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Some time ago, there was a candy maker who felt like he had no way to share the story of God wondrous love. For after all, who would listen to a candy maker about the Lord who was born as a baby in Bethlehem? He so wanted to tell children and remind adults at Christmas time to remember the great love of God.


It was while making some Christmas candy that this man had a simple idea which can be used as a great reminder. He invented the "Candy Cane" and assigned each of its attributes the following meanings.


He made the candy "J" shaped. J for Jesus, who's birthday we celebrate at Christmas. If held upside down, it looked like a shepherd’s staff, which reminds us of the shepherds to whom the angels announced the Savior's birth. In this manner, either as the letter J or the shepherd’s staff, we are minded that Jesus in our shepherd, our savior and Lord.


The candy maker chose to use pure white candy, which represented the virgin birth of Jesus. It also reminds us that Jesus lived a perfect sinless life.


He then gave it three small red stripes for the scourging and wounds that Jesus suffered for our sins. The candy maker also added one large red stripe for the blood of Jesus shed on the cross by nails and spears. This was done to remind us of the awful price of Jesus’ love for us, and His blood which can save us from our sins.


The flavor peppermint was chosen for the candy because it is fresh and lively which reminds us that three days after He had died for our sins, Jesus rose from the dead and is now alive! We do not know if the candy maker knew, but the peppermint plant is a member of the hyssop family, referred to in the Old Testament as a medicinal herb used for cleansing. (Cleanse me with Hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Psalm 51:7) The fresh flavor reminds us of the new life which Christ gives to those who believe in Him.


That is how the "Candy Cane" was made and how it still tells the true meaning of Christmas, which is the Good News of Jesus Christ, that Jesus died for our sins and rose from the dead three days later, and now by believing in Him we can receive the gift of eternal life.

Merry Christmas!