Christmas Traditions. Something that most of us celebrate age-old ideas from days gone by that comes but once a year. But do you know where those that you have celebrated in your past really originated? Many are from the Old World. Brought to the United States by our ancestors. Food, Fun, and Family for all to share in during this the most important event in history. That of the birth of Jesus Christ.
Have you ever wondered where the candy cane originated from? If not, well come along. I am about to tell you.
There is a legend about it that said that it made its debut in Germany some 250 years ago. The story goes that a choirmaster was afraid that some children in the church would be noisy during a Christmas Nativity Service one year. To keep them quiet, he gave them a sugar stick. To remind them of Christmas, when the shepherds visited the baby Jesus, he made them into the shape of a 'J' to remind them of a shepherd's crook.
Nice story. But is it true? I don't know but here is what I found out about these sugary Christmas treats.
The earliest records of the candy cane did not appear until sometimes in the 1900s. Red stripes were added to the wintergreen or peppermint canes.
There have been other Christian meanings that have been given to 'The Candy Cane' as well. The 'J' could stand for Jesus. The white could mean his purity and the red stripes, for the blood which he shed while on the cross.
It was around 1920 when a man in Georgia in the USA, named Bob McCormack started making the canes for his family and friends. As they became more popular, he started a business called Bob's Candies. His brother-in-law, Gregory Harding Keller, who was a Catholic Priest, invented the 'Keller Machine', which automatically turned the straight candy sticks to the curved sticks.
To be sure, the candy cane has provided many a child and adult alike with much enjoyment during the season, in anticipation of Christmas day not only for the day when family and friends gather to exchange gifts and eat holiday meals, but also to celebrate the birth of Christ and the wonderful worship services that remind us what the original Christmas really was!
As in yesteryear, they were hung on the trees that adorned homes in a more simpler time during this time of year which is still done in homes today amid the more lavish of decorations of our modern times. And there are many crafts that include those of the edible and non-edible kind. If you have a talent for crafts and can do elaborate ones, or like me, that needs to keep things simple, all you have to do is scan the internet to find them of all shapes and sizes. Try coming up with your own this year. Or better yet, recruit the kids to join in the fun of creating their own version. Whatever hits your fancy, you are sure to delight everyone that comes around to spend the holidays with you and yours!
Speaking of candy canes, here is an easy recipe you may enjoy trying.
My mother loved Christmas. The decorating. The cooking. The entertaining her family and friends that would visit her during the month of December. If you were to stop at her house on any given day, whether on the spur or if she knew you were coming, she always had cookies or other treats to serve to you.
One of her very favorites though was a non-acholic drink made with a scoop or two of the pink peppermint ice cream in a mason jar mug with some Fago Red Pop poured over it. She then placed a candy cane and a straw in each mug sprinkled crushed candy cane on top of the ice cream and served the mugs to her guests. Easy and a wonderful treat they were and she loved doing it. She has been gone for quite a few years and after the Lord called her home, I carried on this particular tradition for several years. I don't make them anymore myself, but every Christmas, I think about her and the all the ways that she loved having people visit her so that she could put her talents to work to share with and others and make them happy. And while making others happy is not the main reason for this season, it does go a long way because after all, it was the baby Jesus that came to earth to share himself with us!
For the last piece that I have for today, do you know what the first day of Christmas in the carol 'The Twelve Days of Christmas' meant?
Reminder: According to The 12 Days of Christmas -- Christmas Customs and Traditions -- whychristmas?com each of the 12 days traditionally celebrates a feast day for a saint and/or have different celebrations. ( see more infomation at that site)
Day 1: On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me, a partridge in a pear tree.. represents December 25th, celebrating Christ's birth.
My own thoughts about that would be it is that date and day of celebration because my true love is Jesus and he No.! For me, that is just a given. But what has a partridge in a pear tree got to do with Jesus. I am not sure about the answer to that question. Maybe later in the month I can try to find out its meaning. In the meantime, how about the second day?
Day 2: On the second day of Christmas, my true love gave to me two turtle doves...
Can you take a guess as to what they stand for and get it right? I must confess that without looking, I had no idea at the answer. So unless your curiosity gets the best of you and you decide to look it up, come back tomorrow for the answer. Til then....
There have been other Christian meanings that have been given to 'The Candy Cane' as well. The 'J' could stand for Jesus. The white could mean his purity and the red stripes, for the blood which he shed while on the cross.
It was around 1920 when a man in Georgia in the USA, named Bob McCormack started making the canes for his family and friends. As they became more popular, he started a business called Bob's Candies. His brother-in-law, Gregory Harding Keller, who was a Catholic Priest, invented the 'Keller Machine', which automatically turned the straight candy sticks to the curved sticks.
To be sure, the candy cane has provided many a child and adult alike with much enjoyment during the season, in anticipation of Christmas day not only for the day when family and friends gather to exchange gifts and eat holiday meals, but also to celebrate the birth of Christ and the wonderful worship services that remind us what the original Christmas really was!
As in yesteryear, they were hung on the trees that adorned homes in a more simpler time during this time of year which is still done in homes today amid the more lavish of decorations of our modern times. And there are many crafts that include those of the edible and non-edible kind. If you have a talent for crafts and can do elaborate ones, or like me, that needs to keep things simple, all you have to do is scan the internet to find them of all shapes and sizes. Try coming up with your own this year. Or better yet, recruit the kids to join in the fun of creating their own version. Whatever hits your fancy, you are sure to delight everyone that comes around to spend the holidays with you and yours!
Speaking of candy canes, here is an easy recipe you may enjoy trying.
My mother loved Christmas. The decorating. The cooking. The entertaining her family and friends that would visit her during the month of December. If you were to stop at her house on any given day, whether on the spur or if she knew you were coming, she always had cookies or other treats to serve to you.One of her very favorites though was a non-acholic drink made with a scoop or two of the pink peppermint ice cream in a mason jar mug with some Fago Red Pop poured over it. She then placed a candy cane and a straw in each mug sprinkled crushed candy cane on top of the ice cream and served the mugs to her guests. Easy and a wonderful treat they were and she loved doing it. She has been gone for quite a few years and after the Lord called her home, I carried on this particular tradition for several years. I don't make them anymore myself, but every Christmas, I think about her and the all the ways that she loved having people visit her so that she could put her talents to work to share with and others and make them happy. And while making others happy is not the main reason for this season, it does go a long way because after all, it was the baby Jesus that came to earth to share himself with us!
For the last piece that I have for today, do you know what the first day of Christmas in the carol 'The Twelve Days of Christmas' meant?
Reminder: According to The 12 Days of Christmas -- Christmas Customs and Traditions -- whychristmas?com each of the 12 days traditionally celebrates a feast day for a saint and/or have different celebrations. ( see more infomation at that site)Day 1: On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me, a partridge in a pear tree.. represents December 25th, celebrating Christ's birth.
My own thoughts about that would be it is that date and day of celebration because my true love is Jesus and he No.! For me, that is just a given. But what has a partridge in a pear tree got to do with Jesus. I am not sure about the answer to that question. Maybe later in the month I can try to find out its meaning. In the meantime, how about the second day?
Day 2: On the second day of Christmas, my true love gave to me two turtle doves...
Can you take a guess as to what they stand for and get it right? I must confess that without looking, I had no idea at the answer. So unless your curiosity gets the best of you and you decide to look it up, come back tomorrow for the answer. Til then....
Have a very blessed Lord's Day!
No comments:
Post a Comment