Finally, An Advent Wreath

I have always loved the idea of an Advent wreath, but each year my plans are thwarted. Either the form is sold out, I think of it too late, or the ones I love are too expensive or large for our small table. Plus there is always the safety issue, and most are not safe with little ones and a small table where they can reach a lot.

Last year I mapped out a rough plan for an advent wreath that would fit on our table and be to our liking. Once again my plans went awry, and it was clear that if we wanted an Advent wreath this year I was going to have to make one with what I had on hand and be creative.

Step 1: I checked my gift wrap stash and found purple tissue, pink tissue and silver wired ribbon that had last served as hair bows.

Step 2: Checked my candle supply and found white tappers and white tea lights...excellent, we are on a roll!

Step 3: Grabbed a candle holder from our wedding to hold the Christ candle.

Step 4: Went to grab the 4 tea light holders only to strike out. What? Where else could they be? We scour the likely places and strike out again! This will never do.

Step 5: Stop and think hard. In the mean time grab the glass plate I knew would be perfect and fit on our small table.

Step 6: Grab 4 quarter pint canning jars....uh oh, there are only 3 empty...ask Miss Pear if she would like a fruit cup for snack. She reminds me that we are making the advent calendar, and I tell her that unless we have another empty canning jar we are not. She grins and eats up.

Step 7: Wash 4th quarter pint canning jar that you made your daughter eat for a snack (keeping in mind that it is her favorite snack).

Step 8: Cut tissue paper and wrap it around the jars, secure with ribbon, insert tea lights. Wrap ribbon the Christ candle and place everything on the plate.

The results will be as follows:




Finished just in time for the night before Advent, and sitting on the table when we got home from Church on Sunday to light the first candle.

Can I tell you how thrilled I am for a make do with what you have project? In my Christmas serving ware I have some small glass Christmas trees which I will be placing amongst the jars in place of the evergreen boughs to remind us of Christ's undying love for us.

Each night at supper we are lighting the appropriate candles and reading that day's reading of Good Tidings of Great Joy: The Birth of Jesus the Messiah (William Barclay Library), our favorite Advent devotional.

What does your family do in this time leading up to Christmas? Do you celebrate Advent? I would love to hear the details!