The tradition of the Advent Wreath and lighting Advent candles dates back to pre-Christian times in northern Europe. During the darkest days of winter, as many as twenty-four candles were lit on an evergreen covered wheel or wreath. Lighting a candle each day helped mark the time until the return of the sun's light and warmth. By the 1500s, Christians adapted this custom as a devotional way to prepare for the coming of Christ, the Light of the World. Today the Advent Wreath is usually an evergreen wreath placed on a table or suspended from a ceiling or arch. The four candles on the wreath represent the four Sundays in Advent. One candle is lit each succeeding week, and by the fourth Sunday, all four candles are aglow. Three of the candles are usually blue (or purple) in keeping with the liturgical color of the season, and one candle is pink and is lit on the third Sunday in Advent, the Sunday of Joy. A white candle, known as the Christ Candle, is placed in the center of the wreath and lit on Christmas Eve.

The Advent Wreath is a symbol of life and light, and reminds us that Christ is both the light that dispels darkness (John 1:5) and the light of the world (John 8:12). The wreath is a circle with neither a beginning nor end, signifying eternal life. The evergreens also signify eternal life; pine, holly, and yew represent immortality; cedar represents strength and healing; laurel represents victory over suffering; and pine cones and nuts signify life and resurrection.

In its totality, the Advent Wreath symbolizes new and eternal life that believers receive through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.