For any Moselle or Alsatian: the advent wreath is a circle made with fir branches (or any plant as long as it makes green branches).
On the wreath, we put 4 candles which represent the 4 Advent Sundays that separate us from Christmas.
But do you really know the meaning of these 4 candles and the origin of this tradition?
Tradition which has never really succeeded in going beyond the Grand-Est in France.
The France of the interior, it will rather make wreaths that it will hang on the doors of houses without candles.
We’re not going to lie to each other, those who do that… have mostly seen this decoration in American Christmas TV movies and do the same thing.
This is not the case in Moselle where the crown is a real tradition.
The invention of the advent wreath is rather recent: it was invented in the middle of the 19th century by a German pastor from Hamburg.
Initially, it was a big wheel with 4 huge candles and 20 small candles.
It was the advent calendar of the 19th century.
Candles were lit on weekdays and large candles on Sundays.
That made 24 in all to go until Christmas.
At the start of the 20th century, things were simplified: the advent wreath was transformed and became the one we know today.
Religious symbol
Everyone has remembered that the 4 candles represent the 4 Sundays before December 25, but it was not at all that at the base.
– The 1st candle represented: forgiveness.
– The 2nd: faith
– The 3rd: joy
– The 4th: peace and justice.
Strict and unknown rules
– Did you know that you have to light the candles in an anti-clockwise direction?
– That the last candle must be lit on the Sunday before Christmas… and not on Christmas day since the candles symbolize the expectation of the Messiah and that on the 25th, there is no longer any waiting!
– To represent Christmas, you can add a white candle in the middle of the wreath that you will light on the 25th.
What if December 25 falls on a Sunday?
Well, we have to light the 4th candle, the previous Sunday… and that’s what will happen in 2022 since Christmas will fall on a Sunday.