St Peter's and St Francis'

Sharing our Experience of God's Love

Children's Society

Hope is hanging by a thread for too many young people whose lives Christingleare overshadowed by abuse, exploitation and neglect. 

For many years, The Children’s Society has been intimately linked to Christingle


History of Christingle – meaning 'Christ Light'


Christiing;esChristingles themselves go back to 1747 and the Moravian church in Germany. At a children’s service in Marienborn, the Bishop created a symbol — the Christingle — to explain the happiness that had come to people through Jesus. 


Each element of a Christingle helps to tell the Christian story:


The orange represents the worldDonate

The red ribbon (or tape) symbolises the love and blood of Christ

The sweets and dried fruit represent all of God’s creations

The lit candle represents Jesus’s light in the world, bringing hope to people living in darkness.


Making a Christingle

Fasten a piece of red sticky tape or ribbon around the middle of the orange.

Cut a small cross in the top of each orange (place it on a tray to catch Christinglethe juice) and lay a square of silver foil (75mm/3in square) over the cross.

Place a candle on top and wedge it firmly into the orange. The foil will help prevent hot wax running onto a child’s hand.

Load four cocktail sticks with raisins, sultanas, cherries or soft sweets and insert them into the orange around the base of the candle.

 

Over the last 50 years, Christingle celebrations have raised millions of pounds to support The Children’s Society life-changing work with children and young people. 


In 2020, our Christingle celebration was held in an online pre-recorded Christingle service, and 75 diy Christingle kits were distributed, with the actual Christingles made shared via a video call.


In 2019, over 5,000 celebrations were held across the country raising over £1.2 million. The generosity and support shown at Christingle services is overwhelming and every year we are reminded of the compassionate Christinglers that help bring hope to young people across the country.


£15.8 million was raised in 2019 thanks to our incredible supporters, meaning we continue our life-changing work with young people


11,500 young people and 3,000 parents were supported by our dedicated front line workers across the country


£63 million was secured through our campaigning and policy work for local authorities to support families in crisis