Short answer: Advent 2026 begins on Sunday, November 29, 2026. Set up a circular wreath with four candles (traditionally three violet and one rose), light one more candle each Sunday of Advent, and gather briefly as a family to pray while the light grows toward Christmas. The rose candle is lit on the Third Sunday of Advent (Gaudete Sunday, December 13, 2026).
An Advent wreath is one of the simplest and most beautiful ways to keep the season of waiting in the home. You do not need expensive decorations. You need a circle of greenery, four candles, a few minutes each Sunday, and a willing heart.
When does Advent 2026 begin?
In the Roman Catholic calendar, Advent begins on the Sunday nearest to the feast of St. Andrew (November 30). In 2026 that Sunday is November 29. Advent then runs through the four Sundays before Christmas and ends on Christmas Eve, December 24.
The four Sundays of Advent 2026 are:
| Sunday | Date | Candle traditionally lit |
|---|---|---|
| First Sunday of Advent | November 29, 2026 | 1 violet |
| Second Sunday of Advent | December 6, 2026 | 2 violet |
| Third Sunday of Advent (Gaudete) | December 13, 2026 | 2 violet + 1 rose |
| Fourth Sunday of Advent | December 20, 2026 | all four |
For a fuller guide to praying the whole season, see our article Advent 2026: Praying with Walsingham Radio.
What you need
- A circular wreath or candle holder. Evergreen branches (real or artificial) arranged in a circle are traditional. The circle has no beginning or end and points to God’s eternal love.
- Four candles. The common Catholic custom in many places is three violet (or purple) candles and one rose (or pink) candle. Some families use four violet candles; others use white. Follow your family’s custom or what your parish uses if you want to match.
- A stable, safe place. Keep the wreath where you can gather for a short prayer, away from curtains and out of reach of small children when candles are lit.
- Optional: a white “Christ candle” in the center for Christmas Day (a later custom, not required).
- Matches or a lighter, and a snuffer or wet fingers to extinguish candles safely.
You can buy a ready-made Advent wreath kit or make one from a foam ring, evergreen clippings and candle cups. Either is fine.
What the candles mean
Catholics have used several sets of names for the four candles over time. One common modern set is:
- Hope (First Sunday)
- Peace or Faith (Second Sunday)
- Joy (Third Sunday — Gaudete, “Rejoice”)
- Love (Fourth Sunday)
Older traditions also connect the weeks with the Patriarchs, the Prophets, John the Baptist and Mary. You do not have to memorize a scheme. What matters is that each week the light grows as we prepare for the coming of Christ — in history at Bethlehem, in mystery in the Eucharist and in glory at the end of time.
Gaudete Sunday (the Third Sunday) takes its name from the Entrance Antiphon: “Rejoice in the Lord always.” The rose candle and the option of rose vestments at Mass mark a note of joy in the middle of a penitential season.
How to set it up before the First Sunday
- Clear a space on the dining table, a side table or a prayer corner.
- Place the circular wreath flat and secure.
- Set the four candles evenly around the circle. Put the rose candle where everyone can see it for week three.
- Add a small crucifix, Bible or image of Our Lady nearby if you wish.
- Check that candles sit firmly and that nothing flammable hangs above them.
Set it up a day or two before November 29 so the First Sunday evening is calm, not a scramble.
A simple prayer for lighting the candles
There is no single required formula for the home. Parishes and families use different blessings. A simple pattern many households follow each Sunday is:
- Gather around the wreath. Dim other lights if you can.
- Make the Sign of the Cross.
- Light the correct number of candles for that Sunday (one on the first Sunday, two on the second, and so on).
- Pray a short prayer, for example:
Lord Jesus, Light of the world, as we light this candle, help us to watch and pray. Prepare our hearts for Your coming at Christmas. Amen.
- Optionally read a short Scripture (Isaiah 9:1–6, Luke 1:26–38, or the Sunday Gospel).
- Sing a verse of an Advent hymn such as “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” if your family enjoys singing.
- Leave the candles burning during dinner or a short prayer time, then extinguish them safely.
On weekdays you may light the same candles already lit for that week at dinner, without a long ceremony. Keep it short enough that children can stay attentive.
Tips for families with children
- Let a child (with help) light or blow out a candle when it is safe.
- Use the same short prayer every week so they learn it.
- Count the candles together: “How many lights do we have tonight? How many until Christmas?”
- Pair the wreath with a simple Advent calendar or a daily decade of the Rosary. Our step-by-step Rosary guide can help beginners.
- Keep Advent distinct from Christmas decorations if you can: save the biggest celebrating for December 25 and the Christmas season that follows.
Safety and common questions
- Never leave burning candles unattended.
- Use battery candles only if open flame is truly unsafe in your home; the symbolism is the same intention of waiting for Christ.
- If a candle burns unevenly, trim the wick and replace it before the next Sunday rather than forcing a stub.
Do I need a priest to bless the wreath? A priestly blessing is a beautiful practice when available, but families may bless and use an Advent wreath at home with simple prayer. Ask your parish if they bless wreaths or Advent items near the start of the season.
Must the candles be violet and rose? That is the widespread custom in many Catholic homes and matches the liturgical colors of Advent, but it is a custom, not a requirement for validity of anything. Use what you have and keep the weekly lighting prayerfully.
When do we stop using the Advent wreath? Advent ends with the start of Christmas. Many families extinguish the Advent candles on Christmas Eve and, if they use a Christ candle, light that on Christmas Day. Then the focus shifts to the Nativity and the Christmas season.
Prepare the season with Walsingham Radio
As you light each candle this Advent, keep Catholic truth close at hand. Listen to Walsingham Radio for talks and devotionals that help you pray the season, and read our guides to Advent 2026, the Immaculate Conception on December 8, and the St. Andrew Christmas Novena.
Listen to Walsingham Radio or contact us — and may this Advent draw your home closer to Christ.
