William Cobbett pupils had a surprise visitor at their annual Christingle services at St John’s Church, Hale, last Thursday.

There were roars of laughter from pupils and staff when Mrs Christingle herself turned up at two services - one for years 1 to 3 and another for years 4 to 6 - dressed as a giant orange with a candle on her head, a red ribbon round her ‘waist’ and carrying four large, decorated sticks.

Mrs Christingle was there to demonstrate the different elements of a Christingle service and the children were keen to show their knowledge of what each part symbolises.

The orange represents the world, the red ribbon the love and blood of Jesus Christ, the sticks with fruit or sweets on them represent the seasons or the fruits of the world, and the candle symbolises Jesus’s light in the darkness.

The pupils had made their own, rather smaller, Christingles which they brought up to the front to be lit, and sang carols and told the story of the birth of Jesus in a series of readings.

Christingle services date back to 1747 in Moravia when a bishop wanted to tell children about the happiness that Jesus could bring.

The word Christingle comes from the German ‘Christkindl’, meaning ‘Little Christ Child’. The services take place between the beginning of Advent on December 1 and Candlemas on February 2, 40 days after Christmas.

There will be Christingle services on February 2 at St George’s Church, Badshot Lea, at 10am and St Mark’s Church, Upper Hale, at 11am. All are welcome.