Production of Advent Wreaths

Making Advent Wreaths

The time for Christmas decorations, lights and beautiful atmosphere is upon us. Everyone enjoys an evening stroll through a beautifully lit city. If snow "crunches" under your feet, it's all the more festive and nostalgic. During Advent time, nobody wants to be alone. You can invite friends over for tea or coffee and make an Advent wreath together.

Advent symbolises the approaching Christmas time. We begin to prepare for the arrival of baby Jesus and Christmas Day. In every household, a wreath with four candles should be made on the first Advent Sunday. Gradually, each candle is lit on Sunday evening, allowed to burn for about a tenth, and then extinguished. Each subsequent Sunday, another candle is lit. Until the last Sunday of Advent, when all four are burning.

TIP: this time the family should be together, take a quiet moment, sit down and talk about what happened to them during the week. What plans they have for the future. What they wish for in life. And talk about old customs and also about shared experiences and beautiful memories.

For this beautiful atmosphere to happen, you first need to make a wreath. What may seem difficult at first glance doesn't have to be at all. Invite your family to join in, children, or even a neighbour. You might think it's ordinary. Don't worry, it's not. Many people don't have the energy or idea to start something like this on their own and will welcome your help.

For making the wreath, don't forget to purchase all the necessary supplies and decorations. Try to think in advance - what colours you'll orient the wreath towards. This year's Christmas trend is turquoise. What Christmas colours do you like? Traditional red, gold and green. Or perhaps try sparkling purple and the new turquoise....Combinations with silver and white and light green also look beautiful. Bows, large stars and ornaments look festive.

To make an Advent wreath you will need:

• wreath base. Plastic with floral foam inside. Or straw. It can also be made of polystyrene. The lighter the base, the more it will show through between the twigs and the more difficult it will be to cover it properly.
• binding wire. Preferably in green color.
• wire cutters (universal DIY scissors)
• decorations of all kinds and colors. Shiny and glittery or natural. You can dry slices of mandarins, oranges or apples in advance. You can use chestnuts, dried rosehips, spices - whole cinnamon sticks, star anise, and more.
• advent candle holders with spike - 4pcs for a wreath
• advent candles also 4pcs (one pack of advent candles for one wreath)
• spruce branches, yew branches, or branches from coniferous trees and shrubs.
• glue gun with refills. If you decide to arrange more often, it's worth buying this tool. You'll glue everything quickly and efficiently. You won't get messy. And it will hold immediately.

The first Advent Sunday is always between November 27th and December 3rd. A beautiful time of Advent and lights begins. The time of approaching Christmas.

The Advent wreath must have 4 candles. They are lit gradually. One on the first Sunday, two on the next Sunday, until all four are lit on the last Sunday. Invite your family for tea and cake and talk about all the beautiful things you've experienced together.

How to Make an Advent Wreath

When making a wreath, you can create a Christmas atmosphere by lighting incense (typical Christmas scents). Clear your table and prepare all the tools and decorations.

Which decorations have you chosen? Some need to be modified so they stay on the wreath. Thread wire or a thin nail through them, then stick the other end into the wreath base. Small decorations can be tied together with wire in groups of three.

Instructions:

1. Prepare your wreath base and carefully wrap it with small branches. Secure with wire so it's not too visible. Hide it behind the branch ends.

2. Place the spikes that will hold the candles either evenly in quarters around the wreath, like on a clock - 12, 3, 6, 9. Or at the front of the wreath next to each other. Place candles of the same height on symmetrically arranged spikes. If you place the spikes close together, use candles of graduated heights. We have both variants in our e-shop. The spikes are an excellent tool, they can even hold candles of non-traditional shapes, such as round ones.

3. Choose the largest decorations you have prepared. Place them symmetrically in the space between the candles. Or on the opposite side of the candles arranged in a row. A nice large decoration can be a wooden star, the largest dried orange slice, you can glue a whole star anise in the center. A large decoration can also be a festively tied ribbon.

4. Fill the remaining space on the wreath with smaller decorations. Smaller ornaments can be rosehips on a twig, small Christmas baubles, dried flowers, or purchased small stars, wooden fruit decorations, etc.

A symmetrical wreath will look more traditional. It suits every interior perfectly. A wreath with candles in a row and decoration positioned opposite will look more modern and less traditional.

Try making a traditional wreath. It suits every interior and you can use wooden and straw decorations, dried orange slices, rosehips, whole cinnamon sticks and other spices. Red and gold candles suit a traditional wreath best. You can also try yellow or more contrasting purple candles. A traditional wreath can also handle dried flowers from summer. They will be a great contrast to the green conifer branches.

Create a more modern wreath using cool shades, combine colours with white and silver. Try trendy turquoise. Light greenish tones. Shiny ornaments. Pearls. Thread transparent beads onto string...

Advent

Advent (Latin Adventus - arrival) - marks the beginning of the liturgical year. Advent begins on the first Sunday between 27th November and 3rd December. Advent ends at sunset on Christmas Eve. During Advent we begin preparing for Christmas, in Christianity the celebrations of the birth of Jesus Christ begin.

Advent is a period of calm after a whole year of work and rush. Nowadays it's not like it used to be during the long December evenings. Today we're happy if we manage to run around after work doing what we didn't get done during the day.

You may know besides the term Advent Sunday, also the iron, bronze, silver and golden Sundays. This designation is not Christian. It's a term used by retailers to encourage shopping before Christmas.

So feel free to shop, make an original Advent wreath, and try to find a moment for rest in the pre-Christmas rush. Don't forget to prepare an Advent calendar for the children.

Did you make your own Advent wreath this year? Share its photo with friends on Facebook!

Haven't bought all the supplies for making an Advent wreath yet? Order now from our e-shop...

Author: Hana Michalíková