Story of the Candy Cane
A simple reminder in the midst of all the Christmas craziness
At Christmas time, it’s easy to get a bit distracted by all the good cheer, presents and parties. Sometimes, it’s hard to think over the sound of Mariah Carey singing that all she wants for Christmas is you. But at the heart of Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Jesus, and there is a simple way to be reminded of the true reason for the season.
The candy cane! These delightful candies were actually made to remind you that Jesus was born to rescue the world through his death and resurrection.
The story of the candy cane
An Indiana candy maker wanted to make a candy that would remind people of Jesus during the busyness of the holiday season. He wanted something sweet and simple to draw people’s attention away from some of the more commercial distractions.
So he made the modern-day candy cane. He made the base level white to symbolize the purity of the virgin birth. He then shaped the candy cane to be a shepherd’s staff or the letter ‘J’, both of which remind people of Jesus the Good Shepherd. The red stripes are there to remind people that Jesus was born to ultimately be crucified for sin.
And, of course, he made them sweet to remind everyone of the sweetness of Jesus’ gift to the world.
If you’re feeling some of the chaos and stress that often times comes with Christmas, or just need a gentle reminder of the true meaning of Christmas, grab a candy cane.
