Why celebrate Christingle?
Christingle services bring together family and friends of all ages. Held from Advent to Epiphany, this festive celebration communicates the Christian message in an inspiring way to adults and children alike. Its wide appeal makes it an ideal way to encourage newcomers to church and extend your congregation.
Through your Christingle you will be raising vital funds to support our vital work with children whose childhoods have been stolen; children forced to run away from home or care who may find themselves sleeping on the streets this winter; young refugees fleeing conflict and war; those caught in a cycle of crime and detention; or children marginalised through disability. Any money raised through Christingle will help improve the childhood of thousands of children such as these.
The history of Christingle
Christingle was established by the Moravian Church in 1747 as a symbol of Christ's light and love. The Children's Society introduced it to the Church of England in 1968 and it has since become a popular family and community event. Most Christingle celebrations take the form of a church service, but they can also take place at schools or other community venues. You can learn more about the history of Christingle from our downloadable information sheet .
What is a 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 middle of the orange (indicating the blood/ love 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. For more resources based on the themes of the Christingle see our additional resources page.
Christingle is a great way for children to raise money for thousands of less fortunate young people. And it's easy to involve children in the preparations. See our Create-a-Christingle pages for more information on how to make a Christingle and the range of activities you can use to engage children, young people and your congregation in the run up to your celebration.
