NC bill seeks to designate Moravian Cookie as state's cookie and Moravian Star as state's star
RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- Some North Carolina representatives hope to sweeten the state's symbols with an official cookie and star.
House Bill 89, sponsored by representatives Jon Hardister, Donny Lambeth and Jeff Zenger, all of the Triad area, would adopt the Moravian Cooke and Moravian Star as the official NC cookie and star.
The bill was drafted on Valentine's Day, February 14, 2023.
HB 89 speaks of Moravians' rich history after settling in North Carolina in the 1700s in Bethabara, now known as Winston-Salem.
The bill reads in part:
Moravian Cookie: "Whereas, when the Moravians settled in North Carolina, they brought with them a spice cookie similar to the German Lebkuchen cookie; and Whereas, these thin spice cookies are known as Moravian cookies and made of ingredients such as molasses, allspice, and ginger; and Whereas, the Moravian cookie is one of the most popular cookies in North Carolina."
Moravian Star: "Whereas, many believe the Moravian star originated in Germany in the 1830s during a geometry lesson at the Moravian Boys School; and Whereas, the star was adopted by the Moravian Church as an advent symbol and late became a popular symbol all around the world; and Whereas, the Moravian star is usually hung the first Sunday of Advent and remains22 up until Epiphany, January 6."
A similar house bill designating Moravian cookies the state cookie was introduced in 2019.
Adopting state symbols, including food are not unheard of in North Carolina.
According to State Symbols USA's website, NC's official insect is a Honeybee, adopted in 1973. The state's fruit is the Scuppernong Grape, the state bird is Northern Cardinal, and Fraser Fir is the state's Christmas Tree. See full list here
