Advent Calendar December 3rd 2006
|
Advent meaning 'the coming', is a month full of expectation,
anticipation and preparation for the winter solstice/Yule/Christmas - enjoy the anticipation by opening our online advent calendar every day during December Advent calendar
Today is the first Sunday of Advent and traditionally you light the first candle in your Advent wreath today - a circular evergreen wreath with four candles in it and one in the centre. Each candle in the wreath represents one of the four Sundays of Advent, (3 purple or red, and a rose candle on the 3rd Sunday) with a fifth candle (white) to be lit on Christmas day. The first candle is traditionally the candle of Expectation or Hope. The second candle is for Love, the third candle stands for Joy, and the final candle is lit on the final Sunday of Advent for Peace. |
|
 Advent wreath In the 5th Century Advent began on St Martin's Day -11th November and entailed a six week fast leading up to the Christmas celebrations. During the 6th Century, Advent was reduced to four weeks with no fasting. Our ancestors used wreathes with lit candles during the dark December days as a sign of hope, as they looked forward to the winter solstice and the lengthening of the days, and the return of the life-giving sun. In Scandinavia lighted candles were placed around a wheel instead of a wreath, and prayers were offered to the god of light to turn the wheel of life towards the sun. yesterday's pic |