A candy maker from Indianapolis invented the candy cane as a special gift for Jesus. Not any candy would do.

The candy maker started with a white candy that stood for the purity of the Lord. It had to be hard candy, because the church is built on solid rock and God's promises are a firm foundation.

It would be formed in the shape of a shepherd's staff, and if you turned it upside-down, you would see the letter "J" to remind us that Jesus is at the heart of Christmas.

It would be flavored with peppermint to symbolize the spices which were gifts from the wise men.

The white stripes would symbolize the virgin birth and the sinless nature of Christ.

Three small red stripes would represent the whipping Jesus suffered on His way to the cross.

One large red stripe would remind us of the cost of our salvation, the blood Jesus shed as payment for our sins.

Even as we celebrate the joyous birth of Jesus, the candy cane serves as a visual reminder of the greatest gift that Jesus would give to us when he gave his life and died on the cross.

-- Author Unknown

“Thanks be to God for His unspeakable gift!”
2 Corinthians 9: 15