Sunday 28 November 2010

Christmas club part 1...............

In our family there are many traditions, many of which are religious because we are all committed Christians. I was brought up in churches where many of the celebrations were practised every year and had long and inportant meanings. One of these is Christingle. When I was a teenager, we would all meet at the the rector and his wife's house to make the actual christingle which consists of an orange, red ribbon, a candle sausage sticks and dried fruit and nuts. We would sit in a group making holes at the top of the orange which we lined with silver foil to stop the orange leaking and the candle falling over. Cutting red ribbon which went around the circumference of the orange and staking fruits onto the cocktail sticks which went into the top of the orange around the candle.
The Christingle itself refers to the symbolic object made up of the  4 components:
  1. an orange - representing the world
  2. a red ribbon (or tape) - indicating the blood/ love of Christ
  3. a lighted candle - symbolising Jesus, the Light of the World
  4. four cocktail sticks bearing dried fruit or sweets - signifying the four seasons and the fruits of the earth and God's good gifts



The Christingle are taken to special service during Advent and the church is darkened during which time each child/family receives the individual Christingle which is lit. I the dark, the children of the world are remebered and the importance of Jesus life. It was always a truly magical service to be a part of and to have helped make the Christingle themselves was a proud job for me. It also involved most of family as my mum and lil sister helped as well so it was a way to celebrate the coming of Christmas together.
Perhaps, you may see a service advertised, if you do, take a chance and celebrate.


10 comments:

  1. I too love the Christingle service, quite a new thing for me as it never happened in our RC church during my childhood. Thank you for sharing your memory x

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  2. I love the christingle, smells amazing too! we always put cloves in ours!

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  3. A lovely religious tradition....we're making them next week on our after school course.

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  4. I'm not sure this is practiced in the States, but it sounds like a lovely tradition.
    Rinda

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  5. I have never been to a Christingle service as I was brought up in a Baptist Church and we didn't have that tradition. I now go to good ol' C of E but still haven't managed to make it to a CHristingle....maybe this year!

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  6. I learnt about the Christingle tradition last year via Mel - it was not a tradition I had previously heard of having come from a Catholic background. It does sound like a beautiful service :-)

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  7. I've never heard of a Christingle service or ever seen a Christingle. I wonder if anyone in the States celebrates with this tradition. Thanks for sharing; I love learning about these traditions.

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  8. Jo, this is a wonderful, thoughtful memory for Christmas Club. I could just imagine you all gathered in the Rectory, excited about what was to come! Thank you for sharing this one - and it looks like you have introduced the tradition to a couple who haven't heard of it too. How nice is that?

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  9. I haven't been to Christingle service before but it sounds lovely :)

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  10. I've never heard of the Christingle but it sounds lovely. Thanks for sharing it with us.

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Hello and thank you so much for stopping by. It is always a pleasure to read the comments I receive and to meet new friends. I try and reply to comments on friend's blogs as much as possible. I hope you have enjoyed reading my blog and look forward to seeing you here again soon. Love Jo xxx