A candy maker in Indiana wanted to make a candy that would be witness for Jesus, so he made the Christmas Candy Cane. He incorporated several symbols for the birth, ministry and death of Jesus Christ.

He began with a stick of pure white hard candy. White to symbolize the Virgin Birth and sinless nature of Jesus. Hard to symbolize the Solid Rock, the Foundation of the Church and firmness of the promises of God.

The candy maker made this candy in the form of a "J" to represent this precious name of Jesus, who came to earth as our Savior. It also represents the staff of the "Good Shepherd" with which he reaches down into the ditches of the world to lift out the fallen lambs who, like all sheep, have gone astray.

Thinking that the candy was somewhat plain, the candy maker stained it with red stripes. He used three small stripes to show the stripes of scourging Jesus received by which we are healed. The large red stripe was for the blood shed by Christ at the cross so we could have the promise of eternal life.

Sadly, the candy became known only as "the candy cane" and its original meaning has been lost.