America's Most Hated Christmas Candies

Thanksgiving is over and December has arrived, so it's officially acceptable to start discussing Christmas and all its trappings. Bring on the holiday music, the garland, the cheesy Hallmark movies. However, some consumers are quick to point out that not everything about Christmas is merry and bright. The results of a recent survey by candy wholesaler CandyStore.com highlight what most people consider the worst Christmas candies.

As part of a larger online survey, CandyStore.com asked customers to name their least favorite Christmas candy, with the option to add a brief statement explaining their choice; the rankings are the result of over 9,000 responses.Of course, when asking about favorite or least favorite candies, much of the feedback just comes down to personal preference, and the findings make a point to emphasize the subjectiveness of this survey.

"People's likes and dislikes are shaped by a thousand different influences over their lifetime, and especially their childhood," the report notes. "They often contradict metrics like sales data. Some of the biggest sellers are also mentioned below as the most hated."

A perfect example: Candy canes received enough hate to earn an honorable mention in the "worst candies" ranking. Consumers called out candy canes for being sticky, messy, and "gross." However, much like a top 40 song you hear played on the radio over and over again, candy canes, despite the loathing they inspire, remain best sellers throughout the Christmas season.

Here are the official top 10 worst Christmas candies, ranked:

10. Chocolate Orange9. Peppermint Bark8. Ribbon Candy7. Peeps6. Old-Fashioned Hard Candy Mix5. Non-Peppermint Candy Canes4. Lifesavers Storybooks3. Cherry Cordials2. Reindeer Corn1. Christmas Nougat Candy

You just can't please everyone. While classic peppermint candy canes received plenty of hate, it was actually non-peppermint candy canes that ranked number five the list, presumably because no candy brand needs to improve upon a classic. "Candy canes don't need you to change them," read one user comment. "Peppermint only please."

Yet peppermint seems to be a highly divisive flavor profile that can incite rage in those who oppose it. Peppermint bark, that quintessential minty Christmas chocolate sold in cute seasonal tins, moved up in the worst candy rankings this year, inching from the number 10 spot to number nine.

Lifesavers Storybooks were a surprising item in the list, because Lifesavers themselves are rarely thrown any shade. However, in this case it appears to be the deceptive packaging that people object to—the "storybook," while it does contain a Christmas tale inside, is really just a few rolls of Lifesavers stacked in a box. Nothing all that exciting about it.

And, of course, Christmas Nougats, an out-of-fashion old-timey texture and flavor combo that no one has actually craved for decades. Peppermint nougat just can't compete with chocolate, caramel, vanilla, or basically any other nougat flavor, and everyone knows it; this item has topped the list of worst candies for multiple years running. Can someone let Brach's know we're done with this stuff?

What have we learned about Christmas from this ranking? Everyone can be a grinch about something (especially if it involves peppermint). It's best to air out these grievances early in the season so as not to upset any Christmas fanatics in our midst. And just to be on the safe side, maybe don't gift anyone a box of ribbon candy this holiday season.