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Cici
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| Posted: Oct 17 2006 at 1:52pm | IP Logged
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I know I know. EARLY! But Dawn started it!!
I bought the supplies today and I'm planning on making the wreath sometime mid-November (too much sooner and I'll have dd asking every other day if we can light it  ).
But, I've never used one before (didn't grow up Catholic). Internet searches found: light the corresponding number of candles a night (one, two, three, four) during each week. That's it? Just light the candles?
When does your family light the candles? Do you say a prayer? Read from the Bible? Trying to get set up here to do a "proper" Advent.
Thanks
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MichelleW
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We light the candles on Sundays just before lunch and do a reading. I have the readings we do typed up in a WordPerfect document if you want them. We light, read, pray and eat.
Michelle
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Mary G
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There are prayers you can say each night, which change each week. We grew up with the Advent Wreath -- always 3 purple candles and the third week is pink (for joy). On Christmas Eve, we burn the candles all the way down. On Christmas and the octave, we light a white candle in the center....
Your parish will probably have a booklet available or you can check your local Catholic bookstore. Here's a book from Ignatius Press that would really help you do Advent up right: Advent, Christmas and the Epiphany in the Domestic Church -- they've got prayers for candle-lighting, crafts, recipes and various ideas for the whole wonderful season.
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Christine
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We light our Advent wreath each night before dinner, say the corresponding prayers, and read the bible verse mentioned. The Advent wreath stays lit during dinner. The children snuff the candles after we say Grace after Meals. On the first Sunday of Advent, we light one purple candle. The second Sunday, we light two purple candles. The third Sunday, we light two purple and one pink. The fourth Sunday, we light the three purple and the one pink.
Due to the fact that we leave our wreath lit throughout dinner, we go through two sets of Advent candles during the season of Advent.
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marihalojen
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Here is a Blessing and Prayers for Advent Wreath that seems to be very similar to the one we recite each year.
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Angel
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We light our candles every night before dinner. They stay burning through dinner and we snuff them when we are done eating. On each Sunday we light a new candle of the proper color.
A (sort of) funny story about our advent wreath: when we lived in Missouri, one of the neighbor girls -- about age 5 and an evangelical Protestant -- came over to our house and saw the wreath sitting on the table, unlit. She turned to my daughter (also age 5 at the time) with round eyes and said, "Are you *Jewish*???"
As another aside, does anyone know a good online source for candles for the wreath? In St. Louis, we got our candles at our local Catholic store, but... there isn't a store for a looooong distance here.
--Angela
Mom to 3+2 
Three Plus Two
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organiclilac
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Quote:
As another aside, does anyone know a good online source for candles for the wreath? In St. Louis, we got our candles at our local Catholic store, but... there isn't a store for a looooong distance here.
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I have seen Advent candles at craft stores like Michaels and Hobby Lobby. I need to stock up too!
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JennGM
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\
That's the one we use. If you were wondering...these are the older Collect (opening prayer) Prayers for the weeks of Advent. Some people use the current opening prayers for their wreaths.
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teachingmom
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We move our family night prayers from the family room to the dining room table during the season of Advent, so that we can light the Advent wreath and have it burning during the entire family prayer time. We also change part of our prayer routine for Advent. We light the candle(s), sing a verse of O Come, O come, Emmanuel, read the scripture reading that goes along with that day's Jesse Tree ornament and place the ornament (from www.domestic-church.com -- look under Fridge Art) on our decorative ornament tree, and proceed with a shortened version of our normal family night prayers. We don't eat in our dining room except for company and special occasions, so we keep the table decorated for the Advent season and ready for our prayers with the Advent wreath, a large family Bible, and the Jesse Tree.
And as for where to get Advent candles, I often just buy 4 separate 12 inch taper candles - three purple and one pink -- at a craft store.
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MarieC
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This isn't my own idea...it read it somewhere (here?). Anyway, what we did was eat every evening by only the light of the Advent wreath. As Christmas neared the light grew brighter. The kids totally "got it".
The funny thing that happened was when I was babysitting my brother's children and I when I turned off the lights and lit the candles my nephew (who was 2 1/2) couldn't accept the no lights thing. He wasn't scared or anything, he just seemed to think we were kind of weird.
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MaryM
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I'm curious if anyone has introduced any variations into the more traditional Advent wreath (I don't mean variations in materials for looks only) - like additional symbols or extended uses beyond the Advent season. We don't and haven't in the past, but I was looking at the very unique and beautiful Advent wreath Jennifer made for the boat.
There was no specific mention of any symbolism in using those materials, but what struck me most immediately was the huge Christian symbolism of the shells. First as a symbol of Pilgrimage what a fitting connection to our Advent pilgrimage on which we "travel" in preparation for the feast of Christmas.
Then there is the symbolic connection of the shell to baptism. A wreath like this would be perfect to pullout again at the end of the Christmas season to be used on the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord.
So back to my original question - has anyone done (or does anyone have ideas for) symbolic wreath variations either during Advent or in the Christmss season? I know some people change out white for the purple and pink at Christmas or add the Christ candle in the middle. What about gold candles for Epiphany? Or piling stones around it for Feast of Stephen? Or rosemary interspersed in the evergreen surrounding the candles?
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JennGM
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MaryM wrote:
| So back to my original question - has anyone done (or does anyone have ideas for) symbolic wreath variations either during Advent or in the Christmss season? I know some people change out white for the purple and pink at Christmas or add the Christ candle in the middle. What about gold candles for Epiphany? Or piling stones around it for Feast of Stephen? Or rosemary interspersed in the evergreen surrounding the candles? |
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Jennifer's wreath is lovely, and I love your point about the shells, Mary!
We use our wreath throughout both seasons. 3 purple and 1 pink, with purple trimming on the wreath (ours is a permagreen).
St. Nicholas Day I put his statue in the middle of the wreath.
Christmas Eve I change out the candles to red or white and red bows. I have this sweet statue of the infant Jesus I found similar to my mother's that I place in the middle of the wreath.
Epiphany we use gold candles.
We haven't introduced the Christ Candle, but that will be used later on with the wreath.
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MicheleQ
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I just got an e-mail from Illuminated Ink about their new Advent Candle Kit. I'm going to order it for next year as I really like beeswax candles.
I'm working on our wreath and Jesse tree right now (well not right now since I am here writing this). I just had my 17 yr. old cut me some pine sprigs from the tree out front and I am stitching O Come, O Come, Emmanuel on the table runner. Hopefully I can get it all done and ready before the baby decides to arrive.
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Ruth
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This is how we do our Advent wreath prayers:
Advent wreath
God bless. Ruth
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marihalojen
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MaryM, thank you for your kind comment on my blog and here too! I should have expanded more upon the symbolism of the wreath when we made it, not just the how-to's!
Marianna and I had a wonderful time in Shell World looking at all the different shells and talking of the symbolism behind various types, we had a thread here earlier showing St Bridget with shells on her cloak representing pilgrims, travel, pilgrimages and that led us to talk about how we can view Advent as a time of preparation, and pilgrims use the time of their pilgrimage to prepare themselves as well.
We chose the white scallops, even though she was awfully tempted by the vibrant dyed ones, as the color white is also symbolic of purity, cleanliness, innocence, reminding us of what we are striving for on the pilgrimage of Advent, to prepare for the arrival of Our Lord.
Finally, the greenery we used is Jasmine, symbolizing Hope.
Could someone elaborate why we would pile stones around it for Feast of Stephen? Didn't I read somewhere that the Feast of Stephen used to be in Advent and was moved to the summer?
I was thinking of those neat Frankinsece and Myrrh candles for the 12 days of Christmas...
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margot helene
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marihalojen wrote:
Could someone elaborate why we would pile stones around it for Feast of Stephen? Didn't I read somewhere that the Feast of Stephen used to be in Advent and was moved to the summer?
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St. Stephen's day has always been the day after Christmas.  He was martyred by being stoned, so that is why the pile of stones is used.
Margot
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MaryM
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Jennifer,
I'm so glad you elaborated on your symbolism. I think that is wonderful!
marihalojen wrote:
| Could someone elaborate why we would pile stones around it for Feast of Stephen? Didn't I read somewhere that the Feast of Stephen used to be in Advent and was moved to the summer? |
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Margot mentioned why I had thought of the stones for St.Stephen's Day. I believe the feast you were probably thinking of that used to be in Advent but got moved to summer was St. Thomas(going a-Thomasing).
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4Real Forums : Domestic Church
Topic: Advent Wreaths
