In short: Advent is the season of preparation for Christmas. It begins on the fourth Sunday before 25 December, which in 2026 is 29 November, and lasts until 24 December. The word comes from the Latin “adventus”, “arrival”. Typical are the Advent wreath with four candles, Barbara branches, the Advent calendar and the celebration of St Nicholas on 6 December.
Many of us know Advent mainly as stress from appointments and shopping. It is actually meant to be a quiet time: you wait, you become still, and you prepare for God becoming man in Jesus. This article explains where the customs come from, what they mean and how you can live them in everyday life.
What does Advent mean?
“Advent” means “arrival”. In the Church people wait for two arrivals: the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem, which Christmas recalls, and his return at the end of time. Advent opens the Church year. The liturgical colour is violet, the colour of reflection and conversion. Advent used to be a season of fasting; today it has become above all a time of pausing.
When is Advent in 2026?
The first Sunday of Advent falls on 29 November in 2026. Then follow the second Sunday of Advent on 6 December, the third on 13 December and the fourth on 20 December. Christmas Eve is on Thursday, 24 December. The fourth Sunday of Advent is therefore just four days before the feast.
The Advent wreath: origin and meaning
The Advent wreath is a young custom. It goes back to the Protestant theologian Johann Hinrich Wichern, who in 1839 lived in Hamburg with children in the “Rauhes Haus”. According to tradition he set up a cartwheel with candles so that the children could count the days until Christmas. The fir branches were added later.
The symbolism is simple and lovely:
- The circle has no beginning and no end and stands for God’s faithfulness.
- The evergreen stands for hope and life in the middle of winter.
- The four candles count the Sundays. With each one it gets brighter, because the light of Christmas is coming closer.
Often three candles are violet and one is pink. The pink one is lit on the third Sunday of Advent, “Gaudete” Sunday (“Rejoice”). On that day the tone of the season becomes a little more cheerful.
Other customs in Advent
The Advent calendar
Like the wreath, it counts the days. The first paper calendars appeared in the early 20th century. A lovely ritual: open one little door each day and read a short Bible verse or a prayer with it.
Barbara branches on 4 December
On the feast day of St Barbara, people cut branches of cherry or forsythia and put them in a vase. If they bloom by Christmas, this is regarded as a sign of luck and life. A simple custom that children like.
St Nicholas on 6 December
Bishop Nicholas of Myra is known as a great helper and bringer of gifts. You will find everything about his story and about small gifts in our article St Nicholas.
Rorate Masses
In many parishes there are early-morning Rorate services by candlelight in Advent. The name comes from the opening verse “Rorate caeli”, “Drop down, ye heavens”. They are a quiet opportunity to begin the day with silence.
The crib grows
In some families the crib is set up already in Advent, but the Child Jesus is only placed in it on Christmas Eve. That brings expectation into the home.
Living Advent in everyday life: five simple ideas
- Light a candle every Sunday and sing a short song or read out a sentence.
- Create a fixed place for silence, for example ten minutes in the evening without a screen.
- Share something: a donation, a visit or a letter to someone who is alone.
- Choose Christmas decorations with care: a pendant with a nativity motif in the window tells the story without a word.
- Take gift-giving calmly: if you plan early, you will have more time in December.
What the Church reads in the four weeks
Each Sunday of Advent has its own emphasis. On the first Sunday it is about staying awake: “Watch therefore”, says the Gospel, for nobody knows the day of the arrival. On the second and third Sundays John the Baptist appears. In the wilderness he calls on people to prepare the way of the Lord and to turn back. On the fourth Sunday, Mary moves into the centre, the angel’s message and her yes. If you want to mark the season consciously, you can take these themes as a guide: first wake up, then tidy up, then allow joy, and in the end learn trust.
Advent with children
Children experience Advent above all through rituals. They do not have to be elaborate:
- A fixed time in the evening when the candle is lit and a short story is read aloud.
- A star or angel that moves one step closer to the crib each week.
- Baking biscuits together and giving some of them to neighbours.
- Writing a letter to the Christkind (the Christ Child) and mentioning something to be grateful for as well.
That way children learn that the weeks before Christmas do not consist only of wishes, but of waiting, sharing and anticipation.
Jewellery and gifts with an Advent theme
What suits the season well are olive wood pendants with Christmas motifs: they can be hung on the wreath, the tree or the window and make a small gift for the Advent party.
- Olive wood Holy Family pendant (€9.90, blessed)
- Bell pendant with nativity scene (€9.90, blessed)
- Three Kings bell pendant (€9.90)
- Olive wood angel pendant (€9.90, blessed)
You will find all the motifs in the olive wood Christmas decorations collection. More ideas for Christmas in the article Christian Christmas gifts: 20 meaningful ideas. A Catholic priest from the Diocese of Fulda blesses many of our items in our warehouse, and a certificate with the date is enclosed. Shipped via Amazon's logistics network – free within Germany, €5.90 to Austria and France; Italy €6.90, Spain €6.90.
Frequently asked questions
When does Advent begin in 2026?
On Sunday, 29 November 2026. It ends with Christmas Eve on 24 December.
What colours are the Advent candles?
Traditionally three violet candles and one pink one. The pink candle is lit on the third Sunday of Advent. There are also red or white wreaths, though; it is a matter of taste.
What does the word Advent mean?
It comes from the Latin “adventus” and means “arrival”. What is meant is the arrival of Jesus, both in his birth and at the end of time.
Since when has there been an Advent wreath?
The first Advent wreath goes back to the year 1839 and is attributed to the theologian Johann Hinrich Wichern in Hamburg. The custom spread in the 20th century.
What is the difference between Advent and Christmas?
Advent is the season of preparation and ends on 24 December. With Christmas Eve the Christmas season begins, which in the Catholic Church lasts until the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord.
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