Advent is the season in the Christian liturgical calendar that leads up to Christmas. The word “advent” comes from the Latin word “adventus” which means “coming.” Advent begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas and lasts for four Sundays, ending on Christmas Eve. Advent commemorates the anticipation and arrival of the birth of Jesus Christ, the Messiah and Savior of the world. It is a time of spiritual preparation for the celebration of the Nativity of Jesus at Christmas.
The theme of Advent is hope and expectation as Christians look forward to celebrating the first coming of Jesus Christ at Christmas and anticipate the second coming of Christ in the future. It is a time to remember the Israelites’ longing for a Messiah and our own longing for, and need of, forgiveness, salvation and a new beginning. Advent helps orient us to the heart of the Christmas season, Jesus Christ. It invites us to experience the mystery of God’s coming to earth in human form to save humanity from sin and death.
History of Advent
The season of Advent has been observed for centuries, although the details and emphasis have changed over time. In the early church, Advent was a 40-day time of preparation and fasting leading up to Epiphany, the celebration of Jesus’ baptism on January 6th. By the 6th century, Roman Christians had tied Advent to the coming of Christ at Christmas, shortening the season to four weeks long. The liturgical color for Advent is purple or blue, symbolizing royalty and penitence.
Over the centuries, Advent has been a time for Christians to prepare spiritually for Christmas through practices like prayer, Scripture reading, and confession. Many church services today continue to focus on Christ’s coming, featuring readings from the prophets and lighting Advent candles. The third Sunday of Advent is called Gaudete Sunday, from the Latin word for “rejoice.” On this day, pink or rose candles are lit to signify joy as the anticipation of Christmas builds.
Advent Wreath
A central symbol of Advent is the Advent wreath, a circular evergreen wreath with four candles. One candle is lit each Sunday of Advent, culminating in the lighting of all four candles on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. The gradual lighting of the candles represents the increasing light of Christ coming into the world. The Advent wreath originated among German Lutherans in the 16th century as a home devotional practice, using evergreen branches to signify the hope of eternal life in the midst of winter.
The four candles on an Advent wreath often have specific meanings:
- 1st Sunday of Advent: The Prophecy Candle or The Candle of Hope
- 2nd Sunday of Advent: The Bethlehem Candle or The Candle of Preparation
- 3rd Sunday of Advent: The Shepherd’s Candle or The Candle of Joy
- 4th Sunday of Advent: The Angel’s Candle or The Candle of Love
A fifth white candle in the center is lit on Christmas Day and represents the arrival of Christ the Light of the World. The circular wreath represents God’s never-ending love and the eternal life He makes possible.
Advent Scripture Themes
Each week of Advent has a particular scriptural theme that anticipates the coming of the Christ child at Christmas:
- Week 1: Hope and longing for the Messiah, pointing to Old Testament prophecies about the Savior. (Isaiah 7:14, Isaiah 40:1-5, Jeremiah 33:14-16)
- Week 2: Preparing the way for the coming of Jesus, remembering John the Baptist’s call to repentance. (Luke 1:67-79, Luke 3:1-18, Malachi 3:1-4)
- Week 3: Joy and rejoicing as the arrival of Christ draws near. (Luke 1:46-55, Zephaniah 3:14-20, Philippians 4:4-7)
- Week 4: The light that has come into the world through the birth of Jesus. (Luke 2:1-7, John 1:1-14, John 8:12)
These biblical themes help orient our hearts and minds to the true meaning of Christmas – celebrating the incarnation of God’s Son Jesus Christ as the promised Messiah and Savior.
Advent Traditions and Practices
There are many traditional practices that Christians have developed to observe the season of Advent. Here are some of the most common ways Advent is celebrated:
- Advent calendars: Special calendars used to count down the days until Christmas, often containing small gifts, candies or Scripture verses behind each door.
- Advent wreaths: As described above, a wreath of evergreens with four candles marking each week of Advent before Christmas.
- Lighting Advent candles: Some traditions focus on lighting an Advent candle each day of December until Christmas Eve.
- Displaying Christmas trees and decorations: Many families and churches erect and decorate Christmas trees and nativity scenes during Advent while waiting for Christmas.
- Prayers and devotions: Special Scripture readings, prayers, and devotionals are used during Advent to guide reflection and prayer.
- Fasting: In some traditions, fasting is still observed during Advent as a way to purify oneself spiritually.
- Celebrating Saint Nicholas Day: December 6th honors the 4th century bishop known for his generosity and care for children.
- Gathering gifts for charity: Often called Advent Conspiracy, a trend to use the Advent season to bless others in need.
However it’s observed, the purpose of any Advent tradition should be to direct our attention to Jesus in hopeful anticipation of His coming at Christmas and one day in final victory.
The Jesse Tree
Another traditional Advent custom practiced by families is creating a Jesse Tree to tell the story of God’s salvation plan from creation to the birth of Jesus. This custom gets its name from Isaiah 11:1 – “A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.” Jesse was the father of David in the Old Testament.
The Jesse Tree tells this continuing narrative by decorating a tree with various symbols representing key people, prophecies and events leading up to the arrival of the promised Messiah. Simple ornaments, paper symbols or homemade crafts can be used to depict Adam and Eve, Noah, the Israelite patriarchs, the prophets, Mary and Joseph, the Bethlehem manger and more. The ornaments are added over the days of Advent, reminding us of God’s faithfulness across history.
Themes of Advent
In addition to the scriptural themes for each week described above, these are some of the overarching spiritual themes and emphases of the Advent season:
- Hope: Advent kindles a spirit of hope as we look forward to the celebration of Christ’s birth at Christmas and one day His return.
- Preparation: Self-reflection and preparation of our hearts inspires us to welcome Christ anew into our lives.
- Promise: We remember God’s faithfulness in fulfilling His promises, and Christ as the fulfillment of God’s promises.
- Longing: Old Testament prophecies and longings find their ultimate resolution and meaning in the Messiah, the incarnate Christ.
- Light: The light of the world who is Jesus Christ coming to scatter the darkness of sin and death.
- Joy: The joyous anticipation of celebrating the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Advent ultimately directs our gaze to Jesus Himself. It provides a time to ready our hearts to receive Christ anew as we ponder the miracle of the Word made flesh who came to dwell among us, full of grace and truth.
Advent in Other Christian Traditions
While Advent is most widely observed in the Catholic and Anglican/Episcopal churches as well as among Lutherans and Methodists, other Christian groups have their own traditions for recognizing Advent:
- Eastern Orthodox: Advent lasts for 40 days and begins on November 15th. It focuses on fasting and preparation for Christ’s coming.
- Presbyterian: The emphasis is on the light of Christ coming into the world. A central Advent symbol is the Chrismon tree decorated only with monograms and symbols for Christ.
- Reformed: Advent is not officially observed, but anticipation of Christmas is a central focus during December Sundays.
- Baptist: Special observance is left up to individual congregations. Some follow liturgical traditions while many focus only on Christmas Sunday.
While specific practices vary, all traditions agree that Advent directs our hearts and minds to reflect on the amazing gift of God’s Son our Savior and the joy of Christmas celebrations to come.
Advent’s Call to Bring Hope
Amid the busyness of the holiday season, Advent calls us to pause and remember what we’re truly preparing for – the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. It brings a spirit of hopeful anticipation that God is still at work among us. Just as the ancient Israelites and prophets waited for the Messiah, we also wait for Christ’s return, the fulfillment of all God’s promises.
The Advent and Christmas season is an opportunity for outreach and service in our communities. Many churches and ministries seek to bring hope to those who are homeless, in poverty or simply lonely during the holidays through special concerts, meals and gift-giving. Whether through organized programs or individual acts of generosity, Advent can inspire us to share the light and salvation we have received through Jesus Christ.
Advent reminds us that there is hope in Christ. As we reflect on God’s faithfulness to His promises and eagerly await the joyful celebration of Christ’s birth, we also renew our commitment to sharing the hope of Jesus with a world still waiting for light to dawn.