a satsuma, a candle, two raisins, a sweet, 4 cocktail sticks and a peanut...what?

[Kelly1978]

DD went to church today with the school, somethign called a christingle?? Anyway, she has come home with the above items in a bag, and is on about putting the candle in the satsuma, and gluing on the sweet and raisins. She then is supposed to light the candle everyday. I'm totally confused. Any idea what she is on about or what it all means?

The Symbolism of Christingle

The Christingle itself is made up of a lighted candle (symbolising Jesus, the Light of the World), mounted on an orange (representing the world), and a red ribbon or tape around the orange (indicating the blood of Christ). Four cocktail sticks bearing dried fruit or sweets are also stuck into the orange to signify the four seasons and the fruits of the earth.

you HAV e led a sheltered life.

The orange represents the world and you stick the 4 cocktail sticks in it and then stick the sweets onto them and the candle goes in the top. There is usually a red ribbon round the middle too.Forgotten what that symbolises!

Oh right! Thanks for that. They could have sent an explanation. What on earth is this christingle thign all abotu then? Why do they do it?

try google

blimey - I'd heard of it - never knew what it entailed tho'

I think Christingle is a church service aimed at children - sorry that's all know!

dd had this at school on Monday - they used jelly babies on cocktail sticks which she'd eaten by the time we got home. It is to do with the coming of the Messiah. Ours lit them, stood around a crib and sang carols and we each gave a donation to the Children's Society.

We went to christingle service last week - my favourite service of the year!

we seem to be a sweet short then, I guess dd has eaten that!

oh and she said she had to light the candle with the cocktil sticks.

we used to stick cloves into our christingles too, they had that gorgeous childhood smell of christmas... mmm

At our church, the Christingle is given out made up at the service. It's really lovely actually as they dim the lights and all the children have their burning orange (our vicar has admitted to sleepless nights over this ) and all you see is cherubic faces in the dark. Moves most of us mums to tears and is a really good reminder of what the holiday is all about.

what on earth have jelly babies stuck in oranges got to do with Jesus????????

I'm surprised they were giving out peanuts.

1

Round orange, round orange, you serve as a sign
That God made the round world with purpose divine.
The power of love is always the same:
Be glad, give thanks, rejoice in God's name.

2

Red ribbon, you tell of the bloodshed and pain
Which led to forgiveness when Jesus was slain.
Chorus

3

Ripe fruits, freely given, this truth you recall,
When God hands out presents they're meant for us all.
Chorus

4

Bright candle, the message you carry is clear,
The true light from God found a home with us here.
Chorus

5

Christingle, christingle, shine out in the night
To kindle among us the marvellous light.
Chorus

dd1 did hers today. the sweets got eaten on the way home. she proudly told me the red band was jesus' blood.

We cdo one at my school every year with the seniors.We had to make 40 christingles, don't know how the church has the patience, when we go xmas eve they have around 300!

what a pile - this isn't a catholic thing is it? who maked this up

Never heard of it - can't be a RC thing

We go to christingle on xmas eve - it's not a catholic thing, we are CofE. Lovely service. fish is right about the meanign ofthe orange thing - couldn't remember it all exactly so good job someone did!

They all make them at school and Y6 do a procession with candlelight only then sing a Christingle song (not the one here already). It's a real tradition and always makes me cry even when my children aren't in it!

Not Catholic - our CE church do it each year.

Oh good, another service I can get out of citing allergy to peanuts.

No really, for all you cynics it really is a lovely service. Reminds us in a very symbolic way that Jesus is the light of the world and the reason for the season and the kids love it.