Did you find your Advent wreath and Advent candles, and that Advent wreath craft the kids made last year, but not the prayers that go with it? With Advent just around the corner, we wanted to offer you and your family this easy guide to praying as a family around your Advent wreath.
Advent Wreath Meaning
Even though this particular devotion didn’t start until many, many centuries after Christ, Advent wreaths are chock full of symbolism that reaches far beyond its origins, into the depths of the rich history of our Catholic faith.
The Circle
As you may have noticed, traditional Advent wreaths form a circle. This wreath – and every other wreath you see this Advent and Christmas – is a sign of the never-ending love of the Holy Trinity. When you look at it with your kids, remind them each time of God’s infinite love for them. Let them trace their fingers around and around it before you light the candles.
The Greenery
While not all Advent wreaths are made with pine branches and the like, a traditional Advent wreath is meant to be made from evergreen. Why? Because it’s another sign of God’s love for us. It never dies. Each different type of tree that’s used also communicate something about the nature of God and His relationship with us. Pine, holly, and yew remind us about the immortality of the Holy Trinity, while cedar is for strength and healing. Laurel is another staple for Advent wreaths, symbolizing victory over death. Together, these branches are all meant to send a message of hope.
The Candles And their order
The Advent candles for each of the four weeks hold their own meaning as well. The first purple candle is for hope, which just happens to be the theme of the 2025 Jubilee that begins in January. The second candle to light is another purple. This second purple candle represents peace. When you reach the third week of Advent, you get to light the rose, or pink candle, for joy. The final purple candle is for love. A fifth white candle can be placed in the middle for Christmas, and it represents Christ. What are hope, peace, joy, and love? Find mom reflections and printable banners in the links below. As you progress through the weeks of Advent, the candles are lit in counterclockwise direction. This, too, is meant to remind us that God’s time is different than ours. Even the light they bestow when lit offers us a sign of Christ’s Risen Life, which is the light we each receive at our Baptism.
Suggestions for your Advent wreath family devotion
When to pray
The Advent wreath devotion is meant to be a daily chance to reflect on God’s love for us, His plan of Salvation through Christ his Son, our littleness in the face of the loss of heaven in the Garden of Eden, and so much more. If you can spare 5 minutes every day at your breakfast, lunch, snack, or dinner table, it’s well worth the sacrifice and the struggle.
how to pray
Besides printing out the Advent wreath prayer, which also has a few suggestions in the margins, our families have benefited from singing The Advent Wreath song, or O Come, O Come Emmanuel while they take turns lighting and blowing out the candles. Candles get blown out immediately so that there are no accidents as we pass food back and forth along the table for dinner. It also offers a perfect opportunity to read some Scripture, preferably from the Gospel of the day, or from the corresponding Jesse Tree. You can also go through the various prophecies offered in the Old Testament about the coming of Christ. Depending on the reading levels of your kids, you can let them take turns being the one to read. It will help give them more ownership of their faith.
More Advent Resources
Tiny Advent Wreath craft
Mom reflections on Hope & Peace
Free Advent Countdown
Advent Prophecies
Bibliography
Besides regular, old cradle Catholic, well-formed knowledge, this post also used the following resources:
Mercy Home for Boys and Girls
Catechesis of the Good Shepherd formation notes
