Christinglen.
/krɪˈstɪŋɡl/, /ˈkrɪstɪŋɡl/, U.S. /krɪˈstɪŋɡ(ə)l/, /ˈkrɪstɪŋɡ(ə)l/ rare before mid 20th cent.
1. A lighted candle (now usually set in an orange), symbolizing Christ as the light of the world; (now esp.) such a candle given to each child at a special service for children, generally held in the period between the beginning of Advent and Candlemas.Originating in the Moravian Church in the mid 18th cent., Christingles were adopted and popularized by the Church of England Children's Society (now The Children's Society) in the mid 20th cent.Cf. Christmas candle n. at Christmas n.1 and int. Compounds 2, Advent candle n. at advent n. Compounds.
ΘΚΠ
society > faith > artefacts > consumables > candle or light > [noun] > for Advent > given to child
Christingle1861
1861 Lady's Newspaper 16 Feb. 102/2 Two or three of the pretty lights, that the Germans call christingles, standing on his own table.
1951 Moravian Messenger Dec. 180 Br. Libbey..remembered that his father had made Christingles for him and his brother and sister as children in the years 1870 to 1876 or 7, simply as a home observance, and he had the impression that they were something that had been made in his grandfather's home in Baildon a generation earlier (1834-41).
1968 Gateway (Church of England Children's Society) Christmas 2 Michele is carrying a ‘Christingle’—an orange decorated with a lighted candle and fruit and nuts. The orange represents the world, the nuts and cherries are the fruits of the earth, and the candle is the light of the world.
2014 G. Ambrose et al. Seasons & Celebrations 7/1 A do-it-yourself approach means that while making their own Christingles step by step, worshippers think about the symbolic meaning of each element in turn.
2. A special service for children, generally held in the period between the beginning of Advent and Candlemas, at which a Christingle (sense 1) is given to each child; the tradition of holding such services.Cf. Christingle service n. at Compounds.
ΘΚΠ
society > faith > worship > observance, ritual > kinds of rite > children's service in advent > [noun]
Christingle2006
1950 Bath Weekly Chron. & Herald 16 Dec. 13/6 Dozens of tiny candles will flicker over the faces of children singing carols at a special service at the Moravian Church, Bath, on Christmas Eve. The service is one which appears to be an old Moravian custom, and it has the unusual name ‘Christingle’.
1979 Gateway Mag. Autumn 10/3 Christingle joined us only eleven years ago...It is a special way for all the family to celebrate the birth of Christ.
2006 Church Times 22 Dec. 22/2 The merry-go-round of crib services, Christmas assemblies, carol services, Christingles, midnight masses et al are stuck on top of our normal hamster-wheel of weekday services, Sunday liturgies, baptisms, weddings, and funerals.
Compounds
Christingle service n. a special service for children, generally held in the period between the beginning of Advent and Candlemas, at which a Christingle (sense 1) is given to each child; cf. sense 2.
ΚΠ
1951 Moravian Messenger Dec. 179 In an increasing number of Moravian Congregations preparations are being made for the Christingle service…It takes the form of Christmas readings interspersed with the singing of carols.., and ending with distribution of the lighted Christingles.
1974 Church Times 13 Dec. 18/5 The Christingle ceremonies belong to Advent... The first Christingle service was held in Marienborn, Moravia, in 1747.
2002 Derbyshire Times 19 Dec. 40/4 Last Sunday the annual Christingle service was held in All Saints Parish Church, Heath.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2020; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1861