December 12, 2009

Ch. 587 - Candy Cane Symbolism

I really like candy canes.
I mean... I really like candy canes.

I don't know why, exactly.
I just do.

At the StuCo Christmas party I was told the story of how the candy cane supposedly came into existence.

[To make sure I got it right, I used a website's story.]

A candymaker in Indiana wanted to make a candy that would remind people of the true meaning of Christmas; so he made the candy cane to incorporate several symbols for the birth, ministry, and death of Jesus Christ. He began with a stick of pure white, hard candy: white to symbolize the virgin birth and the sinless nature of Jesus, and hard candy to symbolize the solid rock, the foundation of the Church, and the firmness of the promises of God.

The candymaker then shaped his cane into the form of a "J" to represent the precious name of Jesus, who came to the earth as Savior. It could also represent the staff of the "Good Shepherd" with which He reaches down to to reclaim the fallen lambs who, like 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. The large red stripe was for the blood shed by Christ on the cross so that we could have the promise of eternal life.

Brilliant.


' "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep." '
[John 10:11]

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