How To Make a Christingle

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A Christingle is a symbolic candle in an orange decorated with a red ribbon and 4 cocktail sticks with sweets. It has become a regular fixture in many churches across the UK and Europe as part of the Christingle service over the Christmas period.

The Christingle orange is used as a visual celebration of the light that Jesus Christ brings to the world. It’s a great way to get children to interact with the story of Jesus and is popular as a craft for all the family. 

row of Christingle candles
How to make a Christingle

What is the Christingle meaning?

A Christingle is a symbolic object that represents Jesus and the light he brings to the world through the Christian faith.

The orange represents the world.

The red ribbon around the orange represents the blood of Christ.

The sweets stuck into the orange with 4 cocktail sticks symbolises the four seasons and the fruits of the earth – aka creation.

Christingle meaning:

  • Orange – the world
  • Candle – the light that Jesus brings to the world
  • Red ribbon – the love and blood of Jesus Christ
  • Four cocktail sticks – the four seasons or the four directions of North, South, East, and West
  • Sweets – God’s creations, the ‘fruits’ of the earth
Meaning of a Christingle
Meaning of a Christingle

 

Four christingle candles in oranges
Christingle meaning and symbolism

What do you need to make a Christingle?

Making a Christingle is a fun activity to do with children. It’s a family or community activity that feels inclusive and easy to do. You only need a few materials to make a Christingle making it accessible and affordable.

red ribbon, white candles, oranges, plate of sweets, tin foil, cocktail sticks
What do you need to make a christingle

You need oranges to make the main base of the Christingle. Inside it, you will need a small candle that is inserted over a square of tin foil. Around the middle of the orange, you tie some thin red ribbon. Then you poke 4 cocktail sticks into each side along with a few sweets, marshmallows, or dried fruit. 

To make a Christingle you need the following:

three christingles lit candles
How to make a Christingle

How to make a Christingle instructions

assemble the supplies
Assemble the supplies
  1. Assemble all of your supplies to make the Christingle. Make sure the oranges will stand up on their own. If not give them a gentle squish against a flat surface to make the bottom flatter.

    make a hole in the orange
    Make a hole in the orange
  2. Use a small knife to make a hole in the top of the orange. Or simply push your thumb into the orange. Place a piece of kitchen paper underneath to prevent any mess from the juice of the orange.
    cut small squares of foil
    Cut small squares of foil
    push the foil and candle into the orange
    Push the foil and candle into the orange
    spread the foil out around the candle
    Spread the foil out around the candle

    Candles and foil into oranges
    Candles and foil into oranges
  3. Cut out squares of foil. Hold the foil square loosely around the base of a candle and push the end of the candle into the hold in the top of the orange.
    wrap red ribbon around the orange
    Wrap red ribbon around the orange

    ribbon and candles
    Ribbon and candles
  4. Wrap a length of red ribbon around the middle of the orange and tie it into a bow. Or fasten with a little tape if preferred.
    skewers and sweets
    Cocktails sticks and sweets

    poke sweets on cocktail sticks into orange
    Poke sweets on cocktail sticks into orange
  5. Add some small sweets to each cocktail stick. 
    sweets on cocktail sticks
    Sweets on cocktail sticks

    completed christingle craft
    Completed christingle craft
  6. Poke 4 cocktail sticks covered in sweets into each side of the orange, forming a cross shape.
    holding a christingle
    Holding a Christingle

    lighting the christingle
    Lighting the Christingle
  7. Your Chrstingle is now ready for lighting! Be careful and cautious around candles and live flames.
making a christingle
Christingle

Christingle Orange Tips and Ideas

  • Please make sure an adult is present with any children holding a Christingle candle.
  • The foil square is optional and not a symbolic part of the Christingle, but it is recommended to protect the Christingle orange and any hands holding it from dripping wax.
  • You don’t need to attend a Christingle service to make a Christingle. They are a nice easy craft to get children involved in Christmas. 
  • We used these Christmas tree candles which are an ideal size for the Christingle. But you can also use any small household candle such as birthday candles.

Enjoy making your Christingle this Christmas! 

holding a candle in orange christingle
Holding a Christingle
christingle service of light
Christingle

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