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How to Make an Advent Wreath DIY

Celebrate the spirit and meaning of Christmas with this easy tutorial to make a beautiful advent wreath DIY using fresh or faux winter greens.

Advent wreaths are an old tradition that has been revived in recent years. They’re a fun way to decorate for Christmas, but they also serve as a reminder of the arrival of Christ’s birth.

Make your own advent wreath DIY using these easy instructions!

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What is an Advent Wreath?

The Advent wreath is a Christian tradition symbolizing the four weeks of the Advent Calendar during the Christmas season.

Made of evergreen cuttings, it is traditionally a circular garland of greens that represent eternity.

Advent wreaths traditionally have 3 purple, one pink candle, and sometimes a fifth white candle in the center. But some make a homemade advent wreath with white candles.

Each week, a candle representing the spiritual preparation for the coming of Jesus is lit, beginning with the first Sunday of Advent.

Today, I’m sharing this blog post in the Celebrating Advent Blog Hop hosted by my talented friend, Amber of Follow the Yellow Brick Home.

If you are coming from my good friend Michelle’s from Thistle Key Lane, welcome to my home!

Because I love to make both faux and fresh arrangements, I made a pretty Catholic advent wreath to celebrate the meaning of the season.

close up of greens and gold bells with winter berries

What Do the Four Candles in Advent Represent?

The Advent season is comprised of four weeks that are represented by four candles, which are lit each Sunday.

And the neat thing about them is that each candle gives the Catholic advent wreath meaning.

To understand the significance, the meaning of the Advent wreath is as follows:

  • The first week of Advent (Sunday) symbolizes hope and is known as the “Prophecy Candle”. The first purple candle is lit in remembrance of the prophets who foretold Christ’s birth. This candle is purple.
  • The second week Sunday’s candle symbolizes faith, known as the “Bethlehem Candle”. This is the second purple candle and serves as a reminder of Joseph and Mary’s journey to Bethlehem.
  • A pink candle is lit on the third Sunday that represents joy, known as “the Shepherd’s Candle.” It serves as a reminder of the joy in the birth of Jesus and the faithful reaching the middle of Advent.
  • The fourth week (Sunday) is the last candle that symbolizes prayer and penance while we wait for the birth of baby Jesus. The final purple candle is known as the “Angel’s Candle” and signifies peace.

In a modern day 5 candle advent wreath, a fifth candle (usually white) is lit on Christmas Eve, known as “Christ’s Candle” that symbolizes purity.

close up of 4 candle advent wreath lit with winter greens, pine cones and red berries in farmhouse dining room with black china cabinet and hutch and christmas decor

Supplies Needed to Make an Advent Wreath

Not many supplies are needed to make your own wreath.

And if you are blessed with a landscape that has lots of fresh evergreens to cut?

Then you can make this Christmas DIY budget-friendly and sustainable. Here’s what you need:

  • Container
  • Floral foam
  • Taper or Pillar candles (typically using 3 purple and 1 pink)
  • Evergreen branches (fresh or faux)
  • Pruners or scissors
  • Pine cones, berries or other natural elements.

While I’m a huge proponent of using fresh greens, sometimes you just want to use something that’s set and forget that will last without thinking about it.

If you choose to use faux greens to make this Christian advent wreath, go for it!

I’ve made it both ways and it’s really a matter of preference what types of greens you choose to use.

fresh evergreen trees in the garden with blue spruce and pines

How to Make an Advent Wreath DIY

To me, making your own advent wreath is very similar to making a centerpiece for the dining room table.

In a nutshell, here’s the DIY advent wreath tutorial::

  • Gather supplies.
  • Cut or buy fresh greens.
  • You can also use faux greens, like I did with this arrangement.
  • Depending on the size container or vessel you are using, cut floral foam to fit.
  • Add tapered candles.
  • Start with layer of fresh greens to drape over the edge of the container.
  • Add filler greens.
  • Tuck in pinecones and berries.

Choosing the Container

For my advent wreath, I started with this vintage urn that belonged to my grandmother.

I haven’t polished the silver on it because I kind of like the patina on it for this project.

How to Make an Advent Wreath using floral foam inside a silve pedastal

Selecting the Greens and Candles

To stabilize the greens and taper candles, I cut some floral foam to size. Feel free to use candle holders to help stabilize them and catch the wax from the candles.

Since I am making my advent wreath so close to Christmas, I just used what I had on hand here to make the wreath.

I had a bunch of faux greens that I wasn’t using in my decor so I decided to use those instead of fresh cut greens.

But it’s just as easy to walk outside and cut fresh greenery from the yard.

When using fresh instead of faux greens, make sure to use a little dish or something to catch the water in on the bottom so nothing leaks out.

The only thing to keep in mind when cutting evergreen branches, some types of greens have prickly leaves like holly, so wear gloves when working with them.

To start making a catholic advent wreath, add the four candles to the floral foam then start tucking in fresh or faux greens.

Designing the Advent Wreath

As with any arrangement, keep in mind the thriller, filler and spiller technique to container design.

It’s a great way to design any container garden or centerpiece arrangement.

I started the Advent Wreath by inserting the four candles into the floral foam at the center of the wreath. The candles are the thriller or height element of the design.

Because I am using what I have on hand, I don’t have the pink and purple candles, so I’m using white instead.

I then inserted a few pine looking sprigs to the base of the arrangement so it creates a spilling effect.

To keep the greens to scale with the urn, I want them to drape 2x the width of the container.

Keep tucking winter greens until the christian advent wreath looks full. If you want to make a 5 candle advent wreath, add a fifth candle in the center. How to Make an Advent Wreath

Then, I kept stuffing around the base with the pine looking sprigs until it looked full enough to add the filler.

Tuck in a variety of winter greens to add depth, texture and dimension to the advent wreath.

Next I added some filler greens to make the arrangement look fuller, as well as to add more texture and dimension.

So I tucked in some cedar branch and juniper faux greens. The sprigs were smaller than the pines I used, making great filler.

When tucking in the greens, be sure to keep some space away from the candles so when they candles burn down they don’t ignite the greens.

Tuck in pine cones and berries to add more texture and dimension to the greens when making a catholic advent wreath.

To add more texture and dimension, I tucked in some pinecone sprigs.

The ones I have are flocked and grouped in threes on a floral pic.

But I love how they instantly added some life to the advent wreath, don’t you?

Close up of catholic advent wreath after adding red berries, pine cones and winter greens in farmhouse kitchen on granite countertop.

And finally, I tucked in some faux red berry sprigs to coordinate with my Christmas decorating style this year.

Adding them really makes the whole arrangement pop, don’t you agree?

close up of 4 candle advent wreath in dining room with Christmas decor, black china cabinet and hutch in rustic farmhouse

For Safety Purposes

As with any burning candles, ALWAYS keep an eye on them.

As the candles burn down into the greens, swap them out for fresh ones, or use flameless, battery-operated candles for safety.

Thanks so much for following along. I hope you have a Merry Christmas!

close up of 4 candle advent wreath lit with winter greens, pine cones and red berries in farmhouse dining room with black china cabinet and hutch and christmas decor

Want to Learn How to Decorate With Fresh Greens for the Holidays?

Sign up here to get my email and get a discount on my ebook, 15 Easy Ways to Decorate With Fresh Greens for the Holidays that offers beautiful, budget-friendly, and sustainable holiday decorating inspiration using fresh greens from the landscape.

This 40-page guide is full of simple DIY holiday decorating ideas that includes how to cut, care for, and design with fresh greens, as well as tips to purchase and incorporate faux greens with your holiday decorating style to create a cozy, beautiful, and organic vibe.

From porch styling to cozy centerpiece and tablescape inspiration, wait until you try these budget-friendly holiday decorating ideas using fresh greens for every room in your home.

hanging basket of winter greens on the porch

 More Holiday Decorating Ideas

 Wait Until You See These Advent Celebration Ideas!

Celebrating Advent Blog Hop

Thanks so much for stopping by my home today. Next up on the tour is my good friend Kelly from The Tattered Pew.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

 

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How to Make an Advent Wreath
How to Make an Advent Wreath

Celebrating Advent
 

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37 Comments

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  4. Stacy your Advent wreath is incredibly beautiful! Thank you so much for sharing. Have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

  5. It is absolutely stunning! I love the vessel you used and the beautiful fresh greens. Great tutuorial too. Definitely pinning because I plan to make a similar one next year!

    Thanks so much for joining the hop! Merry Christmas!

    1. Thank you so much Amber! I really appreciate that and thank you for organizing such a great hop! I hope you have a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year!

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  7. I love your advent wreath Stacy. I’ll bet it smells divine with all the fresh greens, I know mine does! I love the patina on your Grandmother’s urn too, just right for Christmas!

    1. Thank you so much Jayne! I’m so glad you were able to stop by today! I am really happy how it turned out. Merry Christmas! xoxoxo

  8. Oh Stacy, this has to be one of the prettiest advent wreath arrangements ever! Pinning to make one next year! Merry Christmas!

  9. Beautiful wreath. I’ve never made and Advent wreath. Maybe I can do it next year since you gave us a great tutorial? Fingers crossed. Would love to hear why we are supposed to use purple and pink colored candles. 😉 Hope you have a wonderful Christmas.

  10. Using a piece of family silver for your container is just the perfect look for this lovely evergreen arrangement. I’ve been intrigued by advent wreaths this Christmas season and yours is just gorgeous. Thanks for sharing a step by step DIY. I’m pinning it and hope to put one together next year. Have a Happy and Blessed Christmas and New Year!

    1. Thank you Debra! I really appreciate that! Send me a pic if you make it next year, I’d love to see it! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

  11. Stacy,
    Your arrangement is absolutely beautiful! Thanks so much for the clear instructions to recreate. Merry Christmas!

  12. Stacy I loved your advent wreath! What a special way to celebrate Jesus and I love that you used your grandmother’s urn! Merry Christmas to you and yours my friend!

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  15. It is so beautiful, Stacy.
    I want to make one, it reminds me of my childhood Christmas mornings.
    Pinned!
    xoxo,
    Brendt