The Story of the Candy Cane

There were once two villages in a far off land. One was in a valley and one was on a mountain top. The folks in the mountain village wanted to give each person in the valley village a gift of love at Christmas. The people in the valley were having difficult times but those in the mountain village were doing well. (Sometimes when we are on a mountain top, we can help those who are going through a valley in thier lives too.) That is what these mountain folks wanted to to also. So a committee was formed of townspeople to see if someone would be able to think of something special. Money was limited, and each gift had to be of equal value to each person. After much time, discussion, and consideration, a decision was finally reached. An elderly gentleman, who had loved Jesus for many years and who was well respected and loved, came up with the idea of a candy cane. Now you are thinking, what is so special about a candy cane and how can it ever be tied to Christmas. Here is how and why.

1. The candy cane is in the shape of a shepherd's staff. Jesus is our shepherd and we are his flock. A sheep follows his own shepherd, knows his voice, trusts him and knows that he is totally safe with him. A sheep will follow no other shepherd but his own. This is how we are to be with Jesus if we truly follow him.
2. Upside down the candy cane is a "J", the first letter of Jesus' name.
3. The wide red stripes represent the blood He shed on the cross for each of us, so that we can have eternal life through Him. He redeems us and cleanses us with His shed blood which is the only thing that can wash our sins away.
4. The white stripes represents the sinlessness and purity of our Lord. He is the only human being who ever lived on this earth who never committed one single sin. Even though He was tempted just as we are, He never sinned.
5. The narrow red stripe symbolizes that by His stripes or wounds, we are healed. Before the crucifixion, Jesus was beaten, the crown of thorns was placed on His head, His back was raw from the whip. We are healed by those wounds. He bore our sorrows and by His stripes we are healed.
6. The flavoring in the candy cane is peppermint which is similar to Hyssop. Hyssop is of the mint family and was used in the Old Testament for puification and sacrifice.
7. When we break our candy cane, it reminds us that Jesus' body was broken for us. When we have Communion this is our remider of what He did for us.
8. And if we share our candy cane, and give some to someone else in Love, because we want to, it represents the same love of Jesus because He is to be shared with one another in love.

God gave Himself to us when he sent Jesus. He loves us so much He wants us to spend eternal life with him, which we can do if we accept Jesus in our hearts as Savior and Lord.