Advent wreath!

It is a simple tradition....but one of the kids favorite! We are a little behind in starting it this year...but Papa is keeping us on track. Last year our advent wreath broke- so Papa got us a new one this year and I really love it! (I am just noticing you can't see it in either of these pictures) I will have to take another one and post it later. It has 4 sides reading: Faith, Love, Joy and my favorite word....HOPE!
The ring or wheel of the Advent wreath of evergreens decorated with candles was a symbol in northern Europe long before the arrival of Christianity. The circle symbolized the eternal cycle of the seasons while the evergreens and lighted candles signified the persistence of life in the midst of winter. Some sources suggest the wreath—now reinterpreted as a Christian symbol—was in common use in the Middle Ages, others that it was established in Germany as a Christian custom only in the 16th century. In Catholic churches, the most popular colours for the Advent candles are purple and rose. In the Western church, purple is the historic liturgical color for three of the four Sundays of Advent: once the color associated with royalty, it symbolizes Christ as the "Prince of Peace." Rose is the color for the Third Sunday of Advent, known as Gaudete Sunday from the Latin word "rejoice". Gaudete Sunday anticipates the joy of the Christmas celebration, so its color is a mixture of Advent purple and Christmas white. It may also symbolize the color of early dawn.