Christingle Talk 2006

This talk was taken from 'Getting it Across' written by Nick Fawcett and published by Kevin Mayhew.

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Today I have prepared a festive quiz for you. All the answers have ‘Christmas’ in them, and all you have to do is supply the missing word from the clues I am going to give you.

1 Something we eat after Christmas turkey? Pudding
2 Songs we sing at Christmas? Carol
3 Buying in food and presents for Christmas? Shopping
4 Something we send to our friends? Card
5 Comes after Christmas Eve? Day
6 A special festive occasion we might enjoy at work, school or home? Party
7 Something we hang up before going to bed on Christmas Eve? Stocking
8 Something we bring into the house and cover in lights and decorations? Tree
9 Someone who comes down the chimney bringing presents? Father
10 Comes before Christmas Day? Eve
11 Things we give to family and friends? Presents
12 Something we pull at Christmas? Cracker
13 What we call Christmas when it snows? White
14 Extra pay we may be lucky enough to receive at Christmas? Bonus
15 Things we hang on trees or round rooms and shops? Decorations
16 A fund raising event we may hold at church? Fayre
17 What we tuck into as part of our celebrations? Dinner
18 Something else we may eat at Christmas? Cake
19 A plant that flowers around Christmas time? Cacti
20 Something we use to cover our presents before we give them? Wrapping paper
21 Something we put on the Christmas tree, or which we might see in a town centre? Lights

All these things together go to make up our celebrations of Christmas; all kinds of
things which we will be enjoying over this season. And there is no reason why we shouldn’t have a good time and enjoy them all.

But are they really what Christmas is all about? The answer of course is no, but there is a danger if we focus on them too much they may hid the true message of Christmas. In fact, they have just done that. Has anyone spotted the true message of Christmas hidden within the answers – Glory to the New Born King’

These are words we sing in the great carol, Hark the Herald angels sing, and words which take us to the heart of Christmas – not presents or turkey or cards or pudding, special though these may be, but the birth of Jesus Christ, the son of God, the one who reveals the glory of God and shows his love for the world.