Easy Ideas for a Simple DIY Advent Wreath for Christmas

Advent is a beautiful way to celebrate the true meaning of Christmas. You can easily create a DIY Advent wreath with this simple tutorial.  Celebrate Christmas with intentional traditions for the whole family this Advent season!

I love Christmas.

The traditions, from Santa to the music to candlelight services, are all so special to me.  However, the season is just so busy.  I felt myself and my family going from event to event without stopping and taking the intentional and purposeful time that we wanted to remember the true meaning of Christmas, much less recognizing the importance of the season of Advent.

A few years ago, I purchased THIS BOOK with Advent calendars and we began a special 5-10 minute family time each day to read the Advent message for the day.

It quickly became one of our most favorite things in the Christmas season, from the kids to my husband and I too.  Now, it’s our favorite family tradition to enjoy each day in December.

If you have a desire to slow down the season and take intentional time to celebrate Christmas for the whole month of December, I cannot recommend a family Advent time enough for you and your family.  It is so incredibly special!  Even if you don’t create your own Advent wreath, I hope this post gives you some inspiration to celebrate these weeks of Advent.

Keep reading to find all of the elements you need to easily re-create our family’s DIY Advent Wreath!

Why do we celebrate the Advent?

Traditionally, Advent has been celebrated in churches around the world.  In the Latin language, advent means “coming”.  Celebrating Advent literally means celebrating the coming of Jesus into the world as a Baby in the manger.

Advent is observed as the four Sundays and weeks leading up to Christmas Day.  At the same time, it is often observed as December 1st through Christmas Day.

Because the Christmas holiday is so meaningful to our faith, our family observes Advent with a daily devotional reading and opening of an Advent box.

However, this year, I decided to add the beautiful tradition of lighting candles on an Advent wreath too.  Since I couldn’t find an Advent wreath that fit our home, I decided to create a DIY Advent wreath that can become part of our traditional decor.

I can hardly wait for December 1st to get here and add this purposeful few minutes to our family time each day!  It is a beautiful Christian tradition that can be enjoyed with all ages, from younger children all the way up to adults!

What are the four Sundays of Advent?

In order, the four Sundays of Advent are observed as:

• First Advent candle: Hope
• Second Advent candle: Love
• Third Advent candle: Joy
• Fourth Advent candle: Peace
• Fifth White candle: The coming of Christ or the Christ candle

Aren’t these very words, in themselves, so beautiful?  Christmas is so much more meaningful when it is approached from a perspective and heart of hope, love, joy, and peace.

What are the four colors of the Advent candles?

Traditionally, an Advent wreath contains four candles with different colors.  Three of the candles are purple and one candle is pink.  Often, an additional candle is added in the middle in celebration of the good news of the birth of Jesus.  This Christ candle is white.

The colors are significant in the liturgical church and historically, are used in churches around the world and in many different denominations.  I love that the meaning of the Advent wreath transcends language and culture to be meaningful to so many people!

Even though the traditional colors are purple, pink, and white, I used all white candles for our DIY Advent wreath.  I already had these on hand and want this to be a centerpiece for our Christmas coffee table.  To me, the importance lies in the heart and the intention rather than following tradition and history down to every detail!

Does an Advent wreath have 4 or 5 candles?

Traditionally, a Christmas Advent wreath will have four candles.  However, sometimes, a fifth additional candle is added in the middle.  This candle it most usually lit on Christmas Day in celebration of the birth of Christ on Christmas Day.

I will show you below how I added a fifth candle in the center of the wreath, making it a little taller for our DIY Advent wreath and own interpretation of the Advent wreath.

What does a wreath symbolize?

The evergreen material and the circular shape of a wreath represent eternal life.  At the same time, they also represent faith.  Historically, European Christians often placed a candle on a wreath to symbolize the light that Jesus brought into the world when He came as a Baby on Christmas Day.

Since it is such a beautiful and meaningful tradition, I am especially excited to make it part of our little family’s Christmas season as well.  Creating a DIY Advent wreath was a great opportunity and a simple way to add purpose and meaning in our Christmas home decor too!

How to Easily Make a DIY Advent Wreath for Christmas

How do you make a homemade Advent Wreath?

Materials for a DIY Advent wreath:

• Large bowl or vessel
• Winter greenery wreath or evergreen wreath
• *Optional: You can use evergreen branches or fresh greenery, shaped in a circle around your vessel instead of a wreath
• Candle holders
• 4 or 5 taper candles (I prefer THESE flameless ones!)
• Seasonal accents
• *Optional: use a pillar candle instead of taper candles and candle holders

DIY Advent Wreath Step One:  Choose a vessel and wreath.

First, you need to choose a vessel.  I have a large, round wooden dough bowl that I bought many years ago at an antique store in Rome, Italy.  It happens to be the perfect size to fit my favorite, realistic pine wreath.  Since I already had these items on hand, I thought they would work out well.

Again, evergreen greenery is the traditional wreath choice.  However, I was trying to just use what I already had on hand.

You can really use any vessel and Christmas wreath, so shop your own Christmas decoration bins first!

You will want to make sure that your wreath either fits inside your vessel or will easily rest on the perimeter of your vessel.  Since these are real candles, you’ll want to make sure your DIY Advent wreath isn’t tipsy at all!

If you’re looking for a beautiful and realistic wreath to use, you can find my favorite one HERE!

DIY Advent Wreath Step Two: Add candlesticks.

Using what I had on hand, I put four short vintage brass candlesticks in my bowl.  Then, I added one taller one in the middle.

Depending on the size of your own wreath, your candlesticks may or may not show.  You could also use blocks of floral foam or something similar if the candle holders are not going to show.  At the same time, you could also use extra sprigs of evergreen to cover up the foam blocks too.

THIS SET of four short candlestick holders would work perfectly too, for a simple look.  I would purchase them myself if I didn’t already have something on hand to use!

For a little different look, you could also use a variety of sizes, keeping the tallest candlestick in the middle.  THIS collection of brass candlesticks has a lot of variety and you could use the rest of the collection on your mantel in the living room or even a dining room table centerpiece!

DIY Advent Wreath Step Three: Add candles.

As I said before, I tried as much as possible to just use what I had on hand.  If you want to create a DIY Advent wreath that is more traditionally and historically based, you may want to use three purple candles and one pink candle.  Then, you can add a white one in the middle.  A more modern Advent wreath may not use the traditional colors.

However, to me, the main purpose is an opportunity to draw our hearts and minds to the meaning of Christmas.  Since that doesn’t require certain colors to do, I just went with the white candles I had on hand.

Truly, I think this is up to your personal preference.  The main purpose is to create an intentional opportunity for your family to reflect on the true meaning of Christmas, whatever that may look like for you and your own family!

You could even choose to use battery-operated taper candles.  I use these realistic wax taper candles that are set on timers.  They create such a cozy glow throughout our home!

DIY Advent Wreath Step Four: Add Embellishments.

Even though I wanted the overall concept of my DIY Advent wreath to be very simple, I also chose to add some small accessories that would tie in with my Christmas theme.

For a few years now, I have used my vintage brass collections of French horns, candlesticks, and bells as a theme for my Christmas decor.  While I love to use them in different ways, I also love using much of the same decor each Christmas.

To connect my DIY Advent wreath with the rest of our Christmas theme, I purchased an additional set of THESE VINTAGE-INSPIRED BELLS.

I spaced them out around the wreath, tucking them into the greenery.  The antiqued gold finish pairs beautifully with the vintage brass candlesticks.  At the same time, I am enjoying how it still has a simple look that isn’t overdone.

Here are some other embellishment/accent ideas:

• Pinecones
• Ornaments, like THESE or THESE
• Tie pretty velvet bows
• Musical instrument ornaments to tie in Christmas carols
• Attach pre-made Christmas bows for color

You can easily re-create this DIY Advent wreath with the following 5 elements:

• Large, round wooden dough bowl OR this one for a darker color
• Realistic Norfolk pine wreath OR real touch juniper wreath here
• Brass candlesticks with varied height OR set of small, matching candlestick holders
• Realistic wax battery-operated taper candles
• Small antiqued gold vintage-inspired Christmas bells

A special Advent poem:

We use Ann Voskamp’s book, “The Wonder of the Greatest Gift“, for our Advent readings.  I highly recommend this beautiful book.  It would also make a great present for families!

I love this poem by Ann Voskamp and wanted to include it for you also, to go along with your own special DIY Advent wreath ideas.

The Night Before
ADVENT

Twas the night before Advent when all through God’s House
not a heart wasn’t stirring, not a heart wasn’t roused.
His people wrapped around His Word with awe,
Awaiting wonders and the fresh grace of God.

The children were anxious for His Story to start,
these Visions of love dancing loud in their hearts
And God in His glory, and us, in Jesus Christ,
settled only for a Christmas all about Christ.

When out on the streets, the frenzy came with a clatter,
Yet in hearts, Joy sprang up, centred on Who matters.
Away from the stresses, we flew like a prayer,
Simply opened our hands and made room to prepare.

For the Light of the World to warm every dark space,
a lustre of hope cupped in every cold place.
Till what to our wandering hearts should appear,
Murmurings of a King and Love drawing near.

In a Book of Old Pages, so Living and True,
you can hear Jesus whisper, I’m coming for You.
Through Every Story, The King fiercely came,
And He beckons you, woos you, and calls you by name!

“Come Beloved, Come Chosen, Come Special Child!
Come Wanted, Come Nearer, Come Feel the King’s Smile!”
From Creation’s first star to manger’s bright light,
Unwrap His Love Story till He holds you one night.

He spoke all Love’s Word, then became Word in the Skin
And filled every heart that would welcome Him in.
And laying Himself down into manger’s straw,
He’s Your Immanuel, With Us is God.

Advent unwraps wonder, the greatest gift ever dreamed,
so come adore Him, the One who redeemed
all the willing and wanting with this Advent Awe
a sacred, slow Unwrapping of a season of God.

#TheGreatestGift
#Unwrapping TheGreatestGift
米 Credit: Ann Voskamp

Prepare your heart for Advent.

I hope you are inspired to create a special DIY Advent wreath for your family.  All the fun and festive ways to celebrate Christmas are special.  However, as we get ready to head into this busy season, I am reminding myself that the process, intentionality, and purposeful heart is much more important than a perfect, magazine-worthy product.

Your Christmas season shouldn’t look exactly like anyone else.  Trade in the picture-perfect decor for intentional spaces that help your family remember how special Christmas can be in their hearts.  Give up the striving for perfection and replace it with purpose.

I am working on those same things in my own heart and mind this Christmas!

May your Christmas season be blessed with memory-worthy moments, remembering the true meaning of the Season!  Merry Christmas!

If you enjoyed this post, you might also like:

• 5 Special Ways to Enjoy Advent As a Family
• How to Create DIY Advent Boxes
• How to Make a DIY Christmas Bell Wall Hanging

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