Steve’s still blogging about the holidays, as well he should. The solstice is nearly here, for goddess sake! I like reading about the holidays as long as you darned red-staters don’t call it Christmas! Har.
My comment is not on the main point of Steve’s post, but on candy canes — their symbolism and meaning.
First, I’ll tell you what they mean to me. They are a funny shaped peppermint candy that you see around Christmas. They symbolize sweet breath refreshment, the worry that the damn thing is going to break, and a pen that I had as a little kid which I got as a souvenir from some Christmas-themed park up north of here. And that’s about it for this heathen holiday reveler. But, of course, they have a history regardless of what they mean to me.
Recently, a number of people have taken to saying that the candy is shaped into the form of a “J” because of some candymaker in Indiana who created it to symbolize Jesus. The red stripes are variously blood, or lashings at the hands of Pilate, or whatever. All made-up stuff, but I’m sure it looks good on a photocopy, fax, email, or church bulletin.
The way I understand it, white straight candy sticks were enjoyed at Christmastime before the canes ever existed. Eventually someone had the idea to form them into the shape of a shepherd’s staff.
I can’t speak to the stripes, other than that they didn’t start appearing on canes earlier than around 100 years ago.
Snopes has some info on it. I don’t have a lot of references to point to, as the books I have at home don’t really discuss the candy cane among the elements of Christmas. It’s never been an important symbol of the holiday, it’s primary function being a candy and then later a seasonal decoration.
I agree with what Ms. Mikkelson says at the end of the page on Snopes. And it’s clear that people are going to see whatever symbolism there that makes them the happiest. I have absolutely no beef with that. If they want to see it as a “J” for Jesus, that’s their business.
On the other hand, people who actually claim it was originally shaped as a “J” for Jesus shouldn’t try to foist the apocryphal history on others. Don’t backstory your symbolism, folks.
[Edit: To remain perfectly clear, this “‘J’ for Jesus” falderal is not something Steve even mentions. His post is only peripherally related to this. I just took the opportunity to riff on candy canes and the ability to separate personally meaningful symbolism and the history of a holiday tradition.]
I wish I knew where that candy cane pen got to. It was awful cunnin’.
Posted by James at December 19, 2004 4:58 PMDid it have a green cap, and did the ink smell minty? I had one like that. It was a good pen, too.
Posted by: Julie at December 20, 2004 8:48 AMThe ink did smell funny, I think. I lost the cap early on.
Posted by: James at December 20, 2004 9:24 AM>>and a pen that I had as a little kid which I got as a souvenir from some Christmas-themed park up north of here
Ahhh Santa's Village. Just a short ride from 6 Gun City!
Posted by: Steve at December 20, 2004 12:07 PMI never got to go to Santa's Village. I wanted to, but for some reason (perhaps the fact that it was July) we didn't go. I did go to Sixgun City, however. I still don't know why there is (was?) an old-West-themed park in NH, but old photos suggest that I may have had a good time. I do remember getting a capgun there. :)
Posted by: Julie at December 20, 2004 12:14 PMI see an image of the Virgin Mary in candy canes!
Posted by: Patti M. at December 20, 2004 2:14 PMWould it have generated less of a fuss if Singapore had sentenced that kid to a candy caning?
Posted by: briwei at December 20, 2004 4:39 PMThe J is for Johnny Damon. Duh.
Posted by: B.O.B.(bob) at December 20, 2004 4:56 PMSanta's Village! YES - That's it!
I'm pretty sure we got the pen there. I wonder if my parents have pictures.
Posted by: James at December 20, 2004 5:29 PM