There’s been a big to-do the last couple of days over a candy company selling chocolate crosses. I have to confess, I don’t understand what the big deal is.
I’ve seen and eaten chocolate crosses since I was a kid, along with chocolate paschal lambs, cross-shaped bread, rolls, and desserts. In fact, food bearing Christian imagery, including the cross, has been part of Catholic culture for centuries. I would think we’d be happy that a secular company like Russell Stover was putting the Christ back in Easter. Frankly, I’d rather see kids getting chocolate crosses on Easter morning over chocolate bunnies.
Looks like it was a slow newsday at Florida Today. I can’t remember an Easter when there were no chocolate crosses.
No butter lambs! I weep. (That’s the Pole in me coming out.)
This is news? What’s the big deal?
It’s a fine line… I think a chocolate cross is OK, but what if that chocolate cross had Christ depicted on it? I don’t think I’ve ever seen a chocolate crucifix before, but I’m sure they’re out there. Is it wrong to eat that?
This goes in the “duh” file.
Perhaps it would freak out “no images” Protestants; however, even they allow the “image” of the plainest crosses in their churches, and I suspect that, besides the “hispanic” market, that may be who the Russell Stover people are thinking of. I grew up outside Dallas when it was Protestant country, but my mother still found plenty of “Christian” chocs for our Easter baskets – and we only got to eat ONE chocolate before Mass! (Good thing for us, though, that we came along after the fasting rules were that relaxed!!) The foil-wrapped lambs on the paper grass were always sooo cute . . . beats a bunny any day. “Eating” “the Cross” was a bit weird sometimes, but no stranger than biting off a bunny’s ears, or a Peep’s head . . .
BTW – from the “bad taste” file – I saw a humongous boxed chocolate Shrek in the seasonal aisle at the grocery the other day, ready for the Easter Basket. I almost laughed out loud! “Mommy, did Shrek die for our sins?” Perhaps we should replace the paschal lamb with the paschal Donkey? I think it is intended for hipsters who do, in fact, give each other baskets at secular Easter brunches; however, I wouldn’t be too sure of that these days . . .
I’m still thinking about the flowers. Can’t really tell what they are, and none of them appeared to be red, but a group of people with a certain mindset would relish a cross with a red rose at the intersection. I wonder if we’re going to see such a thing in years to come? Most Catholics will have no idea what it means, will probably think it has something to do with the BVM, and buy them, if they do appear.
Front page of the Akron Beacon Journal has coverage on Terri front and center. My husband told me yesterday that the word is out a backlash is expected from the Christian right if she dies. Since I get my news from the web instead of TV/radio, I’m not sure where he heard it.
But no chocolate cross stories in the Beacon.
I think the reason this is “news” is that it is far easier for the clergy to denounce the horror of chocolate crosses than to denounce the cold blooded murder of Terri Schiavo. What is that about the splinter in my brother’s eye…..
How many of us have had a cross shaped cake for our First Holy Communion or Baptism. The story is nonsense.
And hot cross buns—those little donuts with the frosting crosses. They’ve been around forever too.
Have not seen chocolate crosses here in Ohio but just about chocolate everything else.
I’ve just finished filling and hiding the kids’ baskets. Even the two in college still have to find theirs. Our 3yr old does not know what is going on but is very excited about having the oldest two home. The two high schoolers were trying to watch me but I think I faked them out.
Happy Easter everyone! He has risen!
My granddaughter is 6 years old. Last night instead of being worried about an Easter basket she was more concerned about wanting to make her First Communion today. She cried on Friday because she could not receive Jesus and cannot seem to wait until May. She has been going to Confession almost a year now and is totally ready to receive Jesus. I did by her a chocolate cross decorated with yellow roses and green leaves but the candy didn’t seem to matter, she wants Jesus!
Sissy, if she’s that ready why not let her make her communion? She obviously understands the sacrament, seems cruel to deny her. I made my first communion with my family apart from the class when my parents deemed I was ready. I’m so glad I didn’t do it with all my classmates, it was such a special day.
As for the chocolate crosses, I never had them as a kid. maybe they aren’t big down in Texas. But I think those of us who regularly eat Christ’s body and drink His blood shouldn’t blink at it.