Relationship between peppermint & Christmas?

IT'S NOT THE PEPPERMINT... IT'S THE CANDY CANE.. IT'S ORIGINAL FLAVOR IS THE PEPPERMINT. THE CANDYCANE REPRESENTS THE STAFF.. BUT PEPOLE TEND TO GET AWAY FROM THE WHOLE CHRISTMAS IS A RELIGOUS HOLIDAY THING.. SO FROM THERE.. THEY FORGOT ABOUT THE "CANE/STAFF" AND JUST STARTED THINKING ABOUT THE PEPPERMINT.. OR VISE-VERSA.. THEY THINK OF THE CANE AS A SHAPE AND NOT A SYMBOL.. AND THEN AS TIME GOES ON, THEY JUST THINK ITS A PRETTY STRIPED CANDY.. SO THEN THEY GO ON TO CHANGING THE COLORS OF IT.. BLUE, GREEN, PURPLE, PINK.. AND THE TRUE MEANING IS FORGOTTEN.. I.E. U THOT IT WAS ABOUT THE PEPPERMINT..