A Favorite Christmas Family Tradition “How To”: Advent Candles at Home

Happy Thanksgiving!  Celebrate with grateful hearts!

Then, don’t forget that Advent starts this Sunday!

A favorite tradition of my family is to celebrate Advent by lighting our advent wreath during our devotional time each of the Sundays of December, as well as Christmas Day.

What are Advent candles?

If you are unfamiliar with the advent wreath and candles, you can read in more detail about them in this Focus on the Family article.

These are the weekly themes our family follows:

(themed Scripture and Carols further down)

1st Sunday – Light (purple)

2nd Sunday – Peace (purple)

3rd Sunday – Joy (purple)

4th Sunday – Love (pink)

Christmas Day – Christ – (white)

Candle Lighting Song: 

We begin each advent time by lighting the appropriate candle(s) and singing a modified version of Natalie Sleeth’s “Light One Candle.”

For the tune, listen to this sweet children’s choir.  To simplify things, our family only uses the melody during timer 23-38 seconds for each of the weeks.  We simply substitute the themed word for the week.

Lyrics –

“Light one candle for (joy),

one bright candle for (joy),

He brings (joy) to every heart,

He comes! He comes!”

Note: If your kids are like ours, be ready with a system of taking turns for helping light and blow out the candles, lest a holy war break out each time!

Bible Reading and Christmas Carols:

After singing “Light One Candle” and lighting the candle(s), we read a related Bible passage and sing favorite Christmas carols.  I picked these songs because of their references to the theme of the week.  See if your family can find them as you sing.   If you don’t know the words or tunes, they can be easily Googled.

LIGHT

Scriptures

John 8:12

Matthew 5:16

Carols

O Little Town of Bethlehem

Do You Hear What I Hear

PEACE

Scriptures

John 14:27

John 16:33

Carols

Silent Night, Holy Night

It Came upon the Midnight Clear

JOY

Scriptures

Philippians 4:4

Romans 15:13

Matthew 2:10

Colossians 1:9-14 (Turn this into a prayer for your child(ren).)

Carols

Angels We Have Heard on High

Good Christian Men, Rejoice

Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus

God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen

LOVE

Scriptures

John 3:16

1 John 4:9-11

Carols

O Come, All Ye Faithful

Love Came Down at Christmas

CHRIST

Scriptures

Luke 2:1-20

Young children might enjoy using a nativity set to play out the story while you are reading.

Carols

Hark, the Herald Angels Sing

Joy to the World! The Lord is Come