The Candy Cane Story

This is the play I wrote for the younger children at church. You are welcome to use it with your siblings, cousins, nieces & nephews, or friends. Enjoy!

Setting: 1800s. Children in the back– girls with large bows and Christmasy dresses, boys with suspenders, bow-ties, or messenger boy caps, Younger ones holding hands with older ones.

Candy Shop: Mr. Candy Maker standing behind counter wearing white apron making candy canes. Counter is made from table with a large whiteboard in front with ‘jars of candy” colored and attached. (You can find free coloring pages of candy jars online.) Several real jars sit on table with candy in them. 

Child:
It’s almost Christmas!

All Children:
Yay!

Child:
I can’t wait!

Child:
Let’s go to the candy shop.

Child:
I have a penny.

Child:
Me too.

Child:
I have two pennies.

Child:
Then come on, let’s go!

(Children hurry to the candy shop.) Arrive at shop.
(Child opens door and all crowd in and hurry to look at all the candy on display.)

Children:
Hi, Mr. Candy Maker.

CM:
Hello, children. Are you ready for Christmas?

Children:
Yes, sir!

Child:
Hey, what are you making?

CM:
This is a candy cane. [holds up a candy cane.]

Child:
What’s it taste like?

Child:
Why’d you make it?

Child:
Why is it that shape?

CM:
Would you like to hear about it?

Children:
Yes!

CM:
Then why don’t you all have a seat and I’ll tell it to you. [Children sit down and listen.]

CM:
This is a special Christmas candy, and it tells the story of Christmas.

Children:
How?

CM: [holds the candy cane so it looks like a J] What does this look like?

Children:
A J.

CM:
You’re right. It does look like a J, and whose birthday do we celebrate at Christmas time?

Children:
Jesus!

CM:
That’s right. Jesus is the Son of God. He came down to earth as a little baby. He wasn’t born in a palace or to rich people, was he?
[Children shake their heads]
No. Jesus came down from heaven where everything was perfect, to be born to poor parents. He even had to sleep in a manger. But who visited Him?

Children:
Shepherds!

CM: [turns cane so it looks like a shepherd’s staff]
Yes, that’s right. The Bible tells us that there were shepherds abiding in the fields watching their sheep that night, but when they heard from the angels that their Savior, Jesus, was born in Bethlehem, they left their sheep and went to find him. Did you know that the Bible also calls Jesus the Good Shepherd who gives His life for his sheep? This candy reminds us also that Jesus will take care of those who ask Him to forgive their sins, just like a shepherd takes care of his sheep.”

Child:
But why are there red stripes on the candy?

CM:
Do you know why Jesus was born? He was born so that He could die for the sins of the world. He died for your sins and for my sins. The thin red stripes on the candy represent the stripes Jesus bore for us. And the thick red stripe is for the blood He shed on the cross. In the Bible it says that by His stripes we are healed. That is talking about Jesus. And it means we can be forgiven of our sins if we ask Him to forgive us. Then we will be made clean and white just like this white candy.
The white also reminds us of purity. That’s a fancy word that means Jesus was perfect. He never did anything wrong.
So, we have a J for–

Children:
Jesus!

CM:
A shepherd’s staff to remind us of the shepherds at Christmas and that Jesus is our Good Shepherd. And what color means that Jesus was perfect?

Children:
White!

CM:
And the red stripes are for the blood He shed for who?

Children:
For us.

Child:
Is that the whole story?

CM: [shakes his head]
No, there’s a little more. This candy is hard. What do hard things make you think of?

Children:
Rocks.

CM:
That’s exactly right. So this candy cane reminds us that Jesus is our Rock, just like the Bible says in Psalm 31:3 where it calls God our Rock and Fortress. Do those things make you think of a safe place?
[Children nod]
But there is one more thing about this special Christmas candy that reminds me of Christmas.

Children:
What?

CM: [with a smile]
The flavor. Who else visited Jesus when He was young, besides the shepherds?

Children:
Wisemen.

CM:
You’re right. Does anyone remember what they brought? They brought gold and precious spices. That’s why I flavored this candy with peppermint. [holds up candy cane] And that is the story of– the Candy Cane.

Child:
That’s a good story, Mr. Candy Maker.

Child:
And it does tell the story of Christmas.

Children:
Thank you!

CM:
You’re welcome, children. Now, who would like one of my new candies? [hands out a candy cane to each child]
(Children stand and move to edge of stage to sing Candy Cane song.)

The Candy Cane Song 

words by Rebekah A. Morris

(sung to alternate tune for “O Little Town of Bethlehem”) 

The candy cane it tells a tale
Of Jesus Christ, God’s Son.
It is a story never old
Of love for everyone.
The cane is like a shepherd’s staff
The white for purity
The red is for the stripes He bore
And blood He shed for me. 

The hardness of the candy tells
Of Christ the Solid Rock
The spicy flavor makes me think
Of gifts the wisemen brought.
Now when you see a candy cane
Remember what we say
That Jesus Christ who came to save
Was born on Christmas Day.