Christmas

During this advent period, we are preparing to celebrates Jesus' birth. We have decorated our classrooms with trees and Christmas symbols. We are singing carols in school worship and our infants are preparing their nativity which will be performed on Tuesday 6th and Thursday 8th December 2022. We are also preparing for our Christingle Service at Church.

Choir

Our school choir have entertained the people of Padiham at St. Leonard's Chruch Christmas Fair during November and and touring Padiham, during this advent period, to bring festive cheer to the community.

Christingle

Our Christingle Sevice will take place on Tuesday 13th December 2022 at St. Leonard's. All children will be attending church for the service.

The word Christingle means 'Christ Light' and celebrates the light of Jesus coming into the world.

Many years ago, children were asked to take a gift to put beside the crib in Church. One family had no money for gifts but were determined to take something. They found an orange which they felt would be okay, but were disappointed to find it was going mouldy at the top. However, they thought they would scoop out the bad bits and put a candle in the top and turn it into a lantern. Thinking that it looked a bit ordinary, one of the girls took a red ribbon from her hair and tied it around the middle. They had difficulty getting it to stay in place, so fastened it with four small sticks, on the ends of which they put a few raisins. They took their lantern to church and were afraid of the reactions of the other children. However, the priest acknowledged their gift and told the congregation how special it was for the following reasons:

• The orange is round like the world.
• The candle stands tall and straight and gives light in the dark like the love of God.
• The red ribbon goes all around the 'world' and is a symbol of the blood Jesus shed when he died for us.
• The four sticks point in all directions and symbolise North, South, East and West - they also represent the four seasons.
• The fruit and nuts (or sometimes sweets!) represent the fruits of the earth, nurtured by the sunshine and the rain.