A red ribbon is then tied around the centre of the orange as a reminder that Christ died for us all. Finally, a small lighted candle is placed on top to symbolise Jesus Christ, Light of the World.

richmondparkchurch.org.uk an evangelical pentecostal church in Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset, UK.

Many churches and schools now hold Christingle services any time from Advent to the end of the Epiphany season. Each child is helped to take an orange (representing the World) and insert four cocktail sticks into it (representing the four seasons). Fruit, nuts and sweets can then be attached to the cocktail sticks to represent the fruits of the Earth.

richmondparkchurch.org.uk an evangelical pentecostal church in Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset, UK.

What is CHRISTINGLE?

The first Christingle service was held in Marienborn in Moravia in 1747, when the pastor, John de Wattville, wanting to find a new way of telling the Christmas story to children, gave each child a lighted candle tied with a red ribbon. He asked them to relight them at home and place them in their windows to show the Light of Christ to passers by. The tradition was kept alive by the Moravian church and in the United Kingdom was adopted by the Children's Society in the 1950s as a way of raising awareness of their work.

richmondparkchurch.org.uk an evangelical pentecostal church in Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset, UK.

By the late medieval period the singing of Christmas carols had become a tradition. St Francis of Assisi (around 1220AD) promoted the use of carols to spread the Christmas message by translating songs sung in Latin into languages spoken by ordinary people in Europe for use in formal church services.

richmondparkchurch.org.uk an evangelical pentecostal church in Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset, UK.

Why do we sing CAROLS at Christmas?

Singing to and about their gods was part of all pagan festivals, including the winter ones. When Christmas was established on the 25th December in the fourth century, the church initially tried to stop people singing these pagan songs, but then changed track, and decided to encourage the singing of Christian Christmas themed songs in their place.

richmondparkchurch.org.uk an evangelical pentecostal church in Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset, UK.

Why are CANDLES a Christmas symbol?

Because Jesus is the "light of the world"! In the pre-Christian mid-winter festivals sun gods were worshipped, and the candles were a symbol of the needed light of the sun.

richmondparkchurch.org.uk an evangelical pentecostal church in Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset, UK.

What is BOXING DAY?

In medieval times, the day after Christmas churches used to distribute the money that had been collected in the "almsbox" (charity box) to the poor and needy. This evolved into the tradition of giving tradesmen a "box", meaning a gift or money, on the first day of the week after Christmas.

richmondparkchurch.org.uk an evangelical pentecostal church in Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset, UK.