Christmas Trees and Candy Canes

Christmas  Tree 2012

My little helpers

My husband brought the tree in Saturday. By Sunday the tree had released it's branches from being wrapped up and Jack could not wait any longer. The decorating had to begin. You can see our tree is not one for a showcase and there is no these. Decorations the kids have made while in school and pieces that we pull out of the box every year adorn our Christmas. 

The tree is a little smaller than usual but in truth it's probably a better fit in our corner. Many years we trim it down to fit and the branches have still filled the entire room. Usually the kids and I have had our night of hot chocolate while stringing popcorn but this year has seemed hard to get anyone at home and together long enough to do it. I may string some later and add it. Either way I'm feeling a little melancholy about it. It seems that many of those things that we always done just don't seem to happen anymore. Maybe it's just time to start doing some new or at least different stuff.

DIY Fabric Candy Canes

About a week or two ago I had stopped in Grannies Attic, a local craft and vintage mall we have here in Stuart, and I saw a nifty bowl full of crafted candy canes. It had such a neat look to it that I had to make some for myself.

I found me a piece of striped fabric and I cut out a picture of a candy cane out of a coloring book that Jack had tossed off and I got to sewing. I already had the same bowl that was used with the display at the store.

I have worked on these a little each night before I would go into work and you can tell I need to make quite a few more before my bowl is full. 

..maybe I'll have this project completed by Christmas..

These candy canes did bring to mind the legend of the candy cane, so I thought I'd share it with you in case you hadn't heard it before.

The Candy Cane Story

A candy maker in Indiana wanted to make a candy that would remind people of the true meaning of Christmas; so he made the candy cane to incorporate 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 the sinless nature of Jesus, and hard to symbolize the Solid Rock, the foundation of the Church, and the firmness of the promises of God.

The candy maker then shaped his cane into the form of a "J" to represent the precious name of Jesus, who came to the earth as Savior. It could also represent the staff of the "Good Shepherd" with which He reaches down to to reclaim the fallen lambs who, like 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 the scourging Jesus received. The large red stripe was for the blood shed by Christ on the cross so that we could have the promise of eternal life.

Like all legends..some parts of the story may not be all fact but it can still be a 

sweet reminder of  our Sweet Redeemer.

Thanks for stopping by 

May you be blessed today and throughout this Holiday Season.