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CANDY CANES and their meaning

.: posted 12/25/2002 ::: by webmdave :::

I found myself in church last Sunday, being supportive of a young family member who was performing some music.

While there, I heard this story. I suppose many of you have heard or read the same story, or some variation of it during the month of December. Well here is what was said:

The Christian Origin of the Candy Cane

A candymaker in Indiana wanted to make a candy that would be a witness, so he made the Christmas Candy Cane. He incorporated several symbols from 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 to symbolize the Solid Rock, the foundation of the Church, and firmness of the promises of God.

The candymaker made the candy in the form of a "J" to represent the precious name of Jesus, who came to earth as our Savior. It could also represent the staff of the "Good Shepherd" with which He reaches down into the ditches of the world to lift out the fallen lambs who, like all sheep, have gone astray.

The candymaker stained it with red stripes. He used three small stripes to show the stripes of the scourging Jesus received by which we are healed. The large red stripe was for the blood shed by Christ on the cross so that we could have the promise of eternal life.

Every time you see a Candy Cane, remember the Wonder of Jesus and His Great Love that came down at Christmas, and that His Love remains the ultimate and dominant force in the universe today.

Well the story is just not true. Candy canes were not created by "a candymaker in Indiana" who "stained them with red stripes to show the stripes of the scourging Jesus received." Candy canes were around long before there was an Indiana, and they initially bore neither red coloration nor striping -- the red stripes were a feature that did not appear until a few hundred years later, at the beginning of the 20th century:

About 1847, August Imgard of Ohio managed to decorate his Christmas tree with candy canes to entertain his nephews and nieces. Many who saw his canes went home to boil sugar and experiment with canes of their own. It took nearly another half century before someone added stripes to the canes . . . Christmas cards produced before 1900 show plain white canes, while striped ones appear on many cards printed early in the 20th century.

In fact, the strongest connection one can make between the origins of the candy cane and intentional Christian symbolism is to note that legend says someone took an existing form of candy which was already being used as a Christmas decoration (i.e., straight white sticks of sugar candy) and produced bent versions which represented a shepherd's crook and were handed out to children at church to ensure their good behavior:

Soon after Europeans adopted the use of Christmas trees, they began making special decorations for them. Food items predominated, with cookies and candy heavily represented. That is when straight, white sticks of sugar candy came into use at Christmas, probably during the seventeenth century.

Tradition has it that some of these candies were put to use in Cologne Cathedral about 1670 while restless youngsters were attending ceremonies around the living creche. To keep them quiet, the choirmaster persuaded craftsmen to make sticks of candy bent at the end to represent shepherds' crooks, then he passed them out to boys and girls who came to the cathedral.

Claims made about the candy's religious symbolism have become increasingly widespread as religious leaders have assured their congregations that these mythologies are factual, the press have published these claims as authoritative answers to readers' inquiries about the confection's meaning, and several lavishly illustrated books purport to tell the "true story" of the candy cane's origins. This is charming folklore at best, and though there's nothing wrong with finding (and celebrating) symbolism where there wasn't any before, the story of the candy cane's origins is -- like Santa Claus -- a myth, not a "true story."

Fictional accounts of the candy cane's religious origins are the subject of a number of colorful Christmas volumes, including The Candymaker's Gift: A Legend of the Candy Cane by Helen Haidle (1996), The Candy Cane Story by Joy Merchant Nall and Thomas Nall, Jr. (1996), The Legend of the Candy Cane by Lori Walburg (1997), and the children's book The "J" Is For Jesus by Alice Joyce Davidson (1998).

What is interesting about this little story, is that I have never met a single Christian who ever doubted that this story was true. Yet I have never met one who bothered to research it before repeating it themselves.

The next time someone tells you this story, say this: "That candymaker in Indiana. What was his name?" No one knows because the story is not true.

Would it be fair to say that as Christians, we believed all things, and thought that it was good to do so?

Merry Xmas!

Sources for your own research:

Garrison, Webb. Treasury of Christmas Stories.
Nashville: Rutledge Hill Press, 1990. ISBN 1-55-853087-8.

Gotshall, Rich. "Humble Candy Cane Symbol of Faith'"
The Indianapolis Star. 17 December 1994 (p. B4).

Green, Larre. "Candy Cane Steeped in Holy Symbolism."
The Dallas Morning News. 22 December 1996 (p. C2).

Samuels, Alisa. "Tracing Roots of Tradition."
The Baltimore Sun. 2 December 1994 (p. B3).

Symansic, Tricia. "Candy Canes Are Also a Treat for the Soul."
The Columbus Dispatch. 21 December 1996 (p. E10).

Wagner, Arlo. "School Blocks Christmas Notes, Leaves Sour Taste."
The Washington Times. 24 December 1996 (p. C7).

Add this page to:

26 Comments:

Nic A. wrote:

You know, I'm all in agreement with you, but this quasi-plagiarism makes all us ex-Christians look bad.

You could've just put up the Snopes link (http://www.snopes.com/holidays/christmas/candycane.asp) and been done with it, as the sources YOU list are all listed there (and in the same order), as are the fake-legend children's books - in the same order as well.

posted: December 13, 2005 EST

.:webmaster:. wrote:

You're absolutely right nic!

Thanks for finding the source of this article.

posted: December 13, 2005 EST

Lissa W. wrote:

This is my first time and last time on your site. All I can say is I will pray for every last one of you. Our God is a good and loving God. I hope you someday will close your eyes and open your heart to him. He loves everyone of us so much He sent His only son, Jesus so we have a way to Heaven. So when you think there isn't anyone there for you, just look up.

posted: December 14, 2005 EST

Mary wrote:

Lissa

As ex-christians you are not telling any of us something we haven't already heard and most of us believed at one time. I don't think you are going to convince anyone here to go back to that belief.

posted: December 14, 2005 EST

carol wrote:

Lissa,

I looked up and saw...the ceiling! Thanks, I noticed some combwebs I need to get rid of.

You are a fuckin moron, so thanks for leaving and don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out.

Regards, carol

posted: December 14, 2005 EST

Kelvin wrote:

Hello everyone,

Thanks for the insightful explanation & clarification on the story of the candy stick. Personally, I don't really see any contradictions to the story of the Indiana candy maker vs the origin of candy sticks ... It is not claimed that he was the 1st person who made the candy sticks... i mean .. the part about him adding the red stipes & all the symbolism that is added in could be true if he had that in mind i guess .... have a blessed Christmas!

posted: December 20, 2005 EST

MEL wrote:

Well, I must say that I am very sad to discover that there is a site like this. I don't find the fact that you call yourselves "ex-Christians" very accurate because I know that if you had truly encountered Christ you would not be a member of this site. You encountered religion and found that it didn't meet your needs. I'm sorry that the churches you belonged to didn't show you who Christ really is. I don't know the specific reasons that each of you have for being "ex-Christians" but I KNOW that my God is real and that HE cares about every aspect of my life and He cares about your lives too even if you don't want Him to. I am sorry for your pain and whatever it was that made you turn your back on God. He is still holding out His hand to you and He is awaiting your return. God bless each and every one of you!

posted: December 23, 2005 EST

Forever and ever wrote:

So does that mean that Blessed are the candy cane makers now.Thats really guna piss the cheese makers off.

Mel mel Mel well
How about Hebrews 6:4 and fuck the holy spirit.

God still got his hand out.?
Is jesus still the saviour of the world.Will god have all men be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth.

Struth it's hot in the lake of fire today.Brimestone anyone.
Hope you don;t feel tormented by all this Mel

posted: December 23, 2005 EST

Passerby wrote:

Mel,
I'm very sad you still believe in fairy tales...how old are you?

Tell me Mel, how does one "encounter a being called Christ" Could you please provide evidence of your god, or demonstrate the incredible feat of the manifestation of your god? Um, you can't...and you never will.

Mel, just as you have delusions of an imaginary big sky daddy-deity, who will never ever be proven, there are 3-5 million people in the U.S. who think they have been abducted by space aliens. And their experiences are real too, similar to your experiences---they are real to you and only you.

If Christ cares about everybody's lives, tell me, Mel, why doesn't he help the millions of children who suffer and die every year in Africa? Your deity doesn't care because he doesn't exist. But you think you are special and somehow the big sky daddy is watching over you.

May Jealous bless you, Mel.

posted: December 23, 2005 EST

Onanite wrote:

Well, I must say that I am very sad to discover that there is a site like this.

Obviously you were searching Mel. If you were to be totally honest with yourself, my guess is your own doubts about Christianity brought you here.

I don't find the fact that you call yourselves "ex-Christians" very accurate because I know that if you had truly encountered Christ you would not be a member of this site.

I'll bet you Mel that our experiences with "Christ" are just as valid as yours. Many of us did a few of the "prayers of salvation," baptism, speaking in tongues etc. kinds of things that you do, we just took a step back and looked at your religion. We did not keep our heads stuck in the sand. We have been able to see the myth for what it is. A simple, and very flawed story. You see we got better.

I don't know the specific reasons that each of you have for being "ex-Christians" but I KNOW that my God is real and that HE cares about every aspect of my life ...

I see. My guess as to why you don't know our reasons is because you did not read them. Just like the good little Christian trooper you are, you showed up with a closed mind, didn't read, and just posted the same old thing you folks always do. Next time you are here read some of the testimonies, unless of course you are to afraid to.
and He cares about your lives too even if you don't want Him to. I am sorry for your pain and whatever it was that made you turn your back on God. He is still holding out His hand to you and He is awaiting your return. God bless each and every one of you!

As to your god being real, well, I feel sad for you having to believe in some myth to give your life meaning. I really am sorry for you.

now run along silly little man. I am too busy to waste anymore time on you pathetic little comments.

Onanite

posted: December 23, 2005 EST

Anonymous wrote:

i love that EX-C's and the bible bouncers can get along so well and talk nice nice about candy canes.

Also remember all you bible bouncers that fire doesnt burn if your already dead.

i heard my in laws talking about this subject today and i wanted to point and laugh on how stupid it all sounded.

Anthony

posted: December 26, 2005 EST

Andy wrote:

Guys,

Why are some of you "ex-Christians" so bitter if life is sweeter now?

The Christian folk who have posted have done so in good nature, and some of them, including me, will accept that the Candy Cane story could very easily be a bi-product of the modern era trying to stamp a Christian authority on the holidays.

Many Christians, particularly outside of the USA are quite open about the pagan origins of the holiday, and realise the continued customs of having greenery and food on display through the dark months as a tribute to "mother earth" and the gods of "fertility, nutrition" etc etc.

My peeve with you guys is that you are agressive towards them. If a Christian meets a none-believer, they calmly explain, and you must admit that there are more "nice mannered" people who come from a faith background...whether Buddhist, Christian, Jewish, Islamic...than those without. My feeling on this, and my own journey is far from a steady one, as a historian, I question EVERYTHING! is that those who believe they are happier without a god or a belief, are in actual fact, the ones with the greater inner-turmoils. Faith isn't a crutch, it's a bold leap. It's much easier and much more convenient in modern times to say all religion is bad and flawed.

I won't force doctrine and scripture down your throat, but there are more people in this world who believe in some sort of Divine power than who don't...even physicists when explaining the creation of all the Universe, use a name for the unknown, or God...they call it "X".

When was the last time you felt particularly emboldened? Stop hiding behind false bravery, intellectualism, and agression.

posted: November 13, 2006 EST

.:webmaster:. wrote:

I have never once come up to a Christian to explain how my atheism is the better road in life, and how the Christian should consider it for their life.

However, there has been no lack of Christians who come up to me to tell me about their "faith," and how I should accept it as my own.

It gets quite annoying. It can be infuriating after awhile.

those who believe they are happier without a god or a belief, are in actual fact, the ones with the greater inner-turmoils.

Really? Please provide some sort of reference supporting this idea. I'd be interested. Thanks.

Now, I wonder, do you believe in your god because lots of other people believe in a god? I mean, is that really why you follow your religion, because other people follow a religion?

If not, then why use the "lots of people believe stuff" apologetic as a reason that we should believe in your god?

Just wondering.

posted: November 13, 2006 EST

Jim Arvo wrote:

Andy: "Why are some of you 'ex-Christians' so bitter if life is sweeter now?"

Let's break your question into two parts. Part I: Are some of you "bitter"? Part II: If so, why do you proclaim that life is "sweeter" now? The answer to Part I is "No, what gives you that idea?". Part II now becomes moot. Hope that helps.

Andy: "The Christian folk who have posted have done so in good nature,..."

The majority of Christian posters at this site are ill-mannered and woefully ill-informed. They recite dogma without any intention of listening or learning. It gets very tiresome.

Andy: "My peeve with you guys is that you are agressive towards them. If a Christian meets a none-believer, they calmly explain, and you must admit that there are more 'nice mannered' people who come from a faith background...whether Buddhist, Christian, Jewish, Islamic...than those without."

That could well be true judging from your own personal experience. In my experience I would gladly admit that both Buddhists and Jews tend to be above average on the politeness scale (and I'll throw in Mormons too--I actually like talking to most Mormons about their beliefs). I do not have enough exposure to Muslims to form even a tentative opinion. But I have met plenty of overbearing self-righteous Christians. As to how things stack up globally, I have no idea; I have no reliable data to base such a judgment on.

If, however, we restrict the universe of discussion to posters at this site, then the statistics look fairly bad for Christian, as per my comments above.

Andy: "My feeling on this, and my own journey is far from a steady one, as a historian, I question EVERYTHING! is that those who believe they are happier without a god or a belief, are in actual fact, the ones with the greater inner-turmoils."

Unless you have some means to objectively measure this "inner-turmoil", it seems you are stuck with pure speculation. What do you hope to accomplish with that?

By the way, it seems to me that you have the cart squarely before the horse. Ought not the goal be to discover what is *true* (as best we can) rather than what is most *comforting*? After all, I may find solipsism the most comforting; that doesn't make it true.

Andy: "Faith isn't a crutch, it's a bold leap. It's much easier and much more convenient in modern times to say all religion is bad and flawed."

What makes it "bold" as opposed to "foolhardy"? The fact that you refer to it as a "leap" suggests that it requires one to accept that which is not rationally supported. I see no reason to portray that as laudable. In fact, I'd say that uncritical acceptance of wild claims in at the root of many social problems.

As for it being "easier" to reject all religion, I think you have that backwards. I think it's far easier to accept what you are told, to seek comfort in mystical ideas, and to portray one's self as a "good Christian" in today's society (at least in the US). I think it takes courage and a steadfast commitment to facing the facts in order to shed the prevailing religious dogma of one's society.

Andy: "When was the last time you felt particularly emboldened? Stop hiding behind false bravery, intellectualism, and agression."

I can make very little sense of that statement, but enough to recognize it as unfounded and inflammatory. Who, exactly, are you attacking, and on what grounds? Let's see if you can show some courage and state your case clearly.

posted: November 13, 2006 EST

boomSLANG wrote:

christian: Stop hiding behind false bravery, intellectualism, and agression.

Stop barging in on a website that is clearly marked EX-christian; stop giving your opinion when it's not asked for; stop making crass and unfounded generalizations about people whom you've never met; stop trying to deprive people of their own emotions; stop taking the position of a "Deist", when it is your personal "Jesus Christ" you are promoting all along; stop pimping your personal belief as a universal "Truth"; stop ass-uming that 'popular vote' determines "Truth"; stop and think why you dismiss the existance of Allah, and then you'll know why we dismiss your "Jesus"; stop expecting people to not be skeptical of your "Jesus is Lord" worldview, when you are skeptical of all other people's god-beliefs.....and in the Athiest's case---NO belief in god(s); stop expecting people who have been manipulated into joining a religious cult to not be "agressive" when it's members try to "win" them back.

Most of all---STOP yourself before you reply, unless you come back with objective evidence for your belief.

Thanks.

posted: November 13, 2006 EST

Anonymous wrote:

HELLO ALL,

I JUST HAD TO SAY SOMTHIN AFTER SEEIN THIS SITE U ALL NEED TO WATCH THE MOVIES OR READ THE BOOKS OF LOST

posted: December 03, 2006 EST

Anonymous wrote:

HELLO ALL

AFTER READING THIS SITE U GUYS ALL JUST NEED TO WATCH LOST

JESUS LUVS U

posted: December 03, 2006 EST

Jim Arvo wrote:

Thanks for the very insightful tip, Anonymous.

SANTA WUVS U

posted: December 04, 2006 EST

Mark S wrote:

Obviously not a popular site...18 comments in a year...

Oranite responding to Mel...Mel "Well, I must say that I am very sad to discover that there is a site like this."

Oranite "Obviously you were searching Mel. If you were to be totally honest with yourself, my guess is your own doubts about Christianity brought you here."

Not true, I found this site helping my son discover the candy cane legend.

All I know for sure is that I never met an athiest in a foxhole

God Bless us all,
Mark

posted: December 05, 2006 EST

.:webmaster:. wrote:

I found this site helping my son discover the candy cane legend.

Glad we could help you out with that. I do hope you told your son the truth.

posted: December 05, 2006 EST

Kenneth wrote:

This Christmas I was searching for something interesting to share with the children of our church and a friend suggested the candy cane legend. I have heard it before, but even when I first heard the story, I found it suspect. I feel adamant that we should never present something as historical which has no basis in history. So with one single Google search it became more than clear that the candy cane origin story is just a nice fable. Fables are not wrong, but they are to be communicated in the genre for which they were written. It is true that some Christians are very poor at searching our primary sources. But is it not true, that there are always some of those of whatever world view, who fail to ferret out the truth? Like you, I simply want reality. "True truth" as the philosopher Francis Schaeffer would call it, will stand in the end no matter what you and I think or believe. We should not characterize our understanding of Christian from the credulous. And the truth is--there are great intellects on both sides (Christians and Agnostics). That should tell us that there might be more factors than just the score of one's IQ in discovering truth. Let me suggest a couple of sources that are some of the best that Christianity has to offer:
Ravi Zacharias' speaking at Harvard (The historic event was recorded and available on DVD) called The Harvard Veritas Forum. It is one of the best engagements with honest questions about Atheism and Theism and the true Identity of Jesus. Also, there is the classic work of C.S. Lewis titled: Mere Christianity.
Life is too valuable to throw stones at each other. We all must discover truth for ourselves. It seems most reasonable to research the best that both sides have to offer and not derive our conclusions from representatives of either side who haven't done their homework. The truth is the only thing that sets us free.
Thanks for listening. This is about only the 2nd or 3rd time I've ever blogged anything on the inter-net. Signed, A Pastor in Lee's Summit MO.

posted: December 19, 2006 EST

.:webmaster:. wrote:

Hello Kenneth,

Don't you think it interesting that when you wanted to know the truth about the Candy Cane story, you were able to access the information immediately, and for free, but if I want to access the information you mention, I have to pay for it. And Ravi’s books aren’t cheap!

No worries, however, I've already read most of Ravi's stuff and nearly all of CS Lewis' published works. Other than both men’s' ability to twist phrases into knots until something bizarre and impossible sounds almost likely to be true, I find both authors vacuous and dull. It takes more than quick-witted writing skills to make invisible, magical, manically wrathful deities come to life, except maybe within a believer’s imagination.

Thanks anyway.

posted: December 19, 2006 EST

Jim Arvo wrote:

Hi Kenneth,

The webmaster already made the point I was going to make, so I'll simply add a brief comment for emphasis. I too have read quite a bit by Zacharias and C. S. Lewis. While I have some respect for Lewis as a writer, I have zero respect for Zacharias. His works lack scholarship and are brimming with ad hominem attacks and baseless assertions. His comments about atheists are usually absurd and inflammatory. While I am not familiar with the lecture you mentioned, I would be shocked if it was of better quality than his writings. If you can point me to a transcript of his address, I will be happy to take a look nonetheless.

As for C. S. Lewis, yes he was a brilliant writer, but his apologetics was very weak, resting primarily on emotional appeals and often outright fallacies (e.g. his version of the "lord-liar-lunatic" trilemma, and his dismissal of the precursors to Christianity).

Have you read any books by Robert Price, Earl Doherty, or John Dominic Crossan? All of them are far more serious scholars than the authors you mentioned.

posted: December 19, 2006 EST

boomSLANG wrote:

Let me suggest a couple of sources that are some of the best that Christianity has to offer:

Whaaa?..I thought the Holy Bible was "the best source" that Christianity has to offer, no? Yes, so why does "GOD'S WORD" need "companion" books? If anything, Christian book stores should stock nothing but books that are anti-christianity---that way, Christians are strengthening their "Faith" with reason and logic, and making informed decisions, instead of merely reaffirming their belief on something as shakey as "strength in numbers". Think about it.

posted: December 19, 2006 EST

sir fer wrote:

"When was the last time you felt particularly emboldened? Stop hiding behind false bravery, intellectualism, and agression."

yeah i wish you ex-C's would stop being so intellectual and rational. The last thing we need in this day and age is intellectual thought mixed with rational discourse. Why, all the people that believe in the flying zombie Jew (I love that one:) ) and his all loving daddy in the sky that will send you to an eternity of torment for calling him names might have to do some thinking and face the fact that they don't know nearly as much as they think they do and we can't have that.

posted: November 30, 2007 EST

Anjie wrote:

I found this site while looking for the orgin ot the candy cane. I was "informed" that the candy cane was made to christians. I thought this sounded fishy so I went looking. I of course found snoops saying it was false. I was pretty happy about this but kept looking just to be sure.
I would hate to pass on facts there were not true, it drives me crazy when people insist on doing such things. I am an exchristian and have read thought your site and have enjoyed it. Keep up the good writing!

posted: December 05, 2007 EST

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