| We love Advent Wreaths. As children, my sisters and I would go out to the field to cut fresh balsam, fir and cedar boughs, looking for the ones that bore bright red berries. We'd tie them with twine to a birch wood frame our father made as an Advent wreath, and wait excitedly for our mother to bring out the bayberry scented candles that our aunt dipped that year from the beeswax in our hives. It was a solemn and joyous night when the first candle was lit.
Not everyone has the time or the resources to make a fresh wreath each year. And certainly most of us don't dip our own candles any longer!
There are so many beautiful Advent Wreaths and Calendars available to suit your family's taste and decorating style. Early in November we began to receive emails from our readers asking where to find Advent Wreaths and candles. You asked us and here it is - our Advent Wreath and Calendar resource page.
Hint: Do you know a newly married couple? Someone who recently converted to Catholicism? An Advent Wreath would make a wonderful gift as they begin their lives in their Catholic home.
We now carry a full line of Traditional Catholic Advent Calendars imported from Germany. |

Share the wonder of Advent with your family!
Quick Links
Wreaths
Cleaning Dripped Wax
Removing Evergreen Sap
Advent Calendars
Pet Safety and Advent Wreaths
Fun Stuff and Things to Read |
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Removing Evergreen Sap
Cornell University Labs recommends the following:
1. Dampen a clean cloth with rubbing alcohol, petroleum jelly or vegetable shortening.
2. Rub the spots or blot if the fabric is very delicate.
3. Wipe off with paper towel and wash remaining grease off with soap and water.
4. If all is not removed, use turpentine followed by soap and water.
Obviously use caution, keep alcohol and turpentine away from flames and use in a well ventilated area. More Cornell stain removal tips and precautions here.
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Pet Safety at ChristmasNatural Advent Wreaths are a favorite in our Catholic home, but we are always mindful of the pets who have been part of our family. (That's our current companion to the left - Feeney a year and a half old Puggle.)
Here are some tips from PAWS to be sure that your pets are safe.
Evergreen needles when ingested can puncture holes in intestines.
Holly, mistletoe, poinsettias and lilies can be poisonous to cats and dogs.
Water to keep evergreens fresh can harbor bacteria which can be harmful to pets. Be certain not to add aspirin which can kill pets.
Evergreen needles and resin can cause allergic reactions to sensitive pet skin. Be sure to keep them cleaned up and away from pets.
Birds may be tempted by decorative berries, even artificial ones which can create serious digestive problems.
Never leave burning candles unattended. Not even for a second.
If your pet becomes ill and you suspect that it has eaten something poisonous, call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center's 24-hour emergency hotline at 1-888-4-ANI-HELP
Until you get your dog to a vet provide supplemental fiber in the form of whole wheat or other high-fiber bread, canned pumpkin or Metamucil, any of which can help bulk up the stools the help the foreign material pass through the dog's digestive system. Dosages depend on the size of the dog. For Metamusil, try a teaspoon for a small dog, a tablespoon for a big dog. For pumpkin, feed one-quarter to two-thirds of a cup.
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Fun Stuff and Things to Read
Advent Wreath Rituals
The Golden Nights: O Antiphons
Making Advent Wreaths We place our Advent wreath on our dinner table every evening through the season of Advent. We eat by it's light alone. In the December darkness, the Light of God is brighter by contrast. On the first week, the single candle seems very feeble and lonely. It reminds us of the faithful all over the world who are living in isolation or hostility. (More)
Advent Wreath Coloring Page
The Advent Wreath The Advent Wreath is a simple way to honour Advent. By using the symbolic power of candles within the four weeks of Advent, we illustrate that Advent is a time of solemn preparation, that during this time, we are awaiting the Light of the Word and the Dawning of Hope. (More)
The History of the Advent Wreath by Father William Saunders
The Advent wreath is part of our long-standing Catholic tradition. However, the actual origins are uncertain. There is evidence of pre-Christian Germanic peoples using wreathes with lit candles during the cold and dark December days as a sign of hope in the future warm and extended-sunlight days of Spring. In Scandinavia during Winter, lighted candles were placed around a wheel, and prayers were offered to the god of light to turn "the wheel of the earth" back toward the sun to lengthen the days and restore warmth. (More)
The Advent Wreath - Prayers and Customs by Father Victor Hoagland, C.P
The origins of the Advent wreath are found in the folk practices of the pre-Christian Germanic peoples who, during the cold December darkness of Eastern Europe, gathered wreaths of evergreen and lighted fires as signs of hope in a coming spring and renewed light. (More) |