Mythical Wednesday: Holiday Urban Legends

Since the holiday season is quickly approaching, I thought it would be fun to look at some of the superstitions and legends involving the season. Scouring the internet, I found three Christmas urban legends I thought would be fun to explore. 1) That candy canes were created to pay homage to Jesus, 2) the song The 12 Days of Christmas, was created to help young Catholics learn the tenants of their faith, 3) The Star Wars Holiday Special

Candy Canes:

A yummy treat that is signifies the holidays, the urban legend states that a candy maker in Indiana created the candy cane and “stained them with red stripes to show the stripes of the scourging Jesus received.”

http://www.snopes.com/holidays/christmas/candycane.asp

 

This article on the link below agrees there is a religious context to the creation of the treat, but that it’s not as religious as some are led to believe.

http://www.christianitytoday.com/ch/news/2004/cane.html

 

 

The 12 Days of Christmas:

I was surprised to find there is such a controversy surrounding this song. For decades, people have battled whether or not this song is fun nonsense song or a ‘coded song’, used to teach young Catholics their tennets during a time when Catholics were persecuted in England.

 

http://www.catholic.net/index.php?option=dedestaca&id=3465

 

What Snopes had to say about it:

http://www.snopes.com/holidays/christmas/music/12days.asp

 

Another rebuttal:

http://www.worshipmap.com/lyrics/story12days.html

 

Star Wars Holiday Special

I’m not putting a picture up. As crazy as it sounds, I can honestly say that this is real. I remember watching it on television, and to this day, I’m still confused by it.

http://www.starwarsholidayspecial.com/text/urban_legends.htm

 

What holiday urban legends fascinate you?