Advent wreath facts for kids
The Advent wreath is a special Christian tradition. It helps people count down the four weeks before Christmas, a time called Advent. This tradition started with Lutherans in Germany, but now many other Christian groups use it too.
An Advent wreath is usually a circle made of evergreen leaves. It has four candles, and sometimes a fifth white candle in the middle. Starting on the first Sunday of Advent, one candle is lit. People often read from the Bible, pray, or have a short devotional time. Each Sunday, another candle is lit until all four are burning. If there's a fifth candle, called the Christ candle, it's lit on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. This custom began in homes but is now also common in churches.
History of the Advent Wreath
The idea of the Advent wreath started in Germany with Lutherans in the 1500s. But the wreath we know today became popular much later.
A German pastor named Johann Hinrich Wichern (1808–1881) is often credited with creating the modern Advent wreath. He worked with poor children in Hamburg. During Advent, the children would often ask if Christmas had arrived yet.
In 1839, Wichern made a large wooden ring from an old cartwheel. He put 20 small red candles and 4 large white candles on it. He lit a small candle every weekday and Saturday during Advent. On Sundays, he lit a large white candle. This idea became popular in Protestant churches in Germany. Over time, it changed into the smaller wreath with four or five candles we see today.
Roman Catholics in Germany started using the custom in the 1920s. By the 1930s, it had spread to North America. In medieval times, Advent was a time of fasting. People thought about the second coming of Jesus. Today, many see Advent as the exciting time leading up to Christmas. The Advent wreath helps remind them that Christmas is coming soon.
In 1964, a homemade Advent wreath was shown on the British children's TV show Blue Peter. This helped introduce the tradition to many families in the United Kingdom. Later, candles were sometimes replaced with baubles on the show because of fire safety.
Some Eastern Orthodox families now use an Advent wreath with six candles. This is because their Christmas fast, which is similar to Advent, lasts longer.
What Advent Wreaths Look Like
Advent wreaths are round, which shows God's never-ending love. They are usually made of evergreen leaves. These leaves represent the hope of eternal life that Jesus Christ brings.
The candles on the wreath stand for the four weeks of Advent. They also show "the light of God coming into the world" when Jesus was born. Each candle can have its own special meaning. Often, the candles represent hope, joy, love, and peace.
Many Advent wreaths have a white candle in the center. This is called the "Christ candle." It stands for the arrival of Christmastide. This candle is lit on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. It is white because white is a traditional color for celebrations in Western churches.
Another way to think about the candles' meanings:
- The first candle is for the prophets who predicted Jesus' coming.
- The second candle is for Bethlehem and the journey of Joseph and Mary.
- The third candle represents the shepherds and their joy.
- The fourth candle is the Angel's candle, standing for peace.
In many Catholic and Protestant churches, the four candles around the wreath are often violet (or blue) and rose. Violet is a traditional color for Advent, showing a time of reflection. Blue is also used, representing hope. The third candle is often rose-colored. This is for the Third Sunday of Advent, called Gaudete Sunday, which means "rejoice." It's a joyful pause during Advent.
In other Protestant churches, especially in the United Kingdom, Advent wreaths often have four red candles. Red is a common color for Christmas decorations. Even a wreath given to Pope Benedict XVI had four red candles.
In the UK, the four red Advent candles are sometimes linked to Bible readings for Advent. Each candle represents those who looked forward to Christ's coming:
- Week one: The hope of all God's people.
- Week two: The Old Testament prophets.
- Week three: John the Baptist.
- Week four: Mary, the mother of Jesus.
In the Orthodox Christian tradition, some wreaths have six different colored candles. These celebrate the six weeks of their Christmas and Advent period.
- First Sunday (November 15): Green, for faith.
- Second Sunday: Blue, for hope.
- Third Sunday: Gold, for love.
- Fourth Sunday: White, for peace.
- Fifth Sunday: Purple, for repentance.
- Sixth Sunday: Red, for communion.
See also
In Spanish: Corona de adviento para niños
- Advent calendar
- Chrismon tree
- Christingle
- Daily devotional
