As November draws to a close and the air turns crisp, I find myself returning to one of my favorite rituals—gathering fresh evergreen branches and crafting an Advent wreath, or Adventskranz, just as we did back home in Bavaria.
I carefully bind the greens together, nestle four candles—usually red or white—into the circle, and place it in a spot where it can quietly anchor the season.
Each Sunday, as another flame is lit, the room fills with a gentle glow. It connects me back to childhood traditions. It also connects me onward to the celebrations I now share with family and friends. The Adventskranz is a ritual that bridges past and present, carrying with it the fragrance of pine, the warmth of candlelight, and the promise of joy to come.
Each Sunday in December, we light a candle, marking the gentle countdown to Christmas. It’s a tradition that brings me right back to my childhood, when the glow of that first flame filled me with excitement and wonder.
Over the years, as I’ve learned more about the history and symbolism behind the Advent wreath, this simple act has grown even more meaningful. It’s not just decoration—it’s a way of honoring time, memory, and the quiet joy of anticipation.
The History:
Johann Hinrich Wichern (1808–1881), founder of the Rauhe Haus, is considered the inventor of the Advent wreath. In 1839, he set up the world’s first Advent wreath in what was then the prayer room on the foundation grounds in Hamburg-Horn.
To help count down the the days until Christmas, he built a large wooden wreath with 20 small red candles, and 4 larger white candles. The smaller candles were lit on weekdays, and the larger ones were lit on Sundays during Advent.
Over time this the tradition evolved into the modern Advent wreath, which typically has four candles. Most times there are three purple and one pink, or sometimes four red or white candles, which represents the four weeks of Advent. The wreath itself is made of evergreen branches and symbolizes eternal life and hope.
Unlike the wreath with four candles that is common in Europe today, there were four large white candles for Sundays and small red ones for working days until Christmas Eve. Wichern wanted to delight the many children in the Rauhe Haus with it and make the preparation time for Christmas sensually tangible.
The custom with the original wreath carries a total of 22 candles is still maintained today in the facilities of the Rauhe Haus in many places in the city. For example, the primary school pupils of the Wichern School hold a small devotion with the wreath of Wichern in the school chapel every morning of Advent.
