Advent, Advent…

Candles in the windows, glittering decorations in the stores – Sunday the 29.11.15 marked the beginning of the season of Advent. The Advent always begins on a sunday about four weeks before Christmas, the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, one of the most central figures in Christian Churches.

Some of the most common traditions in celebrating the Advent are special Advent calendars with treats or pictures for the children and the Advent wreath. In Germany it is very common to have a advent wreath with 4 candles (mostly red), every advent sunday one candle more will be lighted so that on Advent 4th all 4 candles are burning, their brightness symbolizing Christmas and the birth of Jesus Christ.

In Germany the traditions of Advent are liked not only by christian people, because its lights and warm colors enlight the dark and grey wintertime. It is also an example for a tradition that is alive and well even in the most hectic days of modern life.