What is Advent?
Advent is the new year of the Christian Church and the church season that leads to Christmas Day.

When does Advent start?
Advent begins on the Sunday nearest to 30th November (St. Andrew's Day) and lasts until midnight on Christmas Eve.

What happens during Advent?
During the season of Advent, Christians across the world prepare for the celebration of the arrival of the Lord into the world through the birth of his Son Jesus Christ. Advent is a time to celebrate light in the midst of darkness. It is also a time to look forward to when Jesus will come a second time.

The beginning of Advent is when the preparations for Christmas really begin - the festive menu is planned, gifts are chosen and wrapped, carols sung, cards are written and posted and houses decorated.

Advent Calendars
During Advent, some people make or buy Advent calendars as a way of counting the days to Christmas. Usually these calendars have twenty-four 'windows'. Traditional calendar windows open up to show a picture of something linked with this time of year. One may show an angel or one of the shepherds who visited baby Jesus. Others may show pictures of Christmas presents, a candle or anything else to do with Christmas. The last window to be opened usually shows Jesus himself, lying in a manger.

Popular advent calendars today usually have chocolate hidden behind each window. The theme/ picture displayed is a character from a TV show or film.

The Advent Wreath is the widely recognized symbol of Advent. The wreath is made of a circle of evergreen branches laid flat to symbolize eternal life. Four candles (traditionally red) stand in the circle and each one represents one of the four Sundays of Advent. In the centre of the circle is a fifth candle (traditionally white), the Christ Candle, which is lit on Christmas Day.

Why is the Advent Wreath so special to Christians?
The circle of the wreath reminds Chrisitans of God, His eternity and endless mercy, which has no beginning or end.

The green of the wreath speaks of the hope that Chrisitans have in God, the hope of newness, of renewal, of eternal life.

Candles on the wreath
Advent worship is like a journey through the Christmas story. Christians use the Advent candles to celebrate this period with one lit every Sunday of Advent so that during the last week before Christmas all four candles are lit. The last central candle (which represents Christ), is lit on Christmas Day.

Candles symbolise the light of God coming into the world through the birth of His son, Jesus. The four outer candles represent the period of waiting during the four Sundays of Advent, which themselves symbolise the four centuries of waiting between the prophet Malachi and the birth of Jesus. The fifth and central candle is lit on Christmas eve to signify - Jesus the Light of the world.

The four traditional advent themes for the four advent Sundays are:
God's people -The Candle of hope.
The old testament prophets - The Candle of Peace
John the Baptist - The Candle of Love
Mary the mother of Jesus - The Candle of Joy (a pink candle)

The Last Candle, the fifth candle, represents Christ and his birth.