An estimated 1.1 million people will take part in Christingle services at Church of England churches, cathedrals and schools this Christmas - following a rise of 50 per cent in the last three years. The number of children and adults attending Christingle celebrations has risen by half since 2004, when three quarters of a million people took part in the services.

Forty years since The Children's Society introduced the special service to the Church of England, the two organisations are expecting that anniversary services will draw in more people than ever.

The projections come as previously unreported figures from the Church of England suggest that four in ten parents attend church over the Christmas period, and that a third of parents visit a church or place of worship at some point during the year through an event linked to their child's school*.

The Rt Revd Tim Stevens, Bishop of Leicester and Chair of The Children's Society, comments: "Christingle is a much-loved celebration that has become a treasured part of many families' Christmas traditions. These services powerfully communicate the simple but life-changing message of Christmas, proclaiming Christ as the Light of the World.

"The side-effect of producing valuable funds for the amazing work of The Children's Society is a very welcome one, given added poignancy as we look upon the infant Jesus and consider the plight of vulnerable children in the UK today."

Christingle was established by the Moravian Church in 1747 as a symbol of Christ's light and love, and was introduced by The Children's Society to The Church of England in 1968. The tradition grew due to churches' enthusiasm for the simple, powerful symbolism of the Christingle as a way of expressing the Christian message, and the opportunity it gives to encourage donations towards the worthwhile cause of helping make childhood better for all children in the UK.

At the climax of the Christingle service, lights in the church or other venue are dimmed and replaced with the illumination of candlelight, gradually spreading between the candles which crown the Christingles, symbolising Jesus as the Light of the World. The 'body' of the Christingle is formed by an orange representing the world, trimmed with a red ribbon indicating the blood of Christ, and four cocktail sticks bearing dried fruit or sweets to signify the fruits of the four seasons. Most Christingle celebrations take the form of a church service but they can also take place at schools or other community venues.

It is thought that at least 6,000 Christingle celebrations now take place each year, including:

• St Mary the Virgin, Kettering, where one of the trees at the church's annual Christmas Tree Festival is decorated with orange and purple baubles to represent Christingles and The Children's Society;
• St Johns, Lodge Causeway, Bristol, where around 200 children and adults will fill the church on Saturday, 14 December, to throw their collections for disadvantaged children into an old tin bath and take part in the service, which is followed by tea and mince pies;
• A joint Christingle/Nativity service on Sunday, 21 December, at All Hallows, Allerton, Merseyside follows 'A celebration of the real Christmas', held at the beginning of Advent with displays of Nativity sets from around the world, prayer stations, quiet space and storytelling;
• Probably the largest Christingle celebration in the country takes place at Westminster Abbey each year, where more than 800 children from schools around London join together to encircle the nave with their Christingles, sing carols and hear readings from some of the schools represented.

Notes

* Opinion Research Business (ORB) surveyed 1002 adults aged 18 and over in Great Britain by telephone poll between September 26th and 27th, 2007. The research was initially published in January 2008 and is available here

The Children's Society is a leading children's charity committed to making childhood better for all children in the UK.To that end it provides vital help and understanding for those children who face the greatest danger  or disadvantage; children who are unable to find the support they need anywhere else. Visit www.childrenssociety.org.uk.