Like many customs of the season of Advent, preparing and lighting the Advent wreath probably has its roots in an ancient pagan custom.  The very survival of these ancient people depended on the success of their crops.  So it may be that during the shortest days of the year, these people lighted candles on a wheel in the hope that the one who controlled the sun would turn the wheel of the earth's orbit to the sun once more.  It seems natural that the Christian Church should adapt the lighting of candles as a Christian custom, since humanity was brought into the light of life by the Son of God.

The very first Advent wreaths were probably used in the home, where a spray of evergreen was placed near the hearth to remind everyone of the everlasting life found in Christ.  Here in the heart of winter, while most of nature slept, the greenery symbolized the continuation of life.  Soon the boughs of the spray were bent and bound together in a circle, which symbolized life without end.

Still, new customs have grown up around the lighting of the candles, with each candle being given an attribute (light, hope, joy, peace), or symbolizing a being from the Christmas story (prophets, angels, shepherds, Magi).  One way to think of the candles is to relate to the scriptures used during the week.  At the same time, bring meaning to the lighting of the candles by using the ancient hymn "O Come, Emmanuel" with one person singing or reciting the verses and everyone joining in the refrain.  So we have:
 

The First Candle
The Candle of "Hope"

This candle symbolizes the hope of Israel for the Messiah and the Christian hope for the coming again of Christ in final victory.

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel,
and ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here
until the Son of God appear.

This candle symbolizes the preparation for the comings (past, present, future) of Christ.

O come, thou Key of David, come,
and open wide our heavenly home.
The captives from their prison free,
and conquer death's deep misery.

This candle symbolizes our joy at the coming of Christ.  Sometimes it is rose colored, in contrast to the purple of the other candles.

O come, thou Dayspring, come and cheer
our spirits by thy justice here;
Dispense the gloomy clouds of night,
and death's dark shadows put to flight.

This candle symbolizes God's love for the world in giving his only Son to be our Savior.

O come, Desire of nations bind
all peoples in one heart and mind.
From dust thou brought us forth to life;
deliver us from earthly strife.

If you have small children, the simplest way to convey the meaning of the Advent wreath may be to assign personalities to the candles.
 

Making an Advent Wreath

Tools and supplies you will need are:

• Styrafoam base form.   These are usually available in craft shops and come in various sizes.  The most popular size is 10" in diameter and 1" thick.

• Several evergreen branches.

• Sharp thin blade (knife).

• Scissors.

• Three (3) Purple and One (1) Rose Long Stem Candles

Assembly - the fun part:

• Using the styrafroam base, mark off four (4) equally spaced points approximately 1" from the edge where the candles will be inserted. 

• Trace the circumference of a candle's base at each of these points. 

• Using a sharp thin blade, cut vertically through the styrafoam on the line you previously traced out representing the base of the candle.  Be careful not to cut the holes oversize.  Otherwise, your candle will not stand vertically, nor will it be very secure.

• Insert a candle into each of the holes you created.

• Using evergreen sections, decorate your Advent Wreath. 
   

  • Cut perhaps 15-20 short (approximately 4" each) sections of evergreen using scissors.  Each stem base will be substantially easier to insert into the styrafoam, if the cut is on a bias to produce a relatively sharp point.

  • Insert the evergreen sections at approximately a 45 degree angle and at equally spaced intervals (approximately 2-1/2 inches apart) around the periphery of the styrafoam surface and also around the sides.
     

• Add purple & rose colored ribbon as well if you desire

• Your result should look somewhat similar to the Advent Wreath shown below.
   

How To Use The Advent Wreath

On Saturday evening before the first week of Advent, the family gathers around the wreath for the blessing.  The reader may bless the wreath with these words:

 

Reader:	Our help is in the name of the Lord.
All:	Who made heaven and earth.
Reader:	Let us pray:  O God, by your word all things are made holy.  Pour forth your blessing on the wreath and grant that we who will use it may prepare our hearts for the coming of Jesus and that we may receive many graces.  Through Christ Our Lord.
All:	Amen.

First Week of Advent (Light One Purple Candle)

Reading:   Luke 21: 34-36   Leader:     May this light remind us of Jesus, who is the true light of the world.  Let us call upon Him whose coming we prepare for and await for He is:   All:   God from God, Light from Light, True God from True God.   Second Week of Advent (Light Two Purple Candles) Reading:   Luke 3: 1-6   Leader:     Father, help us to prepare the way of Jesus, the light of the world.  May we who believe He will come again serve You today and every day.  Let us proclaim this mystery of our faith.   All:   Christ has died, Christ has risen, Christ will come again.   Third Week of Advent (Light Two Purple Candles & One Rose Candle) Reading:   Luke 3: 10-8   Leader:   Lord, we ask you to penetrate the darkness of our minds so that filled with your brightness, we may rejoice in your coming, as we say:   All:   Blessed Be God Forever.       Fourth Week of Advent (Light All Candles) Reading:   Luke 1: 39-45   Leader:   Lord, hurry and come to us.  May your light shine in our lives so that we may be freed from sin.  Protect us from all anxiety as we wait in joyful hope for your coming as our Savior Jesus Christ.   All:   For the Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory are yours, forever and ever.

Advent Prayer

Father, in the wilderness of the Jordan you sent a messenger to prepare people's hearts for the coming of your Son.  Help me to hear his words and repent of my sins, so that I may clearly see the way to walk, the truth to speak, and the life to live for Him, our Lord Jesus Christ.  Amen.