Celebrate Advent With an Advent Wreath
And So We Begin The Season of Advent!
Today marks the first Sunday of Advent. For simplicity (we’re all craving a bit more of that, aren’t we?) the daily readings will begin on December first and continue through Epiphany. If you haven’t subscribed for the daily readings, now is the time! The readings will not be available directly on the Joy of Advent Website. Find out more here.
When and What is Advent?
Advent marks a season in the church (liturgical) year that has been celebrated since about the 5th century. Some have even dated it as early as 380 AD at the Council of Sargossa. The word Advent comes from the Latin, adventus, which means arrival, specifically the arrival of someone of importance. It was a translation of the Greek word, parousia. Parousia meant the coming of Christ, both as a human baby and His Second Coming. According to this article, originally, the first two Sundays of Advent celebration focused on the Second Coming, while the final two focused on Jesus’s birth. While that focus has largely been lost, we continue to celebrate Advent as a season of preparation—preparing our hearts for the coming of our Lord.
Interestingly, in 2023 the first Sunday of Advent will be December 3, and the following year December 1. The reason for the changing dates? Advent always begins four Sundays before Christmas. Christmas being on the 25th of December means that Advent’s beginning changes, as does the length of the season.
On this, the first Sunday of Advent, our family begins a tradition that visually carries us through the season and compliments our Jesse Tree readings. Each Sunday, with a short scripture, song, and prayer, we light a new candle on our Advent wreath.
What is an Advent Wreath?
The Advent wreath was in use in Catholic and Lutheran churches as early as the 1600s, and candles and evergreen wreaths were popular symbols for light and hope even in pre-Christian cultures. Many believe that the wreath for home use was popularized in the 1830s when German pastor Johann Hinrich Wichern used a wooden cartwheel and 24 candles to teach the children at his mission school when Christmas would arrive. Germans in the 1920s began adopting the custom and by the 1930s it had spread to North America.
The 24 candles were soon replaced with four, one for each Sunday in Advent, and often a fifth, Christ Candle, at the center of the wreath. The colors of the candles have varied over the years: some less liturgical traditions use red, others use blue.
While the traditional shape of the Advent wreath (or display) was round, made of evergreen branches, symbolizing eternity, but it can be made in other designs (and with less flammable materials!) as well.
Advent candle Colors
Most Advent wreaths feature three deep purple candles, one pink or rose candle, and one white candle.
The purple candles represent both Christ’s royalty and a time of repentance and fasting and is the same color used during the season of Lent (the 40 days of fasting before Easter). The pink candle is used for the Catholic Church’s Gaudette Sunday, the third Sunday of Advent, and signifies joy and feasting—we’re more than halfway to Christmas!
Each Sunday the first candle is lit, remembered, and the lighting continues until the current week. (For example, on the third Sunday of Advent we would light the first and second candles and name them, and then light the third candle. The fourth and center candles would remain unlit.)
The white candle, or Christ Candle, is often in the center of the Advent wreath. It is lit on Christmas Eve. On Christmas Day the four purple and pink candles are often removed (or simply not lit, since our time of waiting is now over!), and only the Christ Candle would be lit, continuing throughout the Twelve Days of Christmas.
If you think the 12 Days of Christmas come before Christmas, read this!
Each candle also has a specific meaning. Traditions disagree a bit, and Pinterest-mavens often bungle the whole thing entirely (so some of the infographics are just plain inaccurate). After careful research, we’ve settled on this arrangement of the candles.
Meanings of the Advent Candles
First Sunday: The purple Prophet’s Candle represents HOPE
Second Sunday: The purple Bethlehem Candle represents PEACE
Third Sunday: The pink Shepherd’s Candle represents JOY
Fourth Sunday: The purple Angel’s Candle represents LOVE
Christmas Eve: The white Christ Candle represents all of the preceding as well as Purity and the washing away of sin by Christ’s sacrifice.
Printable Advent Wreath Infographic
First Sunday: The purple Prophet’s Candle represents HOPE
Second Sunday: The purple Bethlehem Candle represents PEACE
Third Sunday: The pink Shepherd’s Candle represents JOY
Fourth Sunday: The purple Angel’s Candle represents LOVE
Christmas Eve: The white Christ Candle represents Purity and the washing away of sin by Christ’s sacrifice.
How Do We Celebrate the Advent Wreath Each Sunday?
Confession: In past years we’ve focused on the Jesse Tree tradition and have let the Advent wreath be a second (third? fourth?) thought. Last year, however, we wove our advent wreath thoroughly into our Jesse Tree celebration. Not only did we light our week’s Advent candles on Sundays with special readings, but we lit them every evening. The gentle glow and flicker of candlelight brought a new layer of magic and anticipation to our evening reading and music.
Below, I’ll share what we did for each Sunday evening candle-lighting.
The First Sunday of Advent
The Prophet’s Candle, which symbolizes HOPE.
Christmas Day is just one day, but there is an entire season of four weeks, that the Christians around the world have used to focus their hearts on Jesus’s birth. That season is called Advent, and it is a time of preparation and expectation. We are preparing our hearts as we wait and expectation of Christ’s birth.
Tonight we will light the first candle. Deep purple was a kingly color—purple dye was incredibly costly and purple fabric incredibly rare. Purple also symbolizes repentance, or turning away from sin and toward the heart of God. Light the candle.
This first candle reminds us that, while darkness falls early each night in a world already shrouded by shadow, there is a Light in the darkness. As it says in 2 Peter 1:21, “Prophecy never has its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” (NIV). Listen to the words of the prophet Isaiah.
Isaiah 9:2, 6
The people who walked in darkness
Have seen a great light;
Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death,
Upon them a light has shined.For unto us a Child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.Matthew 24: 36-37
“But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.”
Let us sing together (or enjoy this video of) the carol, O Come, O Come Emmanuel. With the people of ancient Israel we expectantly Hope for God’s promised messiah to be born. As Christians, our expectation for Jesus’s birth is mingled with Hope for His second coming—at a day and an hour no one can know but God Himself. May we make our hearts ready for His return!
Pray with me: O King of the nations, and their desire, the cornerstone making both one: Come and save the human race, which you fashioned from clay. Thank You for Your promises, which give us our only Hope.
The Second Sunday of Advent
The Bethlehem Candle, which symbolizes FAITH.
Tonight we first light the Prophet’s Candle, remembering to Hope in promises of the Lord given though men and women long ago.
We also light the Bethlehem Candle. This second candle reminds us of Mary and Joseph’s Faith as they traveled to Bethlehem, as the prophecy foretold.
Micah 5:2
But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Though you are little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of you shall come forth to Me The One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, From everlasting.Luke 2:1-7
And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city.
Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
Now let’s sing (or listen to) the carol, O Little Town of Bethlehem. May we have the same faith and peace as Mary who, when told she would be with child, said, “Let it be to me according to your word.”
Continue with the day’s reading, songs, and prayer from the Joy of Advent Daily Readings.
The Third Sunday of Advent
The Shepherd’s Candle, which symbolizes JOY.
Tonight first we light the Prophet’s Candle, remembering to Hope in promises of the Lord given though men and women long ago.
We also light the Bethlehem Candle, remembering Mary and Joseph’s Faith as they traveled to Bethlehem, where Jesus would be born.
Finally, we shed the purple of preparation and reflection and light the pink candle. This third candle celebrates the Joy of the Shepherds upon hearing the news of Jesus’s birth!
Luke 2: 8-12
Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”
Let us sing (or enjoy) the carol, While Shepherd’s Watched their Flocks. May we share in the Joy of the shepherds when they learned of Christ’s miraculous birth!
Continue with the day’s reading, songs, and prayer from the Joy of Advent Daily Readings.
The Fourth Sunday of Advent
The Angel’s Candle, which symbolizes LOVE.
Tonight we first light the Prophet’s Candle, remembering to Hope in promises of the Lord given though men and women long ago.
We light the Bethlehem Candle, remembering Mary and Joseph traveling to Bethlehem, where Jesus, the Prince of Peace, would be born.
We also light the pink Shepherd’s Candle, remembering the Shepherds’ Joy upon hearing the news of Jesus’s birth.
Finally, we light the Angel’s Candle, once again purple as we prepare our hearts for our Savior’s arrival. Tonight we remember the Angel’s song that celebrates God’s gift of Love to the world.
Luke 2:13-14
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:“Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”
Let’s enjoy together the carol, Angels We Have Heard on High. May we model Christ by being instruments of God’s Peace and Light in this dark world.
Continue with the day’s reading, songs, and prayer from the Joy of Advent Daily Readings.
Christmas Eve
The Christ Candle, which symbolizes the fulfillment of all the previous candles and the purity that comes through Christ’s sacrifice for us.
Tonight we light the Prophet’s Candle, remembering to Hope in promises of the Lord given though men and women long ago.
We light the Bethlehem Candle, remembering Mary and Joseph’s travel to Bethlehem, where Jesus, the Prince of Peace, would be born.
We light the pink Shepherd’s Candle, remembering the Shepherds’ Joy upon hearing the news of Jesus’s birth.
We also light the purple Angel’s Candle, remembering the Angel’s song that celebrates God’s gift of Love to the world.
Finally we light the center candle, white for purity and cleansing, because in this candle all the Hope of the prophets comes to pass. In this candle the Faith of Bethlehem is realized. In this candle the Shepherd’s Joy and the Angel’s Peace are made manifest in our infant Lord, Jesus Christ!
Continue with the day’s reading, songs, and prayer from the Joy of Advent Daily Readings.
Christmas and Each Day Throughout the Twelve Days of Christmas
Remove all but the Christ Candle (or leave in place, but unlit).
We no longer light the candles of the Prophets, of Bethlehem, of the Shepherds or the Angels because all they have promised has come to pass. Today and each day we light the Christ Candle. He is the fulfillment of the prophets’s Hope, the Faith of Bethlehem, the Joy of the Shepherds, and the Peace sung of by Angels! Jesus is the One who brings the salvation of the world!
Continue with the day’s reading, songs, and prayer from the Joy of Advent Daily Readings.
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