It might seem like everyone is obsessed with sweets at Christmas, but it's actually the fourth busiest holiday for candy sales, with Easter leading the pack.

Contrary to rumor, there isn't a shred of evidence that candy canes were invented back in 17th century Germany.

The first appearance of the striped candy cane in advertisements and pictures isn't until the early 20th century. Before that, people munched on straight white candy sticks, not striped ones with a hook at one end.

The creation of the Keller machine by Priest Gregory Keller in the early 1950s allowed for accurate and efficient candy cane production.

Candy manufacturers produce 1.76 billion of the peppermint treats annually, with the vast majority of sales occurring during the Christmas season.

A standard one-ounce candy cane contains just 110 calories, making it an ideal sweet treat for those looking to keep calories contained at Christmas.

Move over Easter Bunny -- candy fans buy an estimated 19 million chocolate Santas each year, including both solid and hollow varieties.

Hershey's kisses have been lining stockings since 1907, but it wasn't until 1962 that the company started wrapping them in red and green foil to celebrate the season.

In 2012, Chicago chef Alain Roby took the candy cane to new heights when he make a giant peppermint stick measuring 51 feet.

Need a gag gift that still satisfies the sweet tooth? Pooping reindeer stocking stuffers deposit delicious jelly beans for those brave enough to eat them.

The Hershey Company faced criticism on social media in 2015 when people complained that its famous peanut butter Christmas trees looked more like indistinguishable lumps than evergreens.

Despite all the excitement over new Christmas creations, Hershey's Kisses remain the best-selling holiday treat as of 2015.

If you find some Christmas candy on clearance after the holidays, you should be able to store it for up to 11 months, as long as you keep it in a cool,dry place.

Got leftover candy canes? You could stick them in storage until next Christmas. Boxes of canes are good for at least a year, and some are good for up to five years. Just keep them clear of their ultimate enemy -- humidity.

Archie McPhee is known for its line of questionable candy cane flavors, which include wasabi, pickles, bacon and even gravy-flavored canes.

While there's no hard statistic on this frequently re-gifted sweet, some estimates suggest that as many as 38 percent of all fruitcakes received as gifts are passed onto another unlucky recipient.

A standard fruitcake will last for 60 to 90 days, no refrigeration required.

The ancient Romans enjoyed fruitcake, but the treat wasn't necessarily associated with Christmas until many centuries later.

The classic Christmas concoction was created in 1931 in York, England and remains a popular stocking stuffer to this day.

Candy fans who prefer a daily dose of the sweet stuff should count down to Christmas with an advent calendar. Created by Gerhard Lang in Germany around 1900, the calendars satisfy sweet tooths with a daily dose of chocolate.

Swedish children use knack -- a sweet toffee creation -- to decorate the Christmas tree, but the knack isn't traditionally eaten until St. Canute's Day on January 13th.

Turron, a classic holiday treat in Spain and Latin America, consists of various types of flavored nougat.

The black and white striped hard candies are traditionally mint flavored and are popular in Great Britain during the holidays.

Verkade letters -- chocolate forged into the shape of the recipient's initials -- are a popular holiday gift in the Netherlands.

The almond and sugar treat is common in Denmark and throughout Europe and can be forged into the shape of stars, animals and other holiday designs.

Korova -- Russian for little cow -- are small caramel treats enjoyed at Christmas.

Despite its German-inspired name, the eggs are a product of Italy's Ferrero Company and were created in the early 1970s. Because they contain a small toy within their chocolate walls, they are banned in the U.S., but they remain a holiday favorite in Europe.

Ferrero Rocher consists of layers of chocolate wafers wrapped around a simple hazelnut. The candy first came to the U.S. in 1988 and has since become a Christmas staple.

Russell Stover dominates boxed candy sales with its holiday themed variety boxes of chocolate.

When it comes to bar-sized -- the perfect stocking stuffing -- M&M's top the sales charts, with Reese's nipping at their heels.