Advent Wreath Craft

It's coming up to Advent Wreath Season and I was thinking of how families could use the tradition at home in a craft and prayer activity.  Of course it's great to have the real candles to light, but here's an alternative to make and do!

Here's a great site that explains really simply the possible focus for each candle on the wreath (see below where I have used their explanations to think about prayer ideas).

To make a wreath, you will need: A paper plate, green felt or card, 5 rectangles of card (all one colour or the more traditional 3 purple, 1 pink and 1 white), 5 gold card circles and 5 orange 'flames'

Take each piece of card and fold over at the bottom.  Cut this bottom section into slits so that the 'candle' will be easier to stick to the plate.  Roll the card round into a cylinder 'candle' and secure with sellotape.

 Using the slits, stick the candle to the plate and make a flame using the gold and orange card.  Stick this to the front of the candle.

 Stick all of the candles on, with the white candle in the middle.  Place strips of green felt or card over the plate to cover the candle bases and to create the greenery!

If you are doing this as a family, it might be interesting to put the candles on the plate week by week during Advent and to draw or write prayers on the card used for the candle before you roll it and stick it on!  A prayer focus for each week might be:

• Week 1: Hope- pray for people who are sad and unwell
• Week 2: Peace- pray for people who are in war torn areas of the world
• Week 3: Joy (pink candle if you are being traditional!)- Thank God for the good things you have
• Week 4: Love- pray for family and friends
• Christmas Day: Jesus the light of the world- pray that God will help us to be like 'light' to others and that we will be able to help people find out who Jesus is.