Christingle

Family Activity: Making a Christingle (From Saturday, December 23 Devotional)

During a Christmas service in 1747, a Moravian Pastor in Germany, gave children a lighted candle tied with a red ribbon representing Jesus as the Light of the World. The candle and ribbon became known as a Christingle, German for Christ’s Light. The benedictory prayer was: “Lord Jesus, kindle a flame in these children’s hearts, that theirs become like Thine.” Today the Christingle includes: an orange representing the world; a red ribbon representing the blood of Christ; a candle representing the light of the world; 4 cocktail sticks with candies and fruit representing God’s love spreading to the corners of the world, the four seasons, and God’s bounty.

Making a Christingle

You will need an orange, aluminum foil, candle (approx. 3/8” in diameter); red ribbon 1/2” or 3/4” wide, dressmaker’s pin, 4 cocktail sticks, 1 paper muffin case, 4 mini marshmallows (white or pink), 8 raisins, 8 Craisins® (or similar dried fruits of your choice).

Cut a slice off the bottom of the orange to create a flat surface which will fit into the paper muffin case. Place orange in paper muffin case.

Cut a 2” square of aluminum foil and place under the candle bottom wrapping up the sides and turning out to about 3/4” to catch candle wax. Cut a small cross in the top of the orange, then push the candle into the orange until the candle wax catcher (foil) is on the top of the orange. Wrap the red ribbon round the orange equator and secure with a dressmaker’s pin.

Put 1 raisin, 1 Craisin® and 1 marshmallow on each cocktail stick, then add 1 more raisin and 1 more Craisin®. You should have 2 raisins, 2 Craisins® and 1 marshmallow on each cocktail stick. Place the 4 cocktail sticks equally spaced around the orange between the ribbon and the candle.