Christmas in Israel + Candy Canes

Chag Molad Sameach! This is how to greet someone a Merry Christmas in Hebrew, the main language spoken in Israel.

You’d think that the country where the Messiah’s birth took place would celebrate Christmas like nobody’s business.

But since only 2.5% of Israel is made up of Christians, Christmas is not a widely celebrated, festive ocassion like it is in Western cultures. It’s business as usual for Israelis – kids go to school, parents go to work, etc.

Only Bethlehem (Jesus’ birthplace) and Nazareth (Jesus’ hometown) have special services/concerts/parades, but that’s pretty much it!

So why is it included in my list of Christmas countries to ADVENT-ure to? Because Israel is where Jesus was born and lived!

Not only do we know Jesus as the Lamb of God also our Good Shepherd! And what do shepherds use?

A shepherd’s staff!

Which, when turned upside down, becomes a letter “J” for Jesus!

Which is also the shape of a candy cane!

Books to Read:

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Usborne’s See Inside World Religions is a great resource for learning about different faiths in the world. We used this not only for learning a bit more about Judaism for Israel but other religions, like Buddhism when studying China and Islam when studying Turkey and Iran (Persia). The colorful illustrations and lift-the-flap pages make learning a little more fun!

This is an older book, that we got as part of an old set of boxed curriculum, but if you can get your hands on Window on the World, this is another great resource for giving your kids a heart for people all over the world. It’s more like a prayer guide that cultivates cultural, political, and geographical awareness through a Christian lens. There are many countries that are covered in a 2-page spread that you can learn more about and pray for.

Migdal Eder

In the last pages of The Light Gift (a book I featured in my Saint Lucy Day post) there is a section all about Migdal Eder, the exact location where Mary is believed to have given birth to Jesus.

Located near Bethlehem, this watchtower was designated specifically for a special flock of SACRIFICIAL lambs. To protect these lambs from blemish, shepherds in charge of this special flock would wrap them in swaddling cloths and lay them in a manger.

At that time mangers were most likely made of stone (unlike the wooden ones we see in nativity scenes today), and they offered an extra measure of protection for these lambs.

Sooo … all to say … when the angel appeared to the shepherds the night of Jesus’ birth and told them where look for the Messiah, they knew EXACTLY what the angel’s words meant!

Did you catch that?! They came WITH HASTE, meaning they weren’t stumbling along trying to figure out where the newborn king was! Gives extra meaning to why we call Jesus the Lamb of God, doesn’t it?!

You can read more about this Migdal Eder here!

Books To Read

J is for Jesus is a great book to help really young kiddos understand “the sweetest story ever told”! The color illustrations and rhyming story teaches littles how the candy cane is more than just a classic treat at Christmas time, but can tell the story of Jesus’ birth.

In The Legend of the Candy Cane, older readers will enjoy this inspirational story of the famous Christmas candy, its origin, and how it can be a tool to help share the gospel.

Baking Activity

Our FAVORITE activity to go with reading our candy cane books is baking candy cane COOKIES!

Here is the recipe we use:

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup butter, cubed and softened
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 2 teaspoons almond extract
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon sald
• 2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon red food coloring
• 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
• 20 round peppermint candies or 5 candy canes, crushed (optional, see Step 5)
• 1/4 cup sugar (optional, see Step 5)

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together butter and powdered sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
2. Add egg, almond and vanilla extracts, and salt. Stir thoroughly to combine. Add in flour in 3 intervals, stirring until just combined between each interval.
3. Divide dough in half and shape one half in a ball; wrap in plastic wrap and place in refrigerator. Keep the other half in the bowl and add red food coloring and peppermint extract. Stir until color is evenly distributed throughout. Shape dough in ball, wrap in plastic wrap and place in refrigerator for 30 minutes.
4. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Remove dough from refrigerator and unwrap, placing on a lightly floured surface. Scoop 1 teaspoon of dough from each ball and roll each piece into a 4-inch log. Place logs next to each other and press together very lightly, then twist and pinch ends lightly to seal. Place log on parchment paper-lined baking sheet and curve one end to form a candy cane shape. Repeat with remaining dough.
5. Bake cookies for 10 minutes or until set. IF DESIRED, mix together crushed peppermint candies and sugar. Remove cookies from oven and immediately sprinkle with candy/sugar mixture, if desired. Allow to cool completely on cooling rack before serving.

Candy Cane Drop Activity

Another activity that pairs will with today’s lesson is what we call the candy cane drop (you can also use this activity for Saint Nicholas or Saint Lucy Days).

We print out these random acts of kindness cards from Not Consumed Ministries (these cards can be used for other things as well!) and attach a candy cane to each one. Then we head to town and while we are doing our Christmas or grocery shopping, we “drop” them onto cars (where the windshield wipers are) or on shelves throughout the stores! We also pass them out to Salvation Army bell ringers and even to strangers as we please. This was a fun thing my kids loved to do for years!

Christmas Songs for the Day

While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks (this is the version by Andrew Peterson).

Away in a Manger (this is the version by Pentatonix).