How to Celebrate Advent: The History, Symbolism, and Traditions of Advent
As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, I’ve noticed a rise in celebrating traditional liturgical seasons, especially in evangelical circles, who generally have stopped observing the church year. Advent is one of the seasons that I’ve noticed become more prominent lately, and for that I am glad! It is a beautiful season of expectation as we look forward to Christ’s coming – both at Christmas and his second coming at the end of time! This post will give you some background information on the history of the season, some prominent symbolism and traditions, as well as suggestions on how to celebrate Advent today!
What Is Advent and When Is It Celebrated?
Advent begins four Sundays before Christmas. While our secular calendar likes to extend Christmas ahead of December 25th, this is actually the season of Advent in the church year. Advent is a season of anticipation looking forward to Christ’s coming incarnation. This period of waiting is much like the one we are actively in as we wait for His second coming (which is also an aspect that is celebrated in Advent).
The four weeks prior to December 25 is the season of Advent, which is a time when we prepare for the incarnation of Jesus at His birth and look forward to His second coming at the end times.
The History of Advent
The season of Advent has a long and rich history in the Christian church. The word “Advent” first was used around 300 AD and means “coming.” It is a time where we look forward not only to Jesus’ birth, but also to his second coming. The season of Advent begins four Sundays before Christmas and ends on Christmas Day.
Two prominent traditions during Advent are Advent wreaths and Advent calendars. The Advent calendar in your hands takes some traditions of both.
The first use of the Advent wreath is attributed to a German Lutheran pastor who, in 1839, was serving in a mission with underprivileged children. The children frequently asked him when Christmas was coming, so he created an Advent wreath out of a wagon wheel. He put 24 candles along the edge of the wheel; 20 of these were red, and 4 were white. The four white candles were lit on each Sunday during Advent, and the red candles were lit each day of the week after.
Advent calendars were also first used by German Lutherans in the 19th century. These differ from Advent wreaths in many respects; the most prominent difference is that Advent calendars mark each day of Advent, rather than just the start of each week. Typically, Advent calendars start on December 1 (rather than the start of Advent, which varies) and have 24 or 25 doors that contain a gift, chocolate, Bible passage, prayer, or devotional.
Advent Symbolism
Today, most Advent wreaths have done away with the red candles and just feature four candles on an evergreen wreath, three of which are purple, and one of which is pink. The candles are lit each Sunday during Advent, and each subsequent week an additional candle is lit. There is also typically a fifth candle (which is white) placed in the middle of the wreath to be lit on Christmas Day. Each candle of the Advent wreath has its own significance and symbolism.
The first candle is the Prophecy Candle and represents the hope the prophets had in the coming Savior promised to them. The second candle represents faith and is called the Bethlehem Candle, as Christ was to be born in Bethlehem. The third candle, which is pink, is the Shepherds Candle. The pink color also represents the joy the shepherds had when the angels announced Jesus was born. The fourth candle represents peace, and is called the Angel’s Candle, as they proclaimed “peace on earth and goodwill toward men.” Finally, the fifth candle is the Christ Candle, and represents the birth of Christ.
Celebrating Advent Today
So what makes Christmas different from Advent? How do we make the two distinct and meaningful? For one, Advent is a season of anticipation looking forward to Christ’s coming incarnation. This period of waiting is much like the one we are actively in as we wait for His second coming (which is also an aspect that is celebrated in Advent). In contrast, Christmas celebrates the fact that Christ has come in the flesh as the Savior of the world – God became flesh and dwells among us.
In our celebrations, one way to keep Advent and Christmas distinct is by learning about which songs or carols are actually Advent carols and which are Christmas carols. In today’s culture, these are blurred together and sung all season long. When you focus on the lyrics, however, it’s very apparent that Advent carols focus on anticipation and Christmas carols focus on Jesus having come.
Other ways to differentiate between Advent and Christmas include saving a special decoration until Christmas Eve (such as lights, a wreath, or your tree topper), waiting to add Jesus to your nativity until Christmas Day, and using an Advent Wreath and lighting the center Christ Candle during Christmastide.
I hope this post has given you some ideas for how to celebrate Advent in your own home this season. If you are interested in more resources concerning the church year, check out my Church Year Resources in my shop! I currently have guides and kits for Advent, Christmas, and Lent/Easter.
