Advent

Advent is the liturgical season before Christmas. In most western churches, Advent begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas—so it can begin as early as November 27^th or as late as December 3^rd, depending on what day of the week Christmas falls on. This year, Advent begins today, Sunday, November 29^th.

Eastern Christian churches celebrate the Nativity Fast leading up to Christmas, but the Nativity Fast is different from Advent in both length and customs.

“Advent” comes from the Latin, adventus, meaning “coming” or “arrival.” The original Greek word which this translates is Parousia, which refers to Christ’s Second Coming. Thus, the season of Advent looks forward to the coming of the Christ child at Christmas, but also to Christ’s Second Coming. Advent is a time of preparation for Christmas and for Christ’s Second Coming, and also celebrates Christ’s coming into the heart of every Christian.

The origins of Advent are a mystery, although it dates from an early time in Christian history, being well established by 480 A.D. In those early centuries, fasting was part of Advent. Most Christians fasted three days a week, but some—particularly, monks—fasted every day. By the 13^th century fasting had become uncommon, and it is no longer practiced as part of Advent in most western churches. Eastern churches still observe fasting as part of the Nativity Fast, which lasts for the forty days before Christmas. However, this fasting generally involves abstention from certain foods, such as meat and dairy products, rather than a complete fast from all foods.

In the Roman Catholic Church, violet is considered the appropriate color for Advent, but some Protestant denominations have switched to blue because it is considered a less solemn and more hopeful color.

Many western churches celebrate Advent with an Advent wreath, which originated in Germany in 1839, when a Lutheran pastor named Johann Hinrich Wichern used a cart wheel as a way to help children anticipate, and wait for, Christmas. Pastor Wichern set candles around the edge of the wheel, with red candles representing each day of the week except Sunday, and four large white candles for each of the Sundays in Advent. Every day he would light a candle to help the children visualize the approach of Christmas.

Now the typical Advent wreath consists of just the four Sunday candles set in a wreath of evergreen branches and pine cones. What these candles symbolize varies depending on the particular traditions of each individual church or denomination. For example, some consider the four candles to be symbolic of the prophets, the Bible, Jesus’ mother Mary, and John the Baptist. Another view sees the four candles as symbolizing hope, faith, joy, and peace.

Some churches add a fifth candle in the middle of the wreath—the Christ candle—which is lit on Christmas Eve. The colors of the candles can vary, but one common color scheme has three violet candles, one pink candle, and a white Christ candle.

People—and especially children—sometimes use an Advent calendar to help them mark off the days until Christmas. The earliest Advent calendars were handmade and date from the mid-19^th century. By the early 20^th century they were being mass produced. The most common Advent calendars in the United States are probably those made of paper or cardboard, with “windows” that can be opened on each day of Advent to reveal images such as Christmas scenes, biblical stories, or winter landscapes. However, a quick internet search will reveal an almost endless variety of Advent calendars, many of which now have a secular theme, such as a sports team, beauty products, or chocolate. Instead of an Advent calendar, some European countries count down to Christmas using a wreath with boxes or bags hanging from it, each of which contains a small present for that day.