The Meaning of the Christingle

A typical Christingle

Christingle means ‘Christ’s Light’ and it is a symbol of the Christian faith. Lots of churches hold Christingle services around Christmas time. The custom of giving out lighted candles in these services began in Germany in 1747 but it wasn't introduced to the Anglican Church in England until 1968.

Christingles are made up of different parts, each one being there to remind us of something.

• The orange represents the world.
• The candle reminds Christians of Jesus who they believe to be the light of the world.
• The red ribbon goes all round the 'world' and being the colour of blood, reminds Christians that Jesus died.
• The four cocktail sticks could have either of two meanings; the four seasons or the four corners of the world.
• The sweets (or sometimes dried fruit) remind Christians of God's gifts to the world including kindness and love.
• The foil is only there to catch waxy drips from the candle.

Learn how to make your own Christingle.

The next Christmas facts page in our series is about Christmas Day.