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What do you know about the Christingle?

Christingle means 'Christ-Light'. The Christingle celebrates the light of Christ and puts Christ back into Christmas.

The first Christingle service was in Germany around 1747. The service encouraged children to keep a candle burning in the window of their home so that people who passed by would see the light of Christ.

The Christingle service teaches children about Jesus. Of course Christmas celebrates the birth of Jesus, but the Christingle celebrates the meaning of Jesus' life, with each part of the Christingle orange having it's own symbolic meaning.

The orange itself represents the world.

The red ribbon around the orange symbolises the blood of Christ that Jesus shed to save us from our sin.

The four cocktail sticks are the four seasons of the year.

The dried fruit or sweets represent the fruits of the earth and the earth's riches God has blessed the world with.

The white candle, which is place in the top of the orange, represents Jesus, the light of the world that shines over everything.

The Christingle service usually takes place on the last Sunday before Christmas or on Christmas Eve. You could contact your local church for more details about visiting the Christingle service.

Of course you don't have to go to church, you could make your own Christingle range. All you need is...

An orange, 4 cocktail sticks, red ribbon, dried fruit or small soft sweets such as jellies pins and a white candle.

Cut a hole in the top of the orange so that the candle will sit snugly in place.

Wrap a length of red ribbon around the middle of the orange. Hold the ribbon in place with pins, push the pins into the orange.

Carefully push dried fruit or soft sweets onto each cocktail stick, so that the cocktail stick is half covered Carefully push the cocktail stick into the orange above the red ribbon. Evenly space the cocktail sticks out to the Four Corners of the world.

Finally add the white candle to the top of the orange. Light the candle and leave it in a window for passers by to see the light of Christ. Do be careful not to burn the curtains, do not leave the candle unattended. Remember to enjoy the fruits of the earth.