner table laden with favorite foods. But for many people, Christmas would simply not be complete without the inclusion of special Christmas hard candy in their stocking.

Many people also have fond memories as children of visiting the homes of family members or friends and being greeted by bowls of hard candy, such as red and white peppermint discs wrapped in clear cellophane or those bright and multicolored ribbon candies. Most children had the opportunity to begin to learn the meaning of patience, and to practice it as well, as they waited with wide eyes and watering mouths to be offered a chance to snatch up a handful of the sweets.

One of the most popular and common types of hard candy, which is also a perpetual favorite of children of all ages, is the ubiquitous candy cane, which comes is a huge range of sizes. These can range from the smallest of candy canes that can be devoured in a lick or two all the way to the giant sticks of striped candy that seem as big as a baseball bat, which can be seen in just about every establishment during the holidays, used as decorations or available as treats.

Many people use candy canes to decorate their Christmas trees, while others tuck them into the Christmas stocking. Often a candy cane will find its way into a rich cup of hot chocolate, which adds an extra dimension of peppermint flavor and blends so well with the chocolate beverage.

In many families, there is a tradition of leaving some fresh Christmas cookies or chocolate chip cookies out, along with a nice glass of milk, so that Santa can recharge and rejuvenate himself for the long night of delivering gifts that he faces. There are other families that also leave out some hard candy as part of their family tradition, and often a candy cane or two are the treats of choice for the jolly and generous gentleman.

There are many varieties of hard candy that are not especially associated with Christmas, which are also long-time favorites of people for a variety of reasons. For the most part, it seems that people has a tendency to want to enjoy those favorite candies that they remember from their childhood.

As a result, you can now find a candy store in just about every mall across the country, which not only has a nice selection of chocolates, but also bins and barrels full of \"old fashioned\" candies, such as humbugs, that have been popular for generations. Of course, humbug candies are in no way associated with the term, \"Bah, humbug\", as quoted in Dickens\' A Christmas Carol.

Nowadays, you can also find gourmet gift baskets that incorporate the favorite brands and varieties of hard candy right alongside a selection of gourmet chocolates and other delightful treats. These thoughtfully put together gift baskets can be an excellent gift to give at Christmas or for any other occasion for those who love chocolate and hard sweets.