DIY THE CANDY CANE ENVELOPE

Welcome TLB friends!

I hope that you are having a great week so far! Since I've seen you last, I've been as busy as an elf in Santa's workshop. 

Between hubby's family and mine we've got quite a group of great-nieces and nephews, so I'm always trying to think of something that will delight these sweet little kiddies at holiday time. My plan is to put this felt envelope and it's contents at their place settings---who doesn't like a little gift at Christmas?

I love incorporating a learning experience into the fun. How about the Legend of the Candy Cane? Where did that candy cane come from? Was it Santa? Was it Jesus?Hmm....well today's blog will not only delight, but will educate these little sweeties!

Here are the materials you will need:

-Red felt material
-Red thread
-Sewing machine
-scissors
-ruler
-Martha Stewart alphabet stickers (Michael's)
-Candy canes

-Printable copy of the "Legend of Candy Canes" (included below)

Step 1--
-Cut felt into swatches of 14.5 inches long (from point to bottom), 9 inches wide, and sides 13 inches long.

Step 2--
Press entire perimeter edges in 1/4 inch

Step 3--
Fold bottom toward the top, up 5 inches and press 

Step 4--
Machine stitch around entire perimeter and lightly press. Add adhesive letter as a Monogram to any corner.

The final step is to copy the following Candy Cane Legends on decorative paper and tuck it into the pocket of the envelope. 

COPY AND PASTE:

Candy Cane Legends

Legend has it that in 1670, the choirmaster at the Cologne Cathedral in Germany handed out sugar sticks among his young singers to keep them quiet during the long Living Creche ceremony. In honor of the occasion, he had the candies bent into shepherd’s crooks.

In 1847, a German-Swedish immigrant named August Imgard of Wooster, Ohio, decorated a small blue spruce with paper ornaments and candy canes. It wasn’t until the turn of the century that the red and white stripes and peppermint flavors became the norm.

In Indiana, a candy maker wanted to make a candy that could be a reminder of Jesus Christ, so he made the Christmas candy cane. He started off with a stick of pure white hard candy. The white color symbolized the virgin birth and the sinless nature of Jesus, and the hard candy symbolized the solid rock which was the foundation of the church, and firmness of the promises of God.

The candy maker made the candy in the form of a J, which represented the name of Jesus and the staff of the Good Shepherds. He then stained it with three stripes which showed the scourging Jesus received, and symbolized the blood shed by Christ on the cross. When you break the cane, it reminds us that Jesus’ body was broken for us.

 **Source Spangler Candy

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Don't forget to include a real candy cane, but if age does not permit, a candy cane 

ornament would be perfect too! 

The possibilities are endless.....use your imagination.

Thanks for joining me today!

Kathleen