Advent candle holders is something I grew up with. For me, it brings a feeling of peace, calm and excitement.
And in Sweden, it is one of the most popular traditions to have one. Lighting a candle together, every sunday leading up to Christmas. It brings the whole family together, and just brings that cozy feeling we all want in December. But if I can't find a advent candle holder or wreath I like, how can I make one for myself?
In this article, I will go over how to make your own advent candle holder or wreath, by using materials you might already have at home, or in your garden!
Here's what you'll need:
- A tray, a wreath, or a candle holder for 4 candles
- 4 candles, make sure they are tall enough to keep the flame away from the base.
- Something greenery, such as pine branches, holly or anything you like really, if you want it to be less flammable, use faux greenery
- Something to secure your candles with, candle holders or candle cups
- Glue, either a hot glue gun or some crafting glue
- Decorations, such as cinnamon sticks, Christmas ornaments, pinecones, dried orange slices, or anything you have at home
- Ribbon or twine, for a more rustic look
- Paint ( if you want to paint your tray a different color)
And here's how to do it:
Making an advent wreath or an advent candle holder is really fun, and can really let you use all your creativity to create something beautiful. And when you make your own advent candle holder, you can make sure it fits with your style and decor.Below, you will find a step-by-step guide to help you get started!
1. Start by preparing your base. Choose what kind of base you want, like a wire or foam wreath, a metal tray, a candle holder for four candles or a old plate you aren't using anymore. This is also the time to paint your base, if you want. Remember to let your paint dry down completely before proceeding.
2. Attach your candle cups. If your tray is missing candle cups, take your holders, place them out evenly on your base, and glue them down. Hold on to them for a minute before leaving them to dry, to make sure they stay at the angle you want them.
3. Attatch your greenery to your wreath, tray or plate. Here comes the fun part, time to start decorating! Start by adding your greenery, as this will be the base for the rest of your decorations. If you chose a wreath as your base, wrap your greenery around the ring, and secure with wire, a ribbon or some twine and tie with a ribbon. Cut off any extra, to minimize fire hazard later. If you chose a tray, you can glue the first branches or pieces of your chosen foliage down on the tray, to make sure it stays in place.
4. Decorate with your favorite things. Now, it's time to make your holder look the way you want it to. I like to start with mapping out where I want my ornaments and decorations to go before gluing them down, to make sure they look and fit right. Glue them down, when you've decided where they should go.
5. Place your candles. By now, you have a pretty, personal and one of a kind advent candle holder or wreath, so it is time for the finishing touch, which are of course, the candles! Place one candle in each of your candle holders or cups, and you're done!
Remember to be careful with candles!
Live candles are beautiful, but any open flame can be risky. Here are a few tips to make your holidays safer:Never leave a candle unattended. This is the most important thing to think about. If a candle is lit, it needs to be in the same room as you and in your field of view.
Keep away from anything flammable. Don't put your candle holder in a window close to your curtains or plants, on a tablecloth with fringes or similar.
Make sure the candle holder is stable. If your candle tips over, while lit, it is a huge fire hazard, so make sure it is stable and firmly secured.
Use non-flammable materials to make your candle holder. As pretty as real firn branches may be, they are flammable, so to minimize the risk, you can use faux greenery when making your wreath.
What is an advent candle?
In Sweden, we light candles every sunday leading up to Christmas, a total of 4 candles. The first sunday we light the first candle, the second sunday we light the first and second and so on. Since we also celebrate Christmas on Christmas eve and not on Christmas day, sometimes the fourth candle gets lit on Christmas eve.
The most common candles to use in Sweden are white, tall candles, but in other parts of the world, 3 purple candles and one pink are used. The three purple symbolize peace, hope, and love, while the pink candle, which is the third one lit, symbolizes joy.
I hope this guide has inspired you to make your own advent candle holder this coming holiday!
