Advent means "arrival" (from Latin "adventur"). It is the season just before Christmas and begins on 1st December. During Advent, Christians remember the long and tiring journey that Joseph and Mary made to Bethlehem.
· Advent Candle: Special candles are often lit in church during Advent. A white candle is lit on each of the Sundays of Advent, and burns throughout the day. A special Christmas candle is lit on 25th December.
· Advent Calendar: This idea originally came from German Lutherans. It is often a picture of a Christmas scene, on which 24 small "windows" have been marked. Behind each window, there is a picture of something to do with Christmas. One window is opened on each day of December until Christmas Eve.
· Christingle: Christingle means "Christ-light", and a Christingle consists of an orange (the world) with a candle pushed into it. The candle stands for Jesus, the light of the World. The orange is speared with four little sticks carrying fruit, representing the fruits of the Earth. A red ribbon (Christ´s blood) is tied round the orange. The original custom has been practised since Roman times, when fruit stuck with almonds, raisins, and olive sprigs from the sacred groves of the goddess Strenia, were given as goodwill gifts in December. The custom was brought to Britain by Roman soldiers. Much later, it spread to America and came back to Britain as a Christingle to express the message of Christmas.
