A few days ago, sitting across a table, I watched the Christmas story come alive in the making of a Christmas-themed craft. As this dear sister unpacked her carrier bag in preparation for the activity, out came an odd collection of items – a bag of oranges, candles, sweets, ribbons and toothpicks. Being a novice at all things ‘crafty’, I could not have imagined how all those items would come together to tell a beautiful story!
Here’s an abridged version of her accompanying narrative as she masterfully put together a lovely Christingle – a symbolic object used to celebrate Jesus Christ as the Light of the world:
The orange in its wholeness depicted the world before the fall. One in which unblemished beauty and perfection proclaimed the Creator’s skill.
Shortly after, with a knife, she cut through the top of the orange and thinly pierced a hole halfway through, not without some juicy muddle. Just as her action marred the erstwhile alluring orange, so did sin the Creator’s perfect world.
A candle was pushed into the orange where it was cut open, a symbol of Jesus’ coming into a broken world as the light of the world.
She tied a green ribbon around the orange, with its ends knotted in a bow. The ribbon would normally be red, signifying Christ’s redeeming blood, but she opted for green as a symbol of life that Christ offers to the world.
Representing the four seasons of the year on one hand, and the four coordinates of the world on the other hand; each of the four toothpicks pierced the orange at fairly equidistant points along the green ribbon.
Colourful sweets and jellies were strung through each of the four toothpicks sticking out of the orange. I guess we wouldn’t be pushing the boundaries by likening these to the fruits and blessings the Creator bountifully bestows on his world in love.
By the time the craft activity was over, we had ended up with not just a beautiful object, laden with symbols and meanings, but also the alliteration – Light, Life and Love.
These words, in isolation or collectively, describe an aspect of what Christmas really is about – the coming of one who brings light, life and love. As we give and receive glimpses of these triad blessings this Christmas, let’s not lose sight of the ultimate gift, the One whom Christmas really is about – Jesus Christ.
Have a Merry Christmas!
Thanks for reading.