What is Advent?

If you have grown up in a Christian church, you probably have heard of the Advent season. Depending on your specific Christian denomination, you may or may not formally celebrate or observe Advent. However, this season can be a meaningful time for all of us Believers! Whether you are a devout Catholic, Lutheran, or a charismatic Pentecostal, the Advent season can be a time of deep reflection, anticipation, and preparation for all who choose to partake.

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“God of hope, I look to you with an open heart and yearning spirit. During this Advent season, I will keep alert and awake, listening for your word and keeping to your precepts. My hope is in you.”

Matthew Kelly

Many other resources provide greater detail and depth about Advent than we will discuss in this post. We will provide several links here in this article that you can check out if you want to go deeper! Do you want to know the basics? Then you are in the right place. In this post, you will learn the history of the Advent season and traditions and some reasons you may want to celebrate it intentionally.

What is Advent?

Let’s start with the basics. The Advent season begins the fourth Sunday before Christmas Day and goes until Christmas. The first day is also the beginning of the Church calendar or the Liturgical Calendar. What is the Liturgical Calendar? It is the calendar that many protestant denominations look to, which follows the birth, life, and resurrection of Jesus.

The first day is not only significant because it is the beginning of the Liturgical Calendar, but it also begins the four-week period of preparation in the anticipation of the coming of Christ.

What is the History of Advent?

This history of Advent is somewhat unclear amongst most scholars. However, it is commonly agreed upon that it was set after December 25th was determined as Christmas Day. We understand this is controversial, so I talk about the debate over Christmas Day later in this post.

Many scholars believe the start of advent began as early as the 4th and 5th centuries. Originally it was a time of fasting and prayer for new Christians.

According to the Gospel Coalition, and many scholars agree, “the first written evidence of Advent is found in modern Spain and Europe (Hispania and Gaul).” Advent comes from the Latin word adventus which is based on the Greek word parousia—a word used for both the coming of Christ in human flesh and his Second Coming. Because it is a time of remembering Christ’s birth and also anticipating His Second Coming, Advent traditionally focuses on both.

The History of the Wreath and Candles

Traditional symbols of observing Advent include the lighting of candles and a wreath. The wreath first appeared in Germany in 1839. A Lutheran minister created a wreath out of the wheel of a cart. He placed 20 red candles all around the wreath, enough for one to be lit every weekday during Advent. He then placed four white candles in the center to be lit on the four Sundays leading up to Christmas.

German immigrants eventually brought the wreath to the Americas in the 20th century, and the wreath remains one of the most common Advent traditions today.

There is a lot of symbolism in today’s Advent wreath.

The evergreens used in today’s wreaths represent everlasting life. The holly leaves and berries represent the crown of thorns and blood. And the pine cones symbolize the resurrection of Christ. (The People’s Friend Online).

The candles can be a variety of colors, with the most popular being light purple for weeks one, two, and four and light pink or rose for week three. Each week represents something different. Week one is faith, two is hope, three is joy, and week four is peace.

Many include a white candle at the center. The white candle symbolizes the purity of Christ, and that He is the light of the world. The candles are traditionally lit at dinner after blessing the food. In our post on Advent traditions, we share specific prayers that can be read each week when the candles are lit.

Should I observe or celebrate Advent?

Among Christians, there is much-heated debate on whether Jesus was born on December 25th. There is an even greater debate that is happening about whether or not Christians should celebrate Christmas at all because many of its western world traditions stem from paganism and pagan beliefs. We are not going to dive into this great debate here on this post. Our greatest concern here at Legacy Roots Co is to support you in growing your roots deeper in Christ.

If celebrating Christmas is a traditional way that you honor the birth of Christ and grow your faith deeper, then we are all for it!

However, if you sense that the Lord is convicting you not to celebrate Christmas (because of pagan traditions and history), then we respect your decision to be obedient to Him and His convictions.

Whether or not you “celebrate” Christmas, the Advent season can truly be a special, set-aside time for you and your family to intentionally slow down and go deeper in your roots in Christ.

There are some traditions that are typically honored by many Christian churches during the Advent season. We will share these long-lasting traditions, which include the Advent candles, wreaths, and calendar. In another post, we share 10 of our favorite family Advent traditions! You can incorporate these traditions into your family life this season to make this time of year meaningful. You can check out that article HERE.

Why is Advent Important?

Advent is the season of remembrance and anticipation. We remember Jesus Christ coming to earth and fulfilling the prophecies, and we wait with anticipation of His second coming in the future. By celebrating this season, we are intentionally living in this dualism.

Other Helpful Resources

10 Meaningful Advent Traditions for You and Your Family

Advent Word Study Guide from the Bible Project

Daily Devotion: 28 Days of Advent Reflections

Book: Watch for the Light: Readings for Advent and Christmas

The Liturgical Calendar

The History of the Advent Wreath