Christingle

I love Christingle.
It starts for us on the day before the service, when a familiar group of Church ladies join up to make the Christingles.

The orange represents the world.
The red ribbon around it is the blood of Christ.
The dried fruits and sweets on cocktail sticks pushed into the orange are the fruits of the earth and the four seasons. And the candle pushed into the centre of the orange is Jesus the light of the world.

We make lots and lots of them. One for every person that comes to the service.

And have fun doing it.  It is part of our traditional build up to Christmas.  Something we never miss.

The service is really well pitched for children and it has a lovely family atmosphere, hymns and of course, the 13th century church look so beautiful by the light of all the candles.

The collection from the service always goes to the Children's Society.

For me it really is the start of our Christmas journey.









This week I also did my day helping the local primary school take every pupil to the local church for a Christmas navity service.  We have to do 3 services to fit them all in.  It is a lovely day and a great privilege to be a part of it when I no longer have a small child to awwwww and ahhhhh over these days.  They always sing a particular song that I cannot help myself welling up as I hear all the little voices singing it.

This isn't our school but it is the song :



I know Easter is the most important time in the Church but Christmas is such a special time for coming together and bringing such a closeness back.  I've missed it recently.