| Candles and religion have gone hand in hand for | | | | 2. Pop on the ring of evergreens and secure it with |
| centuries. Even after the invention of light bulb, | | | | floral wire for safety. |
| churches around the world still light candles for the | | | | 3. Place the four candles in each holder. |
| services. Candles have for centuries been used to | | | | 4. Place the white pillar candle in the center of the |
| mark special occasions and Advent is no different. | | | | ring. |
| In fact, Advent is so connected with candles that | | | | And there you have an Advent wreath. See, I wasn't |
| the Advent wreath has 4 candles and some have a | | | | lying when I said that it was fast and simple. Of |
| fifth candle in the center. Each candle has a special | | | | course, if you decide to make your own evergreen |
| meaning and each one needs to be lit on a certain | | | | ring there are a few steps that you need to do, |
| day. | | | | which I have gone over below. |
| Advent is known as the season when the King is | | | | 1. Take out the candle holder ring and remove any of |
| coming. For this reason, purple has been the | | | | the tags from the store. |
| traditional color that is used for the Advent wreath | | | | 2. Arrange the evergreen branches around the holder. |
| since purple is considered the color of royalty. On an | | | | Make sure that they cover it completely and you like |
| interesting note, purple was chosen as a royal color | | | | the design. |
| simply because the dye was one of the most | | | | 3. Take the floral wire and attach the evergreens to |
| expensive dies available. | | | | the candle ring. The best way to do this is to find a |
| But back to the Advent wreath, which has 3 purple | | | | start point for each sprig of evergreen. So at the |
| candles and one rose colored candle. Each candle | | | | first candle holder, tie on the end of the evergreen |
| represents a countdown to the coming of the King | | | | sprig. Leave that sprig and move onto the next |
| and it also has a symbolic meaning. The first purple | | | | holder, tying on another sprig of evergreen to the |
| candle means Hope. The second purple candle means | | | | next holder and so on until you have four sprigs |
| Love. The third candle that you light is the rose | | | | hanging out from each of the holders. |
| colored candle and it means Joy. And finally, the | | | | 4. Next, secure one of the evergreen sprigs in the |
| fourth candle and third purple one means peace. The | | | | middle between two holders, move to the next sprig |
| candle that rests in the center of the Advent wreath | | | | and repeat until you have secured them all. |
| should be white and it represents Christmas Day. The | | | | 5. Lastly, secure as close to the tip as you can while |
| fifth candle is completely optional. | | | | still maintaining a nice look to the ring. Repeat until all |
| Okay, you are probably sick of this little history | | | | the sprigs are attached. |
| lesson, or would that be religious lesson and you | | | | 6. Add more sprigs of evergreens to spots that need |
| probably want to get to the main focus of this | | | | them. |
| article, to make an Advent Wreath of your own. Like | | | | 7. Place the four candles in each holder. |
| all my crafts, this candle craft can be very easy to | | | | 8. Place the white pillar candle in the center of the |
| do and requires very little know how before you | | | | ring. |
| begin. | | | | When you use your Advent wreath, you will light a |
| What you need:o Three Purple Taper Candleso One | | | | purple candle on the first Sunday of Advent, the |
| Rose (pink) Taper Candleo One White Pillar Candle | | | | second Sunday of Advent you will light two purple |
| (optional)o A candle holder ring (the wire frame type | | | | candles; the one you already lit the week before and |
| that is used for floral arrangements)o A ring of | | | | the second one. The third Sunday of Advent, you will |
| evergreens that will fit the ring (you can use fresh or | | | | light the two previous candles as well as the rose |
| fake)o Floral Wire | | | | candle, and on the fourth Sunday, you will light all the |
| - Optional: You can make the evergreen ring yourself | | | | candles except the white one. The candle in the |
| but you will need | | | | center represents Christmas so you don't light it until |
| - Fresh Evergreen branches | | | | Christmas Day. |
| - Floral Wire | | | | Now you have an Advent wreath that everyone will |
| Directions: | | | | want and you will find yourself making some last |
| 1. Take out the candle holder ring and remove any of | | | | minute Advent wreaths for gifts. |
| the tags from the store. | | | | |