Advent Wreath-making workshop
Join Father Michael Reyes as he walks us through the steps to make your very own advent wreath.
On Saturday, November 28th at 2:30pm
We will be posting a list of supplies very soon, so you can be well-prepared. In addition, the live video will stay up on our website and Facebook. If you aren’t available that day, stop back another time to join in the fun.
HISTORY OF ADVENT WREATHS
The word “Advent” is from the Latin word “adventus”, meaning arrival or coming. The Advent season is a four-week journey to the Christmas event and is a time of quiet growth, eager preparation and joyful anticipation. The Advent wreath itself is an enduring celebration of hope. In olden days, when snowy roads became impassable, farmers would bring their wooden wheels inside and hang them up to keep them from warping. Some people even decorated them with greens or lights as a prayer of hope that the dark winter would soon become a brilliant spring.
MEANING IN ADVENT WREATHS
Our modern Advent wreath is still a symbol of hope, rich with Christian meaning:
- CIRCLE – We use a circle wreath that has no beginning and no end to remind us of God’s unending presence – God was, is and always will be. As a symbol of eternity, we are also reminded that there is no end to God’s love for us and no darkness that God’s light cannot penetrate.
- EVERGREENS – the wreath circle is covered with branches from an evergreen tree that remind us that all life comes from God and that even in the cold grips of winter, life survives in unexpected places.
- CANDLES – adorn the wreath and represent the light of Christ, who said “I am the Light of the World” and came to bring God’s light to all of us.
- COLORS – The traditional colors for Advent candles are purple or blue, which represent both penitence and the kingship of Christ. A pink/rose candle for the third week of Advent to represent joy (Gaudete Sunday). The optional large white candle in the middle is the Christ Candle and represents purity.
Below are three different options for wreaths for you to choose from. Fr. Michael Reyes will demonstrate all three: