what is christingle?

[ssd]

is this a new thing?

[Wolfiefan]

No it's an old tradition.

[ssd]

but what is it??

[ssd]

is it an orange?

[thetwinkletoescollective]

Hello,
Its a symbol to represent that Jesus is the Light of the World.

We always had a Christingle service at school when I was at primary school and that was 30 odd years ago.

A google search told me that it started in 1747 but became popular in the UK in 1968.

A Christingle usually consists of:

-An orange, representing the world
-A candle pushed into the centre of the orange, then lit, representing Jesus Christ as Light of the World
-A red ribbon wrapped around the orange or a paper frill around the candle, representing the blood of Christ

• Dried fruits and/or sweets skewered on cocktail sticks pushed into the orange, representing the fruits of the earth and the four seasons. Cloves can be added as well.
  

[FuzzyCustard]

What smeaton said (apart from the waste of an orange) It's a lovely tradition.

[RestingGrinchFace]

I thought that you meant Kriskringle. I've never heard of christingke before. Very nicez

[thetwinkletoescollective]

Yes its an orange with a candle in the top and other things skewered into it using cocktail sticks.

[SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius]

A quick google will find you lots of information.

[ReinettePompadour]

I believe its a mouldy orange which represents the world with a candle shoved inside representing the light of Jesus and a red ribbon tied around the middle thats the blood of christ.

Im not sure what the cloves/sweets represent that are usually sticking out of it.

The church give them out to all the dc at Christmas. My dc lovingly display theirs on their windowsill until it leaks soggy sticky mush then it goes in the bin. This process takes about 2 days a week. I dont know the actual reason for Christingle.

[Miloarmadillo2]

You can eat the orange afterwards. Waste not, want not. It raises money for the Children's Society. Children are given a cardboard candle moneybox to fill with coins, which they exchange for a Christingle.

[Oblomov17]

We go to the christingle service on Christmas Eve. It's my favourite. All the children get an orange.

[BarbaraofSevillle]

I remember them making Christingle oranges on Blue Peter, circa 1980 so not new by any stretch.

[10storeylovesong]

I'm 35 and have gone to Christingle every year of my life. It's a lovely tradition which I now do with my children. It now raises money for The Children's Society and is always a full house in our church (to the point that they have to shut the doors and disappoint people!).

[Toddlerteaplease]

Happy days, toasting the marshmallows in the candle flame!

[RavenWings]

I've never seen a Christingle before - have a vague notion of hearing about them before, though. Is it more of a thing in the UK, I wonder? I'm in Ireland.

[missyB1]

My ds school does christingle every year, I will go to it tomorrow morning, I love it.

[ssd]

thanks

we're not religious at all, maybe thats why I hadn't heard of it till I read about it on here

[TheSpottedZebra]

It's certainly a Church of England thing, missy

[Fekko]

I used to have to buy the sweets for them when I worked for the c of e. Dolly mixtures and mini marshmallows work best!

[Battleax]

You're lucky ssd. I remember having to draw them twice at primary school and then again in early secondary RE. Always drawing them and never making them

[ssd]

maybe it because I'm in Scotland I haven't heard of this?

[bruffin]

I used to take dc to Christingle have mincepies in the church hall after the home to put up christmas decorations, ours was alwzys 2 sundays before xmas in the afternoon.

[Battleax]

Maybe. They were only popularised in UK 50 years ago according to this;

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christingle

Maybe the Scottish Churches didn't fancy it?

[thelastredwinegum]

It's not the same now they don't use real candles or have dolly mixtures on them 😔