I was curious about how the candy cane became a Christmas tradition. Turns out that a long time ago — in 1670 — in a cathedral far away — a choirmaster wanted to keep a bunch of wiggly kids quiet during Christmas church services. The kids couldn’t sit still during the living creche celebrations in the Cologne Cathedral. So, the choirmaster persuaded a local candy maker to make their traditional white candy sticks into a shepherd’s crook. He handed them to the kids to keep them quiet during the Christmas ceremonies.

I wonder how he felt about those sticky fingers. Nonetheless, the candy cane became a hit. And that’s the origin of the candy cane for Christmas — a sweet confection in the shape of a shepherd’s crook — used to snag sheep when they strayed. (Or little kids who can’t sit still.)

The meanings of canes and crooks

Shepherds used canes or crooks in herding their sheep. The crook and flail were two symbols of God and were often shown with the Egyptian God, Osiris. It symbolized the Godly attributes of Pharaoh to shepherd and lead his people.

Jesus is the Good Shepherd and is often associated with this symbol — now a Christmas symbol and often made with confectioners sugar — the candy cane.

 

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