Advent begins on the first Sunday nearest to Saint Andrews Day on 30 November and continues for four consecutive Sundays. In 2009 Advent commences on Sunday 29 December. Creating your own advent wreath can be rewarding and fun for children to assist with. The ritual lighting of the advent candles each Sunday until Christmas Day is a wonderful way for the family to share and connect with, the true message of the advent season.
Wikipedia definition of Advent:
Advent (from the Latin word adventus, meaning "coming") is a season of the Christian church, the period of expectant waiting and preparation for the celebration of the Nativity of Jesus; in other words, the period immediately before Christmas. It is the beginning of the Western liturgical year and commences on Advent Sunday. The Eastern churches begin the liturgical year on 1 September.[1] The Eastern Christian equivalent of Advent is called the Nativity Fast but it differs both in length and observances.
The progression of the season may be marked with an Advent calendar, a practice introduced by German Lutherans. At least in the Roman Catholic and Lutheran calendars, Advent starts on the fourth Sunday before December 25; in other words, the Sunday between November 27 and December 3 inclusive.
Latin adventus is the translation of the Greek word parousia, commonly used in reference to the Second Coming. Christians believe that the season of Advent serves a dual reminder of the original waiting that was done by the Hebrews for the birth of their Messiah as well as the waiting that Christians today endure for the second coming of Christ. Celebrate advent with your children by making an advent candle wreath together
The Advent wreath is a Christian tradition that symbolizes the passage of the four weeks of Advent in the liturgical calendar of the Western church. It is usually a horizontal evergreen wreath with four or five candles. Beginning with the First Sunday of Advent, the lighting of a candle can be accompanied by a Bible reading and prayers. An additional candle is lit during each subsequent week until, by the last Sunday before Christmas, all four candles are lit. Some Advent wreaths include a fifth, "Christ" candle which can be lit at Christmas. The custom is observed both in family settings and at public church services. Source: Wikipedia. Read the remainder of this article at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advent_wreath
Getting started
CAUTION! PLEASE READ THIS: For safety reasons please use candle holders. It is advisable to avoid attaching candles to the floristry wreath with glue, as they can become unstable. Instead, display the candles in holders, in the centre space of the wreath, on a flat, stable surface. Ensure the candles fit the holders snugly. If necessary, wedge plastacine around the candle base to secure them in the holder. Please bear in mind that candles can tip over if not secured in position and that any foliage, fabric and paper used in your display will be highly flammable. Ensure that all candles are extinguished after the recitation of advent prayers or after mealtimes if the wreath is lit on your dining table. Check the batteries in your smoke alarm every week. Where possible use eco-friendly resources. Many artificial wreaths are made from non-renewable resources such as plastics and petroleum based materials. Plastics can take hundreds of years to decompose and simply add to the landfill sites. Fresh wreaths are compostable and the most eco-friendly.
Making a Traditional Wreath
You will need: · Fresh and/or dried foliage
· Oasis/florists foam. Alternatively, a base woven from twigs or a re-usable wreath base
· Container such as a decorative dish or display base. For example a sturdy box or tray covered in fabric or decorative paper
· 1 rose candle, 3 violet candles and 4 white candles, plus candle holders
· Decorations: nuts, cones, fruits are optional
Fresh foliage can be gathered from your garden and fallen foliage can be found in parks or from non-private land. Fallen evergreen leaves, fronds of fir and cones make a wonderful scented, traditional looking wreath. Leaves can be pushed into the floristry foam or secured to a woven wreath base with floristry wire.
Fallen autumn leaves with conkers, nuts, cones and dried berries can be used to scatter around the display or arranged as a bed for the wreath to lay upon. Fresh green oak leaves can last surprisingly well if left attached to the twig and refreshed with water daily. Perhaps you may like to create a wreath inspired by the Christmas carol ‘The Holly & the Ivy’; be careful of the prickles when collecting holly leaves!
Metallic paint can be added to the tips of leaves or cones with a sea sponge, or stippled with a hogs hair brush. Snow spray can be used to enhance your decorations.
Making a Decorative Wreath
You will need: · Hand crafted or imitation foliage
· 1 rose candle, 3 violet candles and 4 white candles, plus candle holders
· Display platform that is easily portable, such as a large decorative platter. Or be resourceful and inventive – use driftwood, a shallow box draped with velvet fabric or utilise a wooden cutting board from the kitchen.
· Oasis/Florists foam, a base woven from twigs or a re-usable wreath base
· Optional decoration: ribbons, angels, cherubs, stars
Get creative! Imitation leaves can be made using coloured paper, or trace around leaf shapes and paint them with metallic inks or paints. Self hardening clay can be modelled into leaf shapes, scored to replicate the veins on the leaf and painted in autumnal or evergreen colours when dry.
Fabric can be fun to work with too. Visit your local haberdashers or recycle fabrics from charity shop clothing. Felt squares can be purchased from craft suppliers, cut into leaf shapes and the veins embroidered. Traditional, independent fabric shops may keep a box of leather/faux leather and suede off cuts, perfect for creating leaves because the hide rarely frays. Veins can be machine embroidered.
Imitation foliage can be purchased from florists. Check out the candle section in your local supermarket and you will probably find ready made seasonal bouquets of dried foliage with cones, metallic branches, berries and imitation flowers. Insert into a ring shaped oasis or weave into a ready made wreath base, available from florists or garden centres. Attach foliage and decorations with floristry wire.
Candle symbolism and lighting ritual
Fundamentally, the four candles sequentially lit, create a countdown to Christmas…4,3,2,1. Various meanings have been assigned to the colours of each candle, and the order in which each candle is lit also varies between Christian denominations. Generally, purple is traditionally considered a royal colour and symbolizes the coming of the King. Pink represents joy and white symbolizes the Christ light and purity. The entire wreath itself represents the coming of light into the world. The greenery symbolizes everlasting life, the circular shape of the wreath means eternal life; as the circle has neither beginning nor end. Nuts, cones and seed pods represent resurrection.
Light the candles ideally at a time when the family are all together; prior to mealtimes is often an opportune moment. It is customary for recitations of scripture and prayer to be included in the ritual lighting; the ceremonial content varies between denominations. In some traditions the wreath is used daily, the advent collect is recited, candles are lit and a blessing given if the wreath is lit at mealtimes. As a general guide, the candles are gradually lit over four consecutive Sundays and the fifth candle lit at sunset on Christmas eve or on Christmas Day itself, to represent the birth of Jesus Christ.
Bless your wreath on the first Sunday of Advent; using holy water and/or a blessing. Each Sunday a new candle will be lit, plus the candles from previous weeks. The relighting of the previous Sunday’s candles symbolizes the coming of Christ bringing light into darkness.
Place the white candle in the centre of your display. You may wish to use a larger central candle, with an unusual shape or multi-wicks. The white candle, called the Christ Candle, can be lit at sunset on Christmas Eve, or you may prefer to light this on Christmas day.
The following guide can be adapted according to your tradition.
Light the violet candle on the first Sunday of advent – Known as the Candle of Prophecy, it symbolizes Hope. For certain denominations it symbolizes Repentence.
Light two violet candles on the second Sunday of advent – The new candle symbolizes Peace.
Light the rose candle on the third Sunday of advent – the new candle symbolizes Joy.
Light the remaining violet candle on the last Sunday of advent - the new candle symbolizes Love. Light all four candles plus the fifth white candle at sunset on Christmas Eve or on Christmas day – the white candle symbolizes the pure light of Christ and the birth of Jesus – the very reason we celebrate Christmas. In some traditions all four coloured candles are replaced with white candles on Christmas day. Greenery may need to be refreshed intermittently.
Resources: Wikipedia & online pages from a variety of Christian denominations
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