Today, the Advent wreath is an essential part of the Christmas season. In many households, it stands on the table to count the Sundays until Christmas. But how did the tradition of decorating a wreath of fir branches with four candles come about?
The origin of the Advent wreath is closely linked to Christian Advent, which centres on the four weeks leading up to Christmas. This time is characterised by anticipation of the birth of Jesus Christ. The Advent wreath was first created in Germany in 1839 by Johann Hinrich Wichern, a Protestant theologian and social worker.
Johann Hinrich Wichern set up an orphanage for poor children in Hamburg. He wanted to make the waiting time until Christmas easier for them in a vivid way. He therefore invented a special method to symbolise the progress of the Advent season to the children. Wichern built a large wreath from fir branches, which was decorated with 24 small candles - one for each day in December until Christmas. A new candle was lit each day, helping the children to count the days until Christmas.
The wreath itself symbolised eternal life and the infinity of God, as the wreath had no corners or edges.
Over time, the Advent wreath became simpler. Instead of 24 candles, there are now four, each representing the four Sundays of Advent. The tradition of lighting one more candle every Sunday symbolises the progress of the Advent season and the approach of Christmas.
