Look up in the sky! It's a bird. It's a plane. It's a candy cane!Well, maybe it's not a candy cane, but science writer Clara Moskowitz recently reported that by using a radio telescope, scientists found a sugar molecule called glycolaldehyde in outer space. That raises the questions: How big is a molecule? And if man can find something that small that far away, why can't I find my car keys in my purse? Sugar is a key ingredient for life, not to mention chocolate chip cookies, which also have life-sustaining properties. The find is astronomical, because it was discovered in "a region where planets that could potentially harbor life may exist," a press release from the University College London said.The news could be a clue to the age-old question about the origins of the Christmas candy cane. (It's a stretch, but stick with me.) Perhaps Santa got off course after one too many eggnogs and littered the galaxy with leftover sweets. That's not much more farfetched then the legend that says the maker of the red and white striped peppermint stick was candy maker August Imgard, a German immigrant from Ohio. He decorated his Christmas tree with sweets. In 1847, he made a candy to symbolize Christ. The cane's "J" shape stands for Jesus; when turned upside-down, it becomes a shepherd's staff. The white color signifies purity; the red represents Christ's blood, shed for the world's sins, and three red stripes symbolize the trinity.Myth debunker Snopes.com pooh-poohs the legend as a "latter day attempt to infuse secular holiday traditions with specifically religious origins and meanings." For example, red striped candy canes weren't made until the beginning of the 20th century. Another tale says candy canes were created as a means for persecuted Christians to secretly identify each other, but candy canes didn't appear until the late 1600s, when most of Europe was Christian, so they weren't the "ones in need of a 'secret handshake.' "Snopes says there could be a molecule of truth in a story about Bob McCormack of Albany, Ga., who liked to make candy canes for family and friends. In the early 20th century, McCormack's brother-in-law, Gregory Keller, a Catholic priest, invented a machine to automate the candy's production. No one really knows when the first candy cane was made. That's the way it is with traditions. They just start, and the next thing you know someone's brother-in-law or grandfather takes credit for it.- A local tradition so long-standing that most folks can't pinpoint when it started is the annual Christmas tree launch at the Ponte Vedra Inn and Club. However, Jim Finn was on hand at the Dec. 3 launch to vouch for the fact that his grandparents Dot and Nate Forbes started the alfresco do sometime in the '60s as a birthday party for Dot. The Forbeses invited 50 friends to kick off the holidays by launching an illuminated tree on a platform in the lagoon behind their home. By 1972, the party had grown so big the Inn and Club took it over and moved it to the golf practice range. The Ponte Vedra Community Association stepped in to sponsor the festivities that include a hot dog roast with all the fixings provided by the club and a visit by Santa and Mrs. Claus. Rosalind Travis chaired the 2008 launch, and association President Mark Arnold introduced Finn to the crowd.Another part of the tree launch tradition that's been around for an undetermined number of years is the arrival at the party of Mr. and Mrs. C., aka Herman and Louise Ibach, on a Ponte Vedra Fire Station 10 fire engine. Wide-eyed youngsters, like brother and sister Leo and Claudia Rodriguez, snuggled in their well-worn laps to recite holiday wish lists as paparazzi parents flashed digital cameras. Guests filled the Station 10 truck with new, unwrapped toys that Firefighters for Families will deliver to needy St. Johns County families. Contributions (cash is needed too) can be dropped off at any county fire station by Monday, or call Jeremy Robshaw at 209-1750.- About 150 music lovers enjoyed a lively Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra "Pops" concert at the Sawgrass Golf Resort & Spa, a Marriott Resort, on Dec. 2. The evening was Part II of Swing With the Symphony, a Beaches Residents Actively Supporting the Symphony golf tournament and dinner. The orchestra played a music mix from Die Fledermaus Overture by Straus to Crazy for You by Ira Gershwin and Henry Mancini's Moon River. Mark Sur chaired the event with Co-Chairman Mark Dalziel and Sally Fernley oversaw the dinner.A concert highlight that reflected the spirit of the season, at least by title, was the Strauss Unter Donner und Blitz (Thunder and Lightning), which was guest conducted by maestro-of-the-moment James Bannon of Sawgrass Country Club. His well-rehearsed performance received a standing ovation. In 2007, Bannon won the chance to conduct at a live auction at the swing dinner. This year's auctioneer, Warren Chandler, elicited the winning bid from Tom Zimmerman of Cypress Village, who will be guest conductor at next year's event.Speaking of winners, Craig Ross, Davis Johnson, Bob Mons and Mark Chambers were low gross winners out of 56 players in the Dec. 1 Swing golf tourney on the TPC Stadium course. Low net winners were John Kyle, Richard LeBlond, Walter Shipley and Hugh Knowlton.- "Be more, do more, have more," was the mantra speaker Pegine Echevarria chanted from the podium at the TPC Sawgrass clubhouse, where the fourth annual Circle of Friends luncheon for the Beaches Women's Partnership was held on Dec. 3. The audience of 270 women chanted back, albeit not as loudly as Echevarria wanted. But it wasn't long before they were shouting and waving arms - except for me. (Hey, I can't take notes and wave at the same time.) The dynamic member of the Motivational Speakers' Hall of Fame gave copies of her book, For All Our Daughters, How Mentoring Helps Young Women and Girls Master the Art of Growing Up, to all in attendance. She was once a teenage gang member hanging out on the street in the Bronx. "If you saw me, you would have crossed the street," she said. "Your parents would have said, 'we don't want you to be like that.'" Her enthusiasm and humor were contagious as she urged the women to have courage "to dance for the first time ... to look in the mirror naked and say, 'Whoa, I'm hot,' " and to ask for help if they need it.WJXT TV-4 news anchor Jennifer Waugh was mistress of ceremonies at the luncheon, which raised money to support BWP's mission to empower women and strengthen families by providing free referrals to roughly 300 providers that help with issues, such as senior needs, support groups, financial assistance, counseling, day care, adoption, employment and legal issues. Program Director Sharon Griffith said about 700 women contacted BWP in 2008. She reiterated Echevarria's message as she urged women to "find the courage to pick up the phone to ask for help." Development Director Kathie McGuinness added that BWP has started free support groups for grief, sexual abuse, pattern changing for abused women, and women in transition mentoring. To donate, volunteer or ask for aid, call 249-1450.- On Dec. 4, Friends of the Library-Ponte Vedra Beach held its traditional holiday thank you party for library volunteers and staff at Fran and David O'Brien's Lake Road home beautifully decked out for the season. Outside, Doug Worth directed parking - that's what happens to you when your wife is in charge of a party - while inside, Chairwoman Gail Worth, assisted by Carolyn Hirsch, made certain all 70 or so guests had name tags. Never fear, when his parking duties abated, Doug was invited in to admire the decorations and enjoy the sumptuous heavy hors d'oeuvres spread catered by hostess Fran. Volunteers have logged in about 7,000 hours of work this year, Gail said. Friends traditionally presents the staff with a gift of appreciation, and President Jan Bialka hinted this year's present would be something for the library staff room that they'll all enjoy. Other luminaries at the affair were library Branch Manager Amy Ring, St. Johns County Public Library System Public Services Administrator Betty Ann Frederick and county Commissioner Cyndi Stevenson.- The Ponte Vedra Woman's Club Holly Ball is a greatly anticipated community tradition. The 2008 gala, held Dec. 5 at the Sawgrass TPC clubhouse, is the philanthropic organization's biggest fundraiser. Money raised during the year will be distributed to 11 area charities, such as Beaches Emergency Assistance Ministry, Beaches Habitat, Betty Griffin House, Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind and Mission House.A co*cktail hour and silent auction started things off with a bang, then everyone moved to the dining room for surf and turf and dancing to '50s, '60s and '70s tunes by The Faze. President Shirley Gibbs wished everyone "happy holidays," and thanked "grand benefactor" Winn-Dixie and committee members Jo Moore, Marjorie Brown, Margaret Lane, Sheryl Quinn, Sandy Gryb, Sally McCue and Nancy Spadaro for putting together a stellar event. Dan Quiggle, auctioneer extraordinaire, urged folks to bid on tempting golf packages and getaways at the Hilton in St. Augustine, the Ritz Carlton at Amelia Island, the Jekyll Island Club, the North Carolina Outer Banks, Maine, Colorado and Tuscany. The top seller was an hors d'oeuvres party for 12 couples catered and served by the "Holly Belles." The popular auction item got rave reviews from previous years and sold for $1,600.- Dec. 6 started with the 22nd annual Christ Church Foundation Christmas House Tour. Christ Episcopal Church at Solana Road was the kickoff spot for the tour of five beautiful Ponte Vedra Beach homes. People perused the boutique, and many had lunch at the church hall. Due to the church expansion project, the boutique was absent from last year's tour, but it was worth the wait, because the enlarged facility easily held tables for 17 vendors, including a church bake sale, cookbook sale and the Christ Church Ladies Give Back group, who knit and sold fanciful scarves to keep everyone warm on unseasonably chilly days. Artist Gail Cooper, who was there selling jewelry and inspirational collages, also made humorous Christmas tree centerpieces - to name a few, a Sarah Palin hockey mom tree; Two by Two, a Noah's Arc tree and a Jimmy Choo shoe tree - for sale on the luncheon tables.The tour featured the Ponte Vedra Boulevard oceanfront homes of Deborah and Stephen Quazzo, Nancy and Gary Chartrand and Linda and John Foster, as well as the Rutile Drive digs of Christine and John Shields and the Marsh Landing manse of Trish and Lew Walker. The foundation distributes proceeds from the tour and other fundraisers to its ministries, scholarships and 11 local charities, such as BEAM, Young Life, Episcopal Children's Service and Beaches Council on Aging. The tour was a sell-out success."In spite of the economy, we had a very positive response," Chairwoman Martha Baker said.- The evening of Dec. 6 wound up with a purely for fun function at Sawgrass Country Club called Mistletoe Magic. The Sawgrass Women's Club annual holiday ball has a different theme every year. In case anyone had the urge to pucker up, Women's Club President Donna Heffner pointed out a large ball of the parasitic plant that defines the kissing season hanging over the doorway. Lest there not be enough mistletoe to handle all the bussing, Keith Clarke turned her floral arranging talents to creating centerpieces of grapevine twined with mistletoe for the tables. The Murray Goff Connection played music from the co*cktail hour to after-dinner dancing. Rose Murdock chaired the event assisted by Barbara Heamon and Elsie Jones.- Snopes said that the strongest religion/candy cane connection could have come about because 17th-century Europeans made white sticks of sugar candy and other sweets as Christmas tree decorations. The choirmaster of the Cologne Cathedral supposedly had sticks of candy bent to represent shepherds' crooks and passed them out to the youngsters to keep them quiet in church during living cr?che ceremonies.Of course, all of this doesn't explain the mysterious glycolaldehyde found 26,000 light years from Earth. If it isn't a candy cane, then perhaps it's a Mars bar or a Milky Way. Makes sense to me. Pass the eggnog.Jackie Rooney is a freelance writer who lives in Ponte Vedra Beach. To contact her, please e-mail rooneybin@comcast.net. Or call 249-4947. Or fax 280-1899.
