Candy Cane
The True Meaning of Christmas

The development of the candy cane took a few hundred years. Before the invention of the
modern pacifier, parents used to give their babies unflavored white sugar sticks to suck on.
During the 1670's a German choirmaster had the sugar sticks bent into a shepherd's staff and
passed out to children attending the Christmas services. This holiday custom spread
throughout Europe and fancy canes, decorated with roses, were used as Christmas
decorations in many homes. About 1900 the white candy cane received its traditional red
stripes and peppermint flavoring. At the same time the legend of the candy cane came into
being. According to this legend, a candy maker in Indiana designed the candy cane to tell the
true story of Christmas - a story about a virgin giving birth to a shepherd who would give up
His life for the sheep.

The most obvious symbolism used in the candy cane is its shape. Turned one way, it looks
like a "J" for Jesus. The newborn Lamb of God was named Jesus, meaning Savior, because
He was destined to "save His people from their sins" (Mt 1:21). Turned the other way, candy
canes remind us of the shepherd's staff. The first people to hear of Christ's birth were
shepherds guarding their flocks at night (Lk 2:8-20). Jesus called Himself the Good Shepherd
and the Bible frequently compares the actions of the Messiah to those of a shepherd
searching for his lost sheep, feeding them, gently leading them, and carrying them in his
bosom (Ps 23; Jn 10:1-18; Is 40:11; Jer 31:10; Micah 5:4; Heb 13:20). The sweetness of the
candy reminds us that we are fed on the sweet milk of the Gospel of our salvation and peace
(Eph 1:13; 6:15).

The hardness of the candy reminds us that Jesus is our rock of refuge (Deu 32:4, 15, 18; 1
Sam 2:2; 2 Sam 22:32, 47; 23:3; Psa 18:2, 31; 28:1; 92:15; 94:22; 95:1; Is 44:8). In rocky lands
like Israel, people often sought shelter from their enemies in the caves or rocky crags of cliffs.
Rocks also remind us of the solidness of the promises of Christ who is a precious
cornerstone and sure foundation to those who follow Him, but a "stone of stumbling and a
rock of offense" to those who reject His gift of peace (1 Pet 2:6-8).

The whiteness of the candy brings to mind the Virgin Birth and the sinless life of Christ (Mt
1:23; Lk 1:34-35). We also are made as pure as the snow through the cleansing action of His
blood (Rev 7:9, 14; Is 1:18).

The traditional candy cane has 3 small red stripes to remind us of the soldiers' stripes by
which we are healed and a larger stripe which represents the blood shed by Christ on
Calvary's tree (Is 53:5; Mt 27:32-50). Some people say that the 3 small stripes honor the Holy
Trinity while the larger stripe reminds us of the one true God. Others claim that the small
stripes represent our mini-passions or sufferings and the great stripe symbolizes Christ's
Passion. A green stripe is sometimes placed on candy canes to remind us that Jesus is God's
gift to us. (Green is the color of giving.)

The peppermint flavor of modern candy canes is said to be similar to hyssop. In Old
Testament times, hyssop was associated with purification and sacrifice. During the first
Passover celebrations, a bundle of hyssop was used to smear the blood of Passover lambs
upon the doorposts of houses so that the Angel of Death would pass over their occupants (Ex
12:22). Bundles of hyssop were also used to sprinkle blood on worshipers and objects during
Mosaic purification rituals (Ex 24:6-8; Lev 14:4, 49-52). After his affair with Bathsheba, King
David appealed to God's mercy crying, "Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me
and I shall be whiter than snow" (Ps 51:7). Peppermint reminds us that Jesus is our Passover
Lamb (1 Cor 5:7). His blood cleanses us from sin and destroys the power of death (Hosea
13:14; 1 Cor 15:54-57; Heb 2:14-15; Rev 20:6).
Christ Story Christmas Symbols
We have been asked before where we can up with the name
Candy Rock. Well it is from this story of the Candy Cane .
Read the story to understand.