Tuesday, December 2, 2008

The Legend of the Candy Cane

I don't know why, but my favorite Christmas decoration "motif" is the candy cane. Sharon can attest - I always seem to love the red and white striped ornaments, the candy cane lights outside, etc. I'm not particularly terribly fond of real candy canes, but they are my #1 decoration. So, with that in mind, have you ever heard the legend of the candy cane?


"Look at the Candy Cane

What do you see?

Stripes that are red

Like the blood shed for me

White is for my Savior

Who's sinless and pure!

"J" is for Jesus, My Lord, that's for sure!

Turn it around

And a staff you will see

Jesus my shepherd

Was born for Me!

The Legend of the Candy Cane:

"Many years ago, a candy maker wanted to make a candy at Christmas time that would serve as a witness to his Christian faith. He wanted to incorporate several symbols for the birth, ministry and death of Jesus. He began with a stick of pure white hard candy; white to symbolize the Virgin Birth and the sinless nature of Jesus; hard to symbolize the solid rock, the foundation of the Church; firmness to represent the promise of God. The candymaker made the candy in the form of a "J" to represent the name of Jesus, who came to earth as our Savior. He thought it could also represent the staff of the Good Shepherd, with which he reached 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. Unfortunately, the candy became known as a candy cane - a meaningless decoration seen at Christmas time. But the true meaning is still there for those who have eyes to see and ears to hear."

-Author Unknown

In all the hub-bub of presents, decorations, etc., let's not forget why we celebrate to begin with.

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