Advent begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas day, or the Sunday which falls closest to November 30. Advent continues through Christmas Eve. When Christmas Eve falls on a Sunday, it is designated as the fourth Sunday of Advent.
The advent wreath consists of a circular wreath with four holes for the three purple tapers and one pink taper. On Christmas day, a free-standing white candle is placed in the middle.
The Advent Wreath The circle of the wreath represents Eternal Life and the Infinite Love of God, which has no beginning and no end.
To learn more about the history of Advent, click here.
Hide the Advent Wreath
Put the Advent wreath in a secret hiding place. Give each family member a flashlight. Turn off all the lights in the house. Everyone search for the wreath.
The Traveling Kings
Place the three kings from your crèche together in a different part of your house. For each day of Advent, bring them a little closer. On Christmas day, place them back in the crèche.
THE ADVENT KIT
Create your own box with everything you need for Advent. Store it away after all the other Christmas supplies in January, so it is right on top next November.
Grab one of those plastic boxes that have the flip open lids, that you can buy at hardware stores. Use a Sharpie to label the outside of it “ADVENT”. Collect the items below and place them in the box.
When Christmas is over and you are packing things away, put everything else away first, and the Advent Kit last. That way you can easily pull it out on the first Sunday of Advent next year.
Include:
Advent candles: 3 purple tapers, one pink, and one white one for the center of the wreath.
Matches (keep away from children)
The Advent wreath, a round evergreen wreath with four candle holders for the tapers.
Bible
Story Books
Notebook for Christmas Journal
Christmas CDs to play softly
Christmas song books
A True Christmas 