Advent candles are the four candles of the Advent wreath, three purple and one rose, one for each Sunday before Christmas. In 2026 you light the first purple candle on Sunday, November 29, add one more each Sunday, and light the rose candle on the third Sunday, December 13. To start, all you need is a wreath, the four candles and a few quiet minutes as a family.
What Advent is and when it begins in 2026
Advent is the time of getting ready for Christmas. It covers the four Sundays before Christmas and the weekdays in between. It always begins on the Sunday that falls on or closest to November 30, the feast of Saint Andrew, and it always has four Sundays.
In 2026, the four Sundays of Advent fall on these dates:
- First Sunday of Advent: November 29, 2026
- Second Sunday of Advent: December 6, 2026
- Third Sunday of Advent (Gaudete Sunday): December 13, 2026
- Fourth Sunday of Advent: December 20, 2026
Christmas falls on Friday, December 25. Advent is a joyful wait: we quiet our hearts and get ready for Jesus, who was born in Bethlehem and who will come again.
The four Advent candles and their colors
The classic Advent wreath holds four candles: three purple and one rose. That is the ideal, but if you can't find colored candles, white ones are fine too.
Why three purple candles and one rose
Purple, also called violet, is the color the Church uses during Advent. It is the same color as Lent, because both seasons get us ready for a big feast with prayer, small sacrifices and a quieter heart. The three purple candles stand for that time of getting ready.
The rose candle is for the Third Sunday, called Gaudete Sunday. Gaudete is Latin for “rejoice.” By then the wait is more than half over, so the mood turns joyful. That is why the priest may wear rose at Mass that day, and why one rose candle shines among the purple.
The white Christ candle in the center
Many families add a fifth candle, a white one, in the center of the wreath. It is often called the Christ candle. It is a newer custom that many families love. You light it on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, because the One you were waiting for has arrived. White stands for the joy and purity of Christmas.
Advent candle colors in order: the meaning of each week
Many families also give each candle a name. The most common names are hope, peace, joy and love. There is no single right way to name them, so the names change a little from one home or parish to another. Some families use older names: the Prophecy candle, the Bethlehem candle, the Shepherds candle and the Angels candle. Both are fine.
Here is the order most families in the United States follow:
- First week (purple): Hope. We remember what the prophets promised and how long Israel hoped for a Savior.
- Second week (purple): Peace. We remember John the Baptist, who called everyone to get their hearts ready for the Lord.
- Third week (rose): Joy. Gaudete Sunday. The rose candle reminds us: rejoice, the Lord is near.
- Fourth week (purple): Love. We think of Mary, who said yes, and of God's love coming to live among us.
If your family grew up with other names for the weeks, keep them. Many Spanish speaking families also connect these weeks with the meaning of their veladora colors. If you pray in both languages, our guide to the meaning of veladora colors, written in Spanish, is a nice companion.
How to light the Advent candles week by week
Here is the order, week by week. Each Sunday you light the candles from the weeks before, plus one more:
- First week: Light one purple candle. Let it burn during your evening prayer or dinner all through the week.
- Second week: Light the first purple candle and a second purple candle together.
- Third week: Light the two purple candles and the rose candle. Now there are three flames.
- Fourth week: Light all three purple candles and the rose candle.
- Christmas: If you use a white Christ candle, light all five.
On the first night, many families bless the wreath before lighting it. A parent can lead it, and the short blessing prayer begins: “Lord our God, we praise you for your Son, Jesus Christ.” You can find the full text in the sources at the end.
A short prayer helps children understand what you are doing. You can pray together: “Lord, as this light grows week by week, prepare our hearts to welcome you. Come, Lord Jesus, and fill our home with your peace. Amen.” Many families also read one of the Bible readings from that Sunday's Mass. At the end, the youngest child gets to blow out the candles.
Advent is also a good time to read the Bible together at home. If you are choosing a Bible for your family this year, our guide on how to choose a Catholic Bible explains the translations and gift editions in English and Spanish.
Safety and placement at home
Real candles need a little care. These simple habits keep Advent peaceful:
- Put the wreath on a steady surface that can take the heat, away from curtains, dry greenery and the edge of the table.
- Trim the wicks to about a quarter inch before lighting. The flame burns cleaner and calmer.
- Never leave lit candles with no one around, and keep them out of reach of small children and pets.
- Keep a small dish of water or a candle snuffer nearby.
- If your wreath has fresh greenery, spray it with a little water during the season so it stays green and does not dry out near the flames.
Put the wreath where your family already gathers: the dining table, a prayer corner or a mantel you pass every day. Advent is meant to be lived, not just displayed.
Choosing quality Advent candles
If you light your wreath night after night, you want candles that burn clean and keep their color. At Nuestra Fe, our devotional candles are made in Mexico. We take care that each candle burns evenly and has a deep, true color that looks beautiful by candlelight.
When you compare sets, look for these signs of quality:
- Even, slow burn: a well made candle burns down the center without heavy dripping, so it lasts all four weeks.
- True color: a purple that really looks purple and a rose that is clearly rose, not a washed out pink, so Gaudete Sunday stands out.
- Steady base: candles that sit firmly in your wreath or holder.
- A complete set: three purple and one rose in matching height and finish.
A good Advent candles set of four gives you three matching purple candles and one rose candle, all the same height and finish, so the wreath looks balanced week after week. If you also want a Christmas candle, pick a set that looks good next to a separate white pillar candle in the center. Buying all four as a set saves you the trouble of matching colors and sizes later.
See our Advent candle set of four, and browse our devotional candles for the prayer corners of your home.
Where the Advent wreath comes from
The Advent wreath has old roots. Long before Christ, people in northern Europe lit candles and gathered evergreen branches in the darkest weeks of winter, longing for light and warmth to come back. As the faith spread, missionaries gave that longing its true meaning: the light we wait for is Christ himself.
Over the centuries it became the wreath we know today, a circle of evergreens with four candles, and it moved from churches into homes around the world. What began as a hope for the winter sun became a prayer for the coming of the Lord.
The Advent wreath: what the circle and evergreens mean
The circle has no beginning and no end, a sign of eternal life in Christ. The evergreen branches stay green even in the cold of winter, a sign of hope that does not fade. Each Sunday adds one more flame, so the wreath gets brighter as Christmas gets closer.
Keep the light burning in your home
Advent is a gentle, hopeful season, and a simple wreath can carry your family through it beautifully. When you are ready, browse our devotional candles and the Advent candle set of four, made in our own factory to light your prayers from the first Sunday to Christmas morning.
For Advent and Christmas at home
Candles for the four Sundays, the Christ Child for the nativity scene and prayer candles for the home altar.
Arrives in 2 to 4 days. Free shipping on orders over $35.
Frequently asked questions about Advent candles
What color are the four Advent candles?
Three are purple (also called violet) and one is rose, a soft pink. Purple is the color of prayer and getting ready during Advent. The rose candle is lit on the Third Sunday, Gaudete Sunday, when the mood turns joyful. Some families add a fifth white candle in the center for Christmas Day.
When do you light the pink Advent candle?
You light the rose or pink candle on the Third Sunday of Advent, called Gaudete Sunday. In 2026 that is December 13. Gaudete means “rejoice” in Latin: by the third week the wait is more than half over, so the brighter color brings a note of joy.
What order do you light Advent candles in?
Light one purple candle the first week and add a second purple candle the second week. On the third week (Gaudete Sunday) add the rose candle, and on the fourth week light all four. Each Sunday you light the earlier candles again too, so the wreath gets brighter as Christmas gets closer.
What do the four Advent candles mean?
Many families name the four candles hope, peace, joy and love, with joy on the rose candle. There is no single right way to name them, so they change from home to home. The purple candles stand for prayer and getting ready, and the rose candle stands for the joy of Gaudete Sunday.
Can you use white candles instead of purple and rose?
Yes. Three purple and one rose is the ideal, but white candles are fine when you can't find colored ones. Many families still prefer the traditional colors, because the rose candle makes Gaudete Sunday stand out. Either way, the wreath holds four candles, one for each Sunday, and you can add a fifth white one in the center for Christmas.
Why is one candle pink and three purple?
Purple is the color of Advent, a time of prayer and quiet preparation, so three of the candles are purple. The rose or pink candle is for the Third Sunday, Gaudete Sunday, when the wait is more than half over and the mood turns to joy. That one brighter candle marks the day the Church stops to rejoice.
Are there four or five candles for Advent?
The traditional Advent wreath has four candles, one for each Sunday: three purple and one rose. Many families add a fifth white candle in the center, called the Christ candle, and light it on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. If you want to add it, go ahead: it is a much loved custom.
What is the Catholic meaning of the Advent candles?
The three purple candles stand for prayer and getting ready, much like Lent, and the rose candle brings the joy of Gaudete Sunday. The wreath has meaning too. Its circle has no beginning and no end, a sign of eternal life, and its evergreens stay green all winter, a sign of hope in Christ that does not fade.
Does an Advent wreath need to be blessed, and can a family bless it at home?
It doesn't have to be: a blessing is a custom, not a requirement. It usually happens on the First Sunday of Advent or the night before, so in 2026 that is November 29 or the night of November 28. A priest, deacon or lay minister can bless it, and at home it is good for a parent or another family member to lead it. The short blessing prayer begins: “Lord our God, we praise you for your Son, Jesus Christ.”
Do you light Advent candles every day or only on Sundays, and how long do you leave them lit?
Sunday is the main day, because the number of lit candles matches the week of Advent. Many families also light them on weekdays at dinner or night prayer, and that is very fitting. There is no set time for how long they burn: light them for your prayer or your meal, keep them on a surface that can take the heat, and never leave a flame alone.
How long do you leave the Advent wreath up after Christmas, and what do you do with the candles?
Advent ends at Christmas, but you don't have to take the wreath down on December 25. Many homes keep it up through the Christmas season, until the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord on January 10, 2027, lighting only the white Christ candle. If your wreath was blessed, burn the candles all the way down or bury what is left instead of throwing them away.
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