5. CHRISTMAS CRACKERS-- In the UK, not US. I had never heard of them. Perhaps Christmas cookies.
4. CHRISTMAS TREE-- Supposed from Martin Luther but trees first mentioned in 7th Century AD.
3. X-MAS-- Christians consider it disrespectful, but the letter"X" is also the Greek letter chi, the first letter in Christ's name in Greek. So it's ok to use it.
2. SANTA CLAUS-- Based on St. Nicholas, born around 270 AD in Petra, Turkey. His modern image probably based on 1823 poem "A Visit from St. Nicholas" or better known as "The Night Before Christmas." Cartoonist Thomas Nast's figure from the Civil War is also the image.
1. CANDY CANES-- In the late 1880s, an Indiana candymaker wanted to find a way to express the meaning of Christmas in a symbol made of candy.
The white stands for purity, three small stripes (? I don't recall this.) for the pain he suffered on the cross and the Holy Trinity, the red stripe for his blood. The hook at the top is a shepherd's hook and Jesus is the shepherd of men. If you turn it upside down, it makes the letter "J" for you know who.
Boy, I hate the taste of them. Yuck.
So, Now You Know. --DaCoot
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