Advent Wreath 2026: Candle Dates, Colours and What Each Candle Means

Updated 2026-11-03

The first candle goes on the wreath on Sunday 29 November 2026, and that small flame does something a chocolate calendar never quite manages: it makes the whole household stop for five minutes. One candle on the first Sunday, two on the second, three on the third, four on the last. By the time all of them are burning, Christmas is only days away. Here are the 2026 dates, the order to light them in, what the colours mean and how to make a wreath that is safe on a busy table.

The 2026 Advent wreath dates at a glance

Advent always begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas Day. Christmas 2026 falls on a Friday, so the four Advent Sundays are 29 November and 6, 13 and 20 December. Advent is about as short as it can be this year: it ends on Thursday 24 December, four days after the last Sunday.

Not every tradition uses the same names. Many churches call the candles Hope, Peace, Joy and Love; others use Prophets, Bethlehem, Shepherds and Angels, or Hope, Faith, Joy and Peace. Use whichever your family or church uses. There is no single correct list.

Which candle do I light first?

Light the purple (or blue) candle that will be the first in your circle, then move clockwise on each following Sunday. Every Sunday you re-light the candles from previous weeks first, then add the new one, so the wreath gets brighter week by week:

• Week 1 (29 Nov): one purple candle
• Week 2 (6 Dec): two purple candles
• Week 3 (13 Dec): two purple candles and the pink one
• Week 4 (20 Dec): all four
• Christmas Eve or Christmas Day: all four plus a white centre candle, if your wreath has one

Many families also light the candles on weekday evenings at dinner, using only the candles that have been lit on Sundays so far. That turns the wreath into a nightly countdown without needing a calendar.

Why is one candle pink?

The third Sunday of Advent is called Gaudete Sunday, from the Latin word for "rejoice" at the start of the traditional reading for that day. It marks the halfway point and a lighter mood in a season that was once kept as a time of fasting, so the candle (and in Catholic and some Anglican churches, the priest's vestments) is rose-coloured. In 2026 Gaudete Sunday is 13 December, which is also St Lucia Day in Sweden, so it makes a good "festive Sunday" for baking or a visit to see the lights.

Purple, blue, red or white?

• Purple or violet: the traditional colour of Advent in Catholic, Anglican and many Protestant churches, linked to waiting and preparation.
• Blue: used by some Lutheran, Methodist and other churches to set Advent apart from Lent, which is also purple.
• Red: very common in German, Austrian and Scandinavian homes, often with gold ribbon and pine cones.
• All white or natural: popular for a simple, modern or non-religious wreath.

The colour matters far less than the habit of lighting it together.

Where the Advent wreath came from

The modern wreath is usually traced to Johann Hinrich Wichern, a Lutheran pastor who ran a home for poor children in Hamburg. In 1839 he made a cartwheel with 24 candles, small red ones for weekdays and four large white ones for Sundays, so the children could see how many days were left until Christmas. The idea spread through Germany, the cartwheel shrank to a ring of evergreen branches, and only the four Sunday candles remained. In other words, the first Advent wreath was also the first countdown calendar.

Simple ideas for each Sunday

You do not need a long service. Five minutes after Sunday dinner works for most families.

• 29 Nov, hope: each person says one thing they are looking forward to this December. Write them on a card and keep it beside the wreath.
• 6 Dec, peace: St Nicholas Day falls on this Sunday in 2026. Put shoes out on Saturday night, then light two candles over breakfast and talk about one way to make home calmer this month.
• 13 Dec, joy: light the pink candle and do something purely fun together: carols, cookies or a short walk to see the lights.
• 20 Dec, love: everyone writes a short note to someone outside the house, a grandparent, a teacher, a neighbour, and posts or delivers it during the week.
• Christmas Eve: light the centre candle before the Christmas Eve box or the evening service, and read a favourite Christmas story aloud.

Christian families often add a short Bible reading each week; many churches publish a family Advent reading plan you can follow at home. If you like to write things down, our Advent 2026 countdown journal ($6) has dated daily pages from 29 November to 25 December, Sunday reflection pages and a candle tracker.

How to make an Advent wreath in an evening

• Base: a ready-made foam, straw or wire ring, or simply a large plate or wooden board with four candle holders. A flat tray base is the safest choice for a dining table.
• Greenery: fir, pine, cedar, holly and eucalyptus all last well. Cut sprigs about 15 cm long and tie or pin them all in the same direction around the ring.
• Candles: four pillars or tapers in sturdy holders that sit level, plus an optional white pillar in the centre.
• Extras: pine cones, dried orange slices, cinnamon sticks, ribbon. Keep anything flammable well away from the flames.

Mist fresh greenery with water every couple of days. Real branches dry out within two or three weeks indoors, and dry needles catch fire easily, so replace them if they start dropping.

Candle safety

• Never leave lit candles unattended, and put them out before anyone leaves the room or goes to bed.
• Keep the wreath on a heat-resistant tray, away from curtains, cards, paper chains and the Christmas tree.
• Trim greenery so no branch sits within a few centimetres of a flame, and do not let candles burn down into the greenery.
• With young children, cats or a dog with a waggy tail, use LED candles. A flameless wreath looks almost the same in the evening and can stay on all through dinner. Holly berries and some greenery are also harmful to pets if chewed, so see our pet-safe countdown guide for what to keep out of reach.

Advent dates for the next few years

• 2026: Sunday 29 November (Christmas on a Friday)
• 2027: Sunday 28 November (Christmas on a Saturday)
• 2028: Sunday 3 December, the latest possible start, because Christmas Eve is itself the fourth Sunday of Advent

Pair the wreath with a daily countdown

The wreath marks the Sundays; an advent calendar fills the days in between. Most calendars start on Tuesday 1 December, two days after the first candle. Our guide to when Advent starts in 2026 explains the difference, the printable December countdown chart gives you a small idea for every day, and our list of countdown traditions from around the world has more ideas to borrow for the special Sundays.

Looking for a daily Advent story to go with the wreath? Try a Jesse Tree, with one short reading and ornament for each day.

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