Christmas Traditions and Customs: The Advent Wreath
If I'm lucky, I come across piles of fir branches already cut by foresters, so I mainly use those. Or I pick up branches from trees that are already broken, fallen, or facing certain destruction from tractors. It's simply natural recycling in its most beautiful form. Sometimes, though, it gets dramatic—like one year when so much snow fell just days before Advent that I couldn't even reach the firs. I had to make do with spruce. Well... they smelled nice, but it just wasn't the same. Fir is fir. I love the Advent wreath for the making of it, too. That moment when I pick up the binding wire, place one branch next to another, everything smells wonderful, and I feel that something special is beginning. And then the decorating—that's pure joy. There are no limits to imagination, and every year a completely different wreath with its own character is born. This year, I took no risks. I went a week early, and boy, was that a good move; it snowed on Monday (Nov 24th). If I had gone later, I’d have ended up with spruce again, grumbling under my breath. But this year? This year the wreath is beautiful, fragrant, and ready exactly as I imagined. And do you even know where the Advent wreath came from? What all those candles mean? How a simple circle of green branches became a symbol we can't imagine Advent without? No? Then settle in, and I'll tell you the story.
History of the Advent Wreath
When speaking of the Advent wreath, I can't overlook that its roots go back much further than it might seem at first glance, but at the same time, its "modern" form is relatively new, born from the need for a simple, meaningful ritual.
Beginnings with Johann Hinrich Wichern
In 1839, Lutheran pastor Johann Hinrich Wichern (1808 - 1881) came up with an idea that changed the wait for Christmas for the children in his mission school ("Rauhes Haus") in Hamburg. Because the children constantly asked, "When will it be Christmas?", Wichern took an old wooden wheel (a wagon wheel) and attached 24 candles to it: small red ones for weekdays and four large white ones for Advent Sundays. Every day of Advent, the children could light one small candle, and every Sunday a white one, visually counting down the days until Christmas while their anticipation grew. This wreath hung in the prayer room, and the effect? The children had something to reflect on, the waiting took a concrete form, and the light guided them more and more.
Evolution into Today's Form
Over time, the wreath tradition grew and changed. Around 1860, green needles (e.g., fir or spruce) began to be added to the wooden circle, giving the wreath the symbolism of eternity and constant life. The original large wreath with dozens of candles was simplified: today, most Advent wreaths have four candles, one for each week of Advent. Although it began as a Protestant initiative, the tradition quickly spread to Catholic areas; the first Advent wreath in a Catholic church was recorded in Cologne in 1925, and in Munich a few years later.
Symbolism and Historical Significance
• The circular shape of the wreath has no beginning or end, symbolizing eternity and God's infinite love.
• The needles used today added the symbol of everlasting life, even in winter and darkness.
• The candles Wichern used had a dual function: small red candles marked weekdays, large white candles marked Advent Sundays, making the wait visually and spiritually meaningful.
The Meaning of the Advent Wreath and Candles
Now, to what the wreath really means. Looking at its modern form, most of us imagine four candles, each with its own story and symbolism:
• The First Candle "Hope": Reminds us of the prophecy of the Messiah's coming; it is a symbol of expectation and faith.
• The Second Candle "Peace": Symbolizes love, readiness, and the inner peace that Advent brings.
• The Third Candle "Joy": Often pink, celebrates the joy of Jesus' approaching birth; it’s a slightly lighter week between the solemnity of the first two.
• The Fourth Candle "Love": Represents the light and peace that Christ brings to the world and our homes.
• Sometimes a "Christ Candle" is added to the center, lit on Christmas Eve to commemorate the birth of Jesus.
This symbolism arose from a combination of Wichern's pedagogical logic and Christian traditions; the light that gradually brightens was meant to show children—both visually and spiritually—that Christmas is near.
Paradeisl: The Austrian Predecessor
• It was made of greenery (fir or boxwood) and had a pyramid structure with four apples at the vertices.
• A candle was placed in each apple. In addition to candles, it was often decorated with dried fruit, nuts, and sweets.
• The Paradeisl was older than the modern Advent wreath and symbolized paradise, the Trinity, and reminded people that even in winter, life is still present.
The modern Advent wreath is essentially a continuation of the Paradeisl, just simplified into a circle, focusing on the four candles for the individual Sundays of Advent.
From the Past to Today
Today, we can prepare an Advent wreath in almost any way: minimalist, luxurious, natural, colorful, smelling of needles, spices, or citrus fruits. But the essence remains the same—the light that grows every Sunday, a symbol of hope, joy, and peace. That is why the Advent wreath is so powerful; it’s not just a decoration. It’s a small ritual that connects children's joy of anticipation with history reaching back to the 16th century, with Wichern's pedagogical idea, the Austrian Paradeisl, and even pagan roots of the winter solstice. When we light the first candle at home, it's not just a pretty picture. It's a living story that repeats in our families every year, bringing a bit of light into our own time of waiting.
In any case, in the article published on Monday, Christmas Traditions and Customs: The History of Christmas, you can read that the ancient Slavs, Celts, and Romans had predecessors of the Advent wreath during Saturnalia, with quite similar symbolism. It is interesting to see how ancient pagans honored the Christmas season as the winter solstice. Later, to gain influence while preserving popular customs, the church adopted some pagan traditions into the Christian concept of Christmas. Today, even if not as many people are believers, it depends on where they live and the family they grew up in. This tradition has settled in with atheists too; for some, it represents the symbolism of faith and connection to Jesus Christ, for others a reminder of ancient winter solstice customs, or just a traditional part of the home without a religious overlap—a symbol of counting down the days to Christmas, the expectation of something kind and loving. And with the fourth lit candle comes the time when the family meets at one table. The Advent wreath is not just about faith in God, but about traditions that we should preserve for the future. After all, it is beautiful and it's not commercial madness. What about you? Do you buy or make your Advent wreaths? Take a photo of your wreath—whether bought, gifted, or handmade—and share it on Instagram as a post with the hashtag #vanocesbobisem so we can admire them and gather inspiration for the coming years.
I wish you a beautiful day and when it gets dark, light the first candle on your wreath, relax with a fairy tale or your favorite show, and let the wait for Christmas fill you with peace. With every lit candle, the time is closer and closer.
I wish you a beautiful rest of the first Sunday of Advent, full of hope for better tomorrows and time with your loved ones, free from wars and illnesses. Have a wonderful and pleasant rest of the day!
