The ABC's of Christmas - C

Welcome friends to the ABC's of Christmas.

Today's letter is ~ C.

Before I get to the letter, I would like to wish all my American friends a very Happy Thanksgiving. I hope your day is filled with good food and the love of family and friends. We here in Canada have already celebrated Thanksgiving in October but I am careful to give thanks every day because I have much to be thankful for.

is for Candy canes, carollers, cards, charity, Christ Child...

courtesy of the internet

There are many stories and legends about the candy cane. I will share this one today.

The Story of the Candy Cane

Once upon a time, an Indiana candymaker decided to create a new kind of candy that would witness to his Christian faith. He began with a stick of pure, white, hard candy–white to symbolize Jesus’ Virgin Birth and sinless life, and hard to symbolize the firmness of the promises of God, the Rock of our salvation.

The candymaker made the candy in the form of a “J” to represent both the precious name of Jesus and the staff used by the “Good Shepherd” to gently bring back His stray lambs.  Thinking this candy was somewhat plain, the candymaker decorated it with red stripes.  He used three small stripes to show the stripes of the scourging Jesus received by which we are healed.  The large red stripe was for the blood shed by Christ on the cross so that we could have eternal life.

Although the candy cane is for many simply another Christmas decoration, its true meaning is still there for those who “have eyes to see and ears to hear.”

Did you know that Christmas cards first originated in ancient Rome? However the first earliest known designer of a Christmas card was Sir Henry Cole, the first director of the Victoria and Albert Museum. It was both the Penny Post postal service in 1840 and the industrialization of the printing industry however, that led to the popularity of sending Christmas cards. By 1846, one thousand were sold at one shilling each. Cards in unsealed envelopes could be posted for half a penny.

I like the old fashioned way of sending a lovely card to family and friends as it is much more personal. Sadly, it is fast becoming a thing of the past however, with the use of email. I don't know about you, but I enjoy receiving a lovely card in the mail. When I first got married, my Christmas card list was quite lengthy and sadly now, it is less than a dozen. There are reasons for that of course with the passing of family members and friends. How about you, do you send Christmas cards?

Although there are plenty of formal carol concerts, there is something charming about carollers singing on one's doorstep. In the name of charity and goodwill to all men, groups make their way from door to door or gather beneath a street lamp to sing. It is both a charming and romantic sight this time of year.

Our most important C is of course, the Christ Child. We wouldn't be celebrating Christmas at all if not for His coming the first time as a new born baby in a lowly stable.

"....for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord.
And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths, and lying in a manger." 
Luke 2: 11-12

Let us give thanks this season for His beautiful gift to us that first Christmas.

Sharing from my heart ~ Sandi