Christmas wreath meaning (what it is, concept and definition)

What is Christmas wreath:

The Christmas wreath or Advent wreath is a Christian symbol that announces the course of the four weeks of Advent and the arrival of Christmas. It is characterized by being a crown made of pine or fir branches and having four candles.

The word advent is of Latin origin and means "coming", in this case it represents the coming of Jesus Christ in the Christian faith, which is celebrated four weeks before Christmas.

The origin of the Christmas wreath goes back to the pagan cults in northern Europe, in which it was customary to make a circle with branches, leaves and on which various candles were placed.

This circle represented the rebirth of nature after winter, it was a symbol of hope for the arrival of spring, as well as the continuous passing of the cycle of the seasons of the year.

Candles, meanwhile, were used to pay homage to the sun god and worship him as a symbol of life, so that he would not stop lighting the darkest and coldest days of the year, which in the northern hemisphere coincides with winter.

Later, after evangelization of large numbers of pagan peoples by Christians, they took and adapted the rite of the crown to explain the Christian faith and the meaning of Christmas. This is an example of the Christianization of other cultures.

In the Christian tradition, the circle reflects the cycle of the seasons, the branches and leaves symbolize nature, and the candles represent the origin and source of life through light.

How to make a Christmas wreath

To make a Christmas wreath you can follow different steps, since it will depend on the traditions and personal tastes of each individual. However, in general, they are usually elaborated as follows.

Step 1

Make a circle with pine or spruce branches. It can also be made with other materials such as felt, cardboard, recycling material, among others with which a circle can be made.

Step 2

The branches, in case they are not made of pine, can be made from paper, plastic, cardboard, fabric, among others.

Step 3

Once the circle is made, four candles are placed, generally they are three in white, red or purple. The candles will be lit, one each Sunday of Advent, during the time of prayer. There are those who place a fifth candle on the wreaths that is lit on Christmas Day.

Step 4

Other decorative objects that are customary to place on the Christmas wreath are a red ribbon or ribbon, garlands, Christmas flowers, fruits, even lights. These other decorative objects will depend on the taste and meaning that it has for each family.

Step 5

Once the Christmas wreath is made, it is placed in a place where it has stability and space, such as on a table. Other people also use to place crowns with a decorative function, rather than religious, on the front doors of homes.