Christingle

More than just oranges, candles and jelly tots

The Children's Society and Traidcraft are working together to benefit vulnerable communities, with a Fair Trade Christingle!

The Children’s Society first introduced the Christingle service to the Church of England in 1968.  Loved by children and adults alike, this candlelit celebration is the perfect way to share the key messages of the Christian faith, while raising vital funds to support vulnerable children and young people across the UK.

But Christingle has always been about much more than just oranges, candles and jelly tots.  And that’s especially true now that The Childrens’s Society is working in association with fair trade pioneers Traidcraft to connect communities in the UK with communities overseas – and in a most practical way.

As a Christian organisation, Traidcraft’s vision is a world free from the scandal of poverty.

• The orange – represents the world
• The red ribbon – indicates the love and blood of Christ
• The dried fruits and sweets – symbols of God’s creations
• The lit candle – symbolises Jesus, the light of the world

The Children’s Society and Traidcraft immediately saw a way to work together to benefit vulnerable communities both in the UK and in the developing world.  

Why not use fairly traded dried fruits from Traidcraft producers in Chile, South Africa and Pakistan to decorate your Christingle?  The sugar in our sweets from comes from  producers like Enala Dick from Kasinthula in Malawi.  Her village now has clean water and electricity, simply because people made the choice to buy fair trade.

So much more than just oranges, candles and jelly tots.

For more information on the Christingle service go to www.christingle.org