Though my own family did not use an advent wreath when I was a kid, it was a custom my husband and I introduced to our children when they were growing up. And, though the kids are long grown up and gone, I still use an advent wreath for myself. I remember the kids being pretty excited each year when we got out our advent wreath; it meant Christmas was right around the corner. Each night during Advent, after dinner, we would light the candles in their right order and say a brief prayer.
Sunday past, Nov. 27, I went to church with my friend Sallie at St. Andrews Episcopal Church in Ojai and that parish's advent wreath can be seen on the left.
This is my own advent wreath at home this year. Below, if you are unfamiliar with the tradition of the advent wreath, is how the custom came about and evolved. I know that Catholics and Episcopals have them on the altar during advent, but I don't know what other Christian denominations do. The following has been adapted from Christian Style.
History of the Advent Wreath
The full history of the advent wreath is not clear. What we do know is that it seems to originate from pre-Christian Germanic peoples. During the short winter days, candles were often used to signify the coming of the New Year and the lengthening of the day after winter solstice. Often this use of candles was combined with a wreath or a wheel (the wheel of time), as a prayer for the seasons to cycle back to the warmth of Spring.. This use of candles and a wheel/wreath symbol was gradually adapted over time to create the tradition we now have of the advent wreath.
Catholic and Episcopal Symbolism of the Advent Wreath
Advent wreathes are filled with symbols about the coming of Christ and the eternal nature of God. Here are some explanations of the symbols of the advent wreath:
- Flame: The use of flame represents Christ as the "light of the world."
- Evergreens signify the continuous life and victory over death.
- Holly, with its prickly leaves, symbolizes the crown of thorns.
- Nuts and seeds in the wreath decoration symbolize new life and new birth.
The Four Candles of the Advent Wreath
Each of the candles on the Advent wreath represent one of the weeks of advent. Some also talk about the candles represented 1,000 years of the roughly 4,000 years between Adam and Eve and the birth of Jesus. Three of the candles are purple (to symbolize waiting) and one is pink. The pink candle is lit on the third Sunday of advent, on something called Gaudete Sunday. This is a Sunday of celebration as advent is half over and Christmas is very close.
The Christ Candle
Some traditions include a white candle in the middle of the wreath to symbolize Christ. This candle is lit on Christmas Eve and continues to be lit during the rest of the Christmas season. You could also replace the pink and purple advent candles with four white candles and continue using the wreath as a Christmas wreath until Epiphany.
Using an Advent Wreath
To use an advent wreath, the tradition is to light one candle during the first week of advent and two purple candles during the second week. One pink and two purple candles are lit during the third week of and all the candles during the fourth week of advent. At the lighting of the candles, a brief prayer is usually said. The typical time to light the candles is at dinner time after the blessing of the food.
