Create Your own Advent Wreath with this DIY Christmas Craft
Advent, which begins the fourth Sunday before Christmas and ends on Christmas Eve, celebrates the anticipation of Christmas. Although it is most associated with the Catholic and other Christian religions, many who are not particularly religious also take part, as seen by the popularity of chocolate Advent calendars that adorn shops this time of year. The Advent wreath, on the other hand, is sometimes harder to find. But fortunately it’s easy and fun to make one of your own as a DIY craft that can also be used as a stunning display on your table for the holidays.
Each week of Advent has a different theme OF REFLEction:
- Week 1: Hope and promise
- Week 2: Preparation and waiting
- Week 3: Joy and peace
- Week 4: Love and adoration
How Do You Use an Advent Wreath?
Making and using an advent wreath is a way to help give meaning to the season for children excited for the coming holiday. Many families often gather around an Advent wreath and light candles each night while reading a passage from the Bible about Jesus’ arrival. Celebrated over four weeks, each week with a different topic of reflection and discussion, Advent is a chance to stop and think about why Christmas is celebrated while carving out time in everyone’s busy day to spend time with family.What Do You Need to Make an Advent Wreath?
An advent wreath consists of candle holders, candles and wreath materials. There’s no right or wrong way to make an Advent wreath, so pull from your own family traditions and style. You don’t need to spend a lot of money to make a beautiful and meaningful wreath! It’s not about the display as much as taking time each day or week to gather with your family and remember what Christmas means.
Step 1: Choose Your Candles
The first Advent wreath consisted of 24 candles: 20 red candles and four white ones. The white candles were lit on Sunday and the red candles were lit on weekdays.
Modern wreaths usually consist of four or five candles. One candle represents each Sunday in Advent, with the fifth candle for Christmas Eve. Tapered candles are traditional, but your DIY wreath could include pillar candles or votives instead, depending on your design and preferences. If you have young children, electric candles are a safe way to include them in the candle lighting.
In church settings, traditional Advent candles are usually purple, pink and white. Purple, traditionally associated with royalty, represents the sovereignty of Christ. Purple also represents fasting and prayer. Some people choose blue candles instead of purple to represent a new creation. Three candles of the Advent wreath are usually purple or blue; One candle of the wreath is pink, which represents joy and celebration. The fifth candle is white, signifying purity, light and victory.
There is no reason your wreath needs to be traditional. All white candles would be just as pretty in your DIY Advent wreath or you can choose colors that hold a special meaning for you and your famil
There is no reason your wreath needs to be traditional. All white candles would be just as pretty in your DIY Advent wreath or you can choose colors that hold a special meaning for you and your family.
Step 2: Create Your Wreath
While the candles are the focus of the wreath, you can’t safely light the candles without having something to set them on. You can use traditional candle holders, but you may have some materials around your home that you can repurpose for your Advent wreath. A serving tray or cake plate could be a beautiful base, or look for mason jars or flower pots that could hold your candles. If you prefer rustic decorations, save your tin cans to use as candle holders.
The material you use to decorate your wreath will make it your own. Many people simply place real or artificial greenery around the candles, which is very traditional. Feel free to get the kids involved to find vines and greenery from the garden. Twine or ribbon can make a beautiful accent to your candles and candle holders or add pine cones or moss for a natural touch.
Re-using Christmas ornaments can make a stunning presentation and tie in the Advent wreath with the rest of your decor. If you don’t have small children, Christmas fabric or burlap can be draped around the base of the candles for a lovely look, but be sure that the fabric you use is flame-retardant.
Not super crafty? Start with a ready-made wreath.
Step 3: Light the Candles
One way to start using your advent wreath is to plan a family dinner on the first Sunday of advent to bring everyone to the table. Ask your family to put down their devices during the meal and begin with an Advent reading before dinner. On the first week, light one candle. The second week, light the first candle again, do the reading and light the second candle. Let it burn through dinner. Discuss the Advent reading with your family or talk about how you can make Christmas more meaningful.
As an alternative to traditional Advent readings, you can share what you’re thankful for and what you’re excited about for the coming holidays and new year. Other things do while the candles are lit include:
- Sing Christmas carols together.
- Read favorite books and stories about the holidays.
- Watch an inspiring Christmas movie.
- Make treats for neighbors.
The important thing is to make celebrating with your family fun while forming new traditions. These traditions will help your kids – and you! – remember that Christmas and the holidays are about more than parties and presents.
