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Christmas was originally a holiday for Christians to celebrate the birth of Christ. Gradually, Christmas has become a festive season in many countries around the world. During this season, you will see Christmas trees, Santa Claus, snowmen, Yule log cakes, and especially colorful candy canes everywhere.
In the 1800s, an Indian candy maker wanted to express the meaning of Christmas through a symbol made of candy. He realized his idea by bending one of his candy canes into the shape of a cane. Through his candy cane, he wanted to convey the love and sacrifice of Jesus to everyone.
Since then, it has been passed down that the white stripe on the candy cane symbolizes the purity of Jesus, and the three red stripes represent the blood from the suffering He endured before His death on the cross. Those three stripes also represent the Holy Trinity, the unity of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
In terms of its shape, the candy cane also carries another sacred meaning. The candy cane resembles a shepherd's staff because Jesus himself is the shepherd of his flock. If you turn the candy cane upside down, you'll see the letter J, representing the first letter of Jesus' name. Furthermore, the hardness of the candy symbolizes unwavering resolve, the solid foundation of the church, and God's great promise.
Candy canes have long been an indispensable symbol of Christmas, but not everyone knows their interesting meaning.
Text: Bao Khuyen - Photos: Various authors
