For Advent, my family always had a wreath with three purple candles and one pink. As a child, those colors puzzled me—purple felt like Lent, not the joyful countdown to Christmas. And why light the pink candle on the third week? My color-loving, orderly mind couldn’t quite figure it out.

Years later, I encountered another wreath—this time with all blue candles. It looked more “Christmas-y,” but I still wondered about the meaning behind the colors.

So I did some digging. I learned that the Advent wreath began in pre-Christian winter-solstice traditions, where evergreen circles and candles symbolized life and the hope for the sun’s return. Early Christians later adopted the practice, transforming it into a sign of God’s eternal love and the growing light of Christ.Purple candles came to represent prayer, penitence, and preparation; the pink candle marked a turn toward joy. Over time, these weeks took on the themes of Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love. Some churches now use blue instead of purple to emphasize hope and expectation as we watch for the coming Messiah.

This year, our readings from Matthew remind us what—and who—we await:
Be ready,
Prepare the way,
The Messiah is near,
And God is with us.

As we enter this season of waiting and wonder, may the candles—whatever their colors—remind us that
Christ is coming,
Christ is near,
Christ is with us.