Candy Canes at Christmas

Candy canes are a commonly known Christmas symbol. Kids love them and the candy companies must sell them by the tons. My Christmas tree’s core colors are red and white, themed after the candy cane with red, white, and red and white striped balls(though you might not notice after our personal ornaments go up). Even though every one may or may not believe in the true meaning of Christmas, if you have eaten a candy cane or had one in your house, you definetly have had in your life a symbol of the Reason for the Season.

THE STORY OF THE CANDY CANE

A Candymaker wanted to make a candy that would be a witness for his Lord, so he made the Christmas Candy Cane. He incorporated several symbols for the birth, ministry, and death of Jesus Christ.

He began with a stick of pure white, hard candy. White to symbolize thevirgin birth and the sinless nature of Jesus, and hard to symbolize the Solid Rock, the foundation of the Church and firmness of the promises of God.

The candymaker made the candy in the form of a “J” to represent the precious name of Jesus, who came to earth as our Savior. It could also represent the staff of the “Good Shepherd ” with which He reaches down into the ditches of the world to lift out the fallen lambs who, like all sheep have gone astray.

Thinking that the candy was somewhat plain, the candymaker stained it with red stripes. He used three small stripes to show the stripes of the scourging Jesus received by which we are healed. The large red stripe was for the blood shed by Christ on the cross so that we could have the promise of eternal life. Sometimes a green stripe is added as a reminder that Jesus is a Gift from God.

Unfortunately, the candy became known as a Candy Cane – a meaningless decoration seen at Christmas time. But the meaning is still there for those who “have eyes to see and ears to hear”.

Originally posted on Dec 5, 2007