Advent with plants

Countdown to Christmas with candles and plants

It’s pretty dark, isn’t it? Candles are great sources of illumination in the days running up to Christmas. Flickering flames can be just nice and cosy, or can consciously bring you into an Advent mood. Whatever the underlying motivation, plants make the candlelight even more special. Particularly if they have an unusual colour…

Ein Advent voller Pflanzen  - Ppflanzenfreude.de

Candles and plants

You use four candles over the Advent period. You light one every Sunday, so that all four candles are burning by the last Sunday. It’s a beautiful ritual during the darkest days of the year. Of course you can enhance the illuminating aura of the candleholder. With a plant, for example!

Purple plants

A Holly or other branch with attractive berries casts a mysterious shadow over your upright Advent candleholder. Purple plant also make an excellent partnership with your Advent candleholder, particularly because purple becomes even more intense when it’s lit by candlelight. So bring a purple plant into your home, such as an Anthurium, Echeveria or an orchid like Phalaenopsis or Zygopetalum.

Advent - remind me what that is

In Christianity, Advent is the run-up to Christmas. The word ‘advent’ comes from the Latin ‘adventus’, which means ‘coming’. The period starts four Sundays before Christmas, and ends on Christmas Eve. In 2016 these are the following Sundays:

  • 27 November

  • 4 December

  • 11 December

  • 18 December

You will traditionally see purple - the colour of penance and repentance - in churches during this period.

Credits:

The candleholder is from By Lassen, the candle snuffer is from Ferm Living. The vase is vintage.