How Do Christians Celebrate Advent?

We have always celebrated Advent by using an advent wreath with five candles.  Each Sunday in December, an additional candle is lit until on the final Sunday all four are lit.  Then on Christmas the fifth "Christ candle" is lit.  We also study scriptures in the Bible telling about Christ's birth and sing Christmas carols.  We have also used an Advent calendar for the children.  This is any kind of calendar with windows that can be opened each day in December.  This is used to count and celebrate each day until Christmas.  Advent celebrations are a way to put the emphasis on Christ at Christmastime.

For Christians, Advent, a time of preparation, begins on the Sunday nearest to 1st December. There are four Sundays of Advent before the celebration of Christmas as well. At Masses and Services, a candle on the Advent Wreath is lit each Sunday. The wreath consists of three purple candles, one pink and one white candle in the middle of the wreath. The pink candle is for the third Sunday of Advent and the purple ones for the rest. The white candle is lit at the Celebration of the Nativity on Christmas Day.

In the Roman Catholic Church, the readings focus on the coming of Christ to his people on earth and the prophecies by John the Baptist and others associated with the birth of the Son of God. At the celebration of Mass, the priest wears purple vestments to emphasise the solemnity of the season. Churches hold special Advent services and Services of Reconciliation, where the Sacrament of Confession is widely offered and encouraged to the faithful. Many Catholics go on retreat at this time.