We made candy cane ornaments using red pipe cleaners and beads.
You simply slide beads onto the pipe cleaner alternating red and white (or clear) and then bend the ends of the pipe cleaner to keep the beads on.
Then use fishing line to tie a loop or you could use ribbon...

Conny H.:
Read the story about the candy cane here: www.candyusa.org/History/candycane.shtml