Merry Christmas, third grade! Each year at the Heiskell School the teachers have the opportunity to give gifts to their students at Christmas time. This year I decided to give a simple, but important gift to my dear children. The candy cane is a special Christmas tradition that brings joy to people young and old. Do you know the true meaning behind such a delicious tradition? My third graders have learned it and they would love to share this grace-filled gift story with you. We also measured our hands and feet and made our very own, unique reindeer! Look for the picture below.
The Legend of the Candy Cane 
A Candymaker in Indiana wanted to make a candy that would help us remember who Christmas is really about, so he made a 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. The white symbolized the virgin birth and sinless nature of Jesus. The hard candy symbolized Jesus- the solid rock, the foundation of the Church, and the firmness of the promises of God.The candymaker made the candy in the form of a "J" to represent the name of Jesus. It also represented the staff of the "Good Shepherd".The candymaker then included red stripes. He used three small stripes and a large red stripe to represent the suffering Christ endured at the end of his life.The candy became known as a Candy Cane- a decoration seen at Christmas time. Although the meaning has faded, it still gives joy to children young and old.
