Santa hugging a giant candy cane

About this drawing

Santa with candy cane is about as classic as the holidays get, and that cane almost always tastes of peppermint. Mint is the flavor of December for millions of Americans, from candy canes to hot cocoa and bark.

Peppermint is a leafy herb in the mint family, the same plant family as basil, rosemary and thyme. It grows easily in damp soil and spreads quickly through underground stems, which is why gardeners often plant it in pots. In the United States, much of the commercial crop is grown in the Pacific Northwest and the Midwest.

The fun part is the cool feeling mint leaves in your mouth, even though nothing is actually colder. That is thanks to menthol, a natural compound in the plant. Menthol switches on sensors in the mouth and skin that normally detect low temperatures, so the brain reads the signal as cold. That is also why breathing in after eating a mint can feel icy.

Because of that refreshing kick, peppermint shows up in gum, toothpaste and medicines as well as sweets. During the holidays it flavors everything from candy canes and cookies to lattes and ice cream, and crushed peppermint candy is a favorite topping for brownies and cocoa.

• santa
• candy cane
• peppermint
• christmas candy