Dd (5) would like to go to church this Christmas - which service?

[shoppingbagsundereyes]

I'm not interested in church or religion myself but don't want to put my prejudices on the dcs so would like to take dd to a church service this Christmas as she's really interested in what goes on at church at Christmas time. Our local church is holding a nativity service which lasts 45 minutes and a christingle. I don't know what a christingle is. Is she likely to enjoy the nativity or the christingle more? How long would a christingle service last?

Nativity service: they will probably have all the Christmas scene figures (my old church had knitted ones) and each child will get to add one to the crib scene, so angels, Mary & Joseph, Jesus, camels, sheep etc. Lots of carols and Christmas songs usually

Christingle: Each kid gets to make a "christingle" which is an orange with a red ribbon round it, a candle in the top and 4 cocktail sticks of sweeties and grapes. There is a Christingle song and stuff to broadly relate it to Christianity, but it is mostly about the sweeties.

As a small child, I would probably prefer the Christingle! But the Nativity service may be more about the central points of Christmas if she's interested in knowing more in a child-friendly way.

Both will probably last 45mins, maybe 10 mins more for making the Christingles.

I love both

Pretty sure christingle is a service that has carols and the children have an orange with a candle in and the four points of... Something? Took my dd to christingle last year- lots of other children there and she loved wailing singing along to the carols. Nobody minded she was 3 and lasted about an hour.

I'd probably check out the one that is most child-friendly as they may have an adult/child nativity etc

Sorry x post- and you sound much more knowledgable about christingles

Thanks. Will discuss with dh. He is away when the nativity is on so I'd have to take both dcs (ds not vaguely interested) , but the christingle is on the afternoon of Christmas Eve. Think she would love both tbh, she loves making things but is also really interested in Jesus. Maybe I'll let her choose.

Mine (4 and 5) love both. In christingle they start with the orange ( symbolising the world) and with songs and readings etc add to it.
The red ribbon tied around it symbolises the blood of Christ, the dried fruit the four seasons and fruit of the earth and the candle Jesus. It's lovely (if a bit nerve wracking!) when all the kids stand in the dark with their lighted candles. Very child friendly fun service. Although no real mention of the nativity iyswim

Nativity service depends on the church. In ours the kids all
take a nativity figure they have made at home and play an active part in "building the crib". Carols are lovely and traditional such as away in a manger, little town etc and all for the kids.

It depends on the church but our christingle is mid December and the crib service on Christmas eve as is the "main" kids service

We always go to the Christingle service on Christmas Eve. Carols, the orange, it all adds to the excitement!

We always go to both. Although our Christingle is the week before xmas which spreads it out a bit.

Christingle brings out their inner pyromaniac. It does make me well up when the lights are off and we sing 'Once in Royal Davids City', luckily no one can see me in the dark.

Our vicar makes sure there are enough pieces for all children to carry during the nativity service. It's always packed.

Our christingle was always 2 Sundays before christmas, we made a tradition of going to the service then putting up the christmas tree afterwards. It makes me well up as well Meglet

Christingle is a lovely service. The church is always packed out here.
One of the small local churches has three christingle services in one day, with people crammed onto the pews and children sitting all over the floor. It's fantastic. DD loved it last year at almost 2.

We always go ti christingle on Christmas eve, it's at 6pm lasts about 45 mins. The church is always packed and seeing all the excited children is magical, then we go home via the chinese

6pm here* so all the kids are very excited

Nativity service and walking home in the dark with DM looking for santa and listening for the sleigh bells is one of my best Christmas Eve memories ( service was 6pm ish)

Our Christingle is next sunday, I am taking the dd's, they will then go to the carol service with school (church school so the church is a big part of school life).

I avoid church in wales/of england and rather methodist etc. I find the main church too formal the hymns stuffy and long. Its no fun but depends on yr local church/chapel.