What Is Advent? Meaning, History, Dates & Traditions

Advent can be confusing. Some people know it as the four Sundays before Christmas. Others know it from chocolate-filled Advent calendars or candles on a wreath. If you have ever wondered when Advent starts, what it means, or why people celebrate it, you are not alone.

Advent is a Christian season of preparation and expectation before Christmas. It looks back to the coming of Jesus Christ at his birth and, in many Christian traditions, also looks forward to his promised return. The word comes from the Latin adventus, meaning "coming" or "arrival."

As you prepare for the holidays, you can also learn about other classic winter greenery traditions in our guide to why we use holly and mistletoe at Christmas.

Advent represents the season of quiet expectation, lit candles, decorated wreaths, and calendars counting the days leading to Christmas.

What Is Advent?

Advent is the season of the Christian year that leads up to Christmas. In Western Christian traditions, it contains the four Sundays before Christmas and ends on Christmas Eve.

Advent is a time of waiting, preparation, reflection, and hope. Christians use the season to prepare for the celebration of Jesus' birth at Christmas. Many traditions also connect Advent with anticipation of Christ's Second Coming.

Liturgical Advent vs. Christmas Season

It is important to note that Advent is not the same thing as Christmas. A simple way to remember the difference is:

In short: Advent is the waiting and preparation that leads to Christmas.

When Is Advent in 2026?

Advent 2026 begins on Sunday, November 29, 2026, and ends on Thursday, December 24, Christmas Eve.

The four Sundays during Advent 2026 are:

How Long Does Advent Last?

Advent always contains four Sundays, but the total number of calendar days can vary.

In the Western Christian calendar, Advent can last about three and a half to four weeks. The exact number of days changes because Christmas falls on different days of the week from year to year. Liturgical Advent can range from 22 to 28 days.

This is one reason people sometimes become confused when they see an Advent calendar with 24 doors. An Advent calendar is not a perfect calendar of every day of the liturgical Advent season; it is a practical countdown starting December 1.

What Does Advent Mean?

The word Advent means "coming" or "arrival." The English word comes from the Latin adventus, which means arrival or coming. In Christian use, the word points especially to the coming of Christ.

Advent has two connected ideas:

• First Coming: Remembering and celebrating Jesus' birth at Bethlehem.
• Second Coming: Looking forward in hope to the promised return of Christ.

This gives the season a dual past-and-future focus: remembering the historic Nativity while preparing for the future promised arrival.

What Is the History of Advent?

Advent developed gradually during the early centuries of Christianity. The history is not completely uniform because different Christian communities practiced preparation for Christmas in different ways.

Distinct periods of preparation for Christmas began appearing in parts of the Christian world during the fourth century, initially involving fasting, prayer, and religious observance. The length of the season changed over time before the Roman tradition stabilized the four-week Western Advent familiar today.

Advent Historical Timeline

What Do the Advent Candles Mean?

Advent candles mark the four Sundays of Advent and symbolize the growing expectation of Christmas. Wreaths traditionally hold four candles, with one lit on each Sunday of Advent. In some traditions, a fifth white candle (the Christ Candle) is placed in the center and lit on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.

Advent Wreath & Candle Symbols

Why is the third candle pink? The rose color indicates Gaudete Sunday (from the Latin for "rejoice"). It highlights a shift in focus from reflection to joy as Christmas draws near.

An evergreen Advent wreath with three purple candles and one rose candle glowing in a warm, cozy room setting.

What Is an Advent Wreath?

An Advent wreath is a circular arrangement of evergreen branches holding four candles. The circle symbolizes God's endless love (having no beginning or end), and evergreens represent enduring life through winter.

The modern wreath was popularized in Germany by Lutheran pastor Johann Wichern in 1838. He used a wooden ring decorated with small red candles and large white candles to help orphaned children count the days to Christmas. Over time, it was simplified to the four-candle version used in homes and churches today.

What Is an Advent Calendar?

An Advent calendar is a tool used to count down the days leading up to Christmas. Modern calendars usually have 24 doors or pockets opened from December 1 through December 24, often revealing pictures, chocolates, or toys.

Early German countdown customs included chalk marks on doors or lighting candles daily. The printed Advent calendar emerged in the early 20th century. German printer Gerhard Lang is credited with producing an early printed version in 1908. The tradition spread globally and today includes both religious scriptures and secular treats.

A vintage-style rendering of an early 20th-century German printed Advent calendar with daily countdown doors.

Is Advent the Same as a Christmas Countdown?

No. Advent is a Christian religious season, whereas a Christmas countdown is a calendar calculation measuring the remaining time to Christmas.

Liturgical Advent starts on a Sunday and changes length, whereas countdown tools can run at any time (even months in advance) and calculate exact days, hours, or seconds. An Advent calendar bridges the two: it is a visual countdown built around the tradition of Christmas preparation.

To track the exact time remaining, you can also use our weeks until Christmas countdown or calculate daily bedtimes with our sleeps until Christmas tool.

Myths vs. Facts in Advent History

Here are common myths and the historical realities surrounding the Advent season:

Advent Dates for the Next Several Years

Because Western Advent always starts on the fourth Sunday before Christmas, its beginning shifts each year:

Note: Liturgical Advent concludes at sundown on Christmas Eve. Track the calendar countdown leading to this date with our Christmas Eve countdown tool.

Frequently Asked Questions About Advent

Quick answers to the most common questions regarding Advent traditions and dates:

Conclusion

Advent is a season of waiting, preparation, and hope leading to Christmas. It has four Sundays in the Western liturgical tradition, directing attention toward Christ's birth and return. Its traditions include wreaths, lit candles, printed calendars, music, and acts of charity.

The simplest way to think about it: Christmas is the celebration, while Advent is the preparation and anticipation that comes before.