"The Christian home is the place where children receive the first proclamation of the faith. For this reason the family home is rightly called the 'domestic church', a community of grace and prayer,a school of human virtues and of Christian charity" CCC 1666
A great way we can help our families prepare to celebrate the Birth of our Saviour is by creating an Advent wreath as a focus for family prayer. Gathering daily for the traditional lighting of the candles, and praying for Our Lord’s blessing on our families, our homes, and our society, will help make them a place of peace, love and hope.
A good time to do this is at mealtimes around the table, or in the evening before bedtime, but every family will have their own preference. You can buy a wreath or make your own as a family activity, perhaps with a trip to local parks or woodland to gather suitable evergreen branches, holly, etc. Have a look at the video below for ideas. You can buy a ready-made base for a wreath with candles in garden centres, home stores or online.
What the wreath represents:
Evergreen Foliage
The circle of the wreath which has no beginning or end, symbolizes the eternity of God (the Alpha and Omega). The evergreen is chosen as the base because God is the foundation of all good. Green is the colour that represents hope and new life.
Four Candles
Represent the four weeks of Advent. The first two purple candles symbolize Hope and Love respectively. The third candle (pink) symbolizes Joy. The fourth and last purple candle represents Peace. If you can't find coloured candles white ones will do just as well. The light of the candles signifies the light of Christ to mankind.
Each day your family can gather around the Advent wreath The proper number of candles are then lit and a prayer is said. You can access appropriate prayers here, however, you can compose your own, or use one of the many prayers that are available online (it can be good fun seeking these out with your children!). You could also sing a verse of the great Advent hymn, 'O Come, O Come, Emmanuel', maybe a different verse for each week, increasing the excitement even more!