Chances are you’ve heard the Legend of the Christmas Candy Cane. Like most legends, it appears to be a mixture of historic and mythical folklore. The candy’s origin does appear to be traceable back to 1670, when a choirmaster at Cologne Cathedral in Germany gave pulled sugar, shaped like shepherds’ crooks, to fidgety choirboys during a living Creche or Nativity service. The purpose in passing out the all-white and cane-shaped candy was to keep the boys quiet and still during the lengthy service.

How the sugar cane became a popular Christmas candy is actually attributed more to a American immigrant from Germany in 1847, who lived in Wooster, Ohio, than to the previously mentioned German choirmaster at Cologne Cathedral in 1670. The German immigrant, August Imgard, came up with a novel idea, which quickly became a popular practice; he decorated his Christmas tree with solid white sugar canes. Ever since, the sugar cane has been associated with Christmas. 

It was not until the white sugar canes began to be mass produced in the 20th century that the red stripes were added, that they became the most popular non-chocolate Christmas candy—1.76 billion produced annually—and that the Legend of the Christmas Candy Cane began to be propagated. According to the legend, the Christmas candy cane is a symbol of Christ.

1. It's now manufactured as a hard candy to symbolize Christ as the Rock of Ages.

2. Its shape, when held right side up, symbolizes the crook or staff of Christ, the Good Shepherd. When held upside down, it is the letter “J,” which stands for Jesus, the name that is above every name.

3. Its three small red stripes represent the Trinity—the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—and its single large red stripe represents the sacrifice of Christ, which was made once and for all upon the cross of Calvary for the sins and salvation of the world.

4. Its stripes also represent the stripes of Christ, by which we are healed (Isaiah 53:5).

5. Its white stripes represent Christ’s purity or sinlessness.

6. Its red stripes represent Christ’s blood, which He voluntarily and vicariously shed for us.

7. And the peppermint flavor is supposedly linked to the hyssop plant, which was used by the soldiers to put a sponge of vinegar to the mouth of the crucified Christ.

While I can neither confirm the supposed symbolism of the Christmas Candy Cane nor commend the use of a piece of candy as a comprehensive symbol of the incomprehensible Christ, I must admit that I’m not averse to it serving as a reminder of the real reason for the season. If it can be used to remind others of the Creche—the real gift of Christmas, God’s gift of His Son to us—and of the cross—the real Christmas tree, upon which Christ gave Himself for us—then I say, “God bless it!”