The tradition of lighting candles on an Advent Wreath is one that goes back centuries. Just like an Advent calendar, this tradition is a great way to make the days of waiting, before Christmas, more meaningful. There’s no need to buy anything expensive. Any four (or five) candles will do! You have a head start if you have three purple candles and one pink, but you could use all white candles, tying purple and pink ribbons around their bases instead. If you don’t have ribbon, you could place each base on a square of colored paper, use acrylic paint to paint a stripe around the lower portion of the candle, or get creative in marking the colors of advent on them in another way. The, optional, fifth candle is placed in the center of the arrangement. It is a special candle that you’ll light on Christmas morning. Many families use a white candle that they keep white, but you can use something else, as well. Have fun with it! Then, once you have the candles, place them around a plain, green wreath, with the Christmas candle in the center. If you don’t have a wreath, consider placing them in a row, in the order of purple, purple, pink, and purple, with some evergreen or pine branches from your yard at the base. Honestly, you can get as simple, or as elaborate as you’d like. This tradition can end up providing you with a lovely centerpiece for your Christmas table, AND with a deeper celebration of the season.
This week, consider adding the Advent Wreath tradition to your meal prayer at dinner each night. If that’s too much, maybe just on Sunday. Whatever works for you is a step toward deeper meaning. Here’s how. While you light the first, purple, candle you could pray using these words:
Heavenly Father, Help me (us) to take time this week to focus on the fact that Christmas isn’t about more presents; it’s about God’s presence. Help me (us) to spend less on the things that don’t last, and to give more of myself (ourselves), using what I (we) save to love others, especially the hungry, the lonely, and the hurting. This Advent, help me (us) live out my (our) faith more fully. (Follow with meal prayer, if fitting.) –Amen!
