Nativity Fast Wreath

When I was a kid during Advent we lit a candle in our advent wreath every Saturday evening with a reading from the Scriptures.  We did this to prepare to celebrate the birth of Christ.  Starting on the first day of December.  Advent lasted 25 days.  We lit 3 purple candles and one pink candle then on Christmas we would light a red "Christ" candle.

At the time we were Episcopalian.  Now I am Orthodox we fast* for 40 days before Nativity (aka Christmas).  I am on the "old calendar" which means that we follow the Julian calendar of days.  The Nativity fast begins on November 28 and ends on Nativity (January 7).  My husband and I have been talking about what traditions we want to have with our children.  I always felt happy and safe when we had our advent wreath.

Obviously the Nativity fast is longer than Advent, so I have adapted it a little to accommodate for two more more weeks in the fast.  I figure we can light a candle with the reading for the day on the first day of the fast and then every Saturday night after that.  (that gives us 6 candles) and then on Nativity we can light a red pillar candle for our Christ Candle.  When I was a kid the Christ candle burned all day.  So I think we will do the same.

* When we fast in the Orthodox Church we refrain from eating most animal products (meaning meat, dairy, eggs, fish).

Here are the instructions for the Wreath I made. :)

Materials:
A Wreath Base (I got mine at Michaels)
A Long Evergreen Garland
Different floral picks that are holiday themed
Berry garland
1" Miniature clay pots
scissors
wire cutters
hot glue gun (and glue sticks)
wire (if needed)

 Instructions:
1.  Wrap the evergreen garland around the Wreath base.  If necessary you can secure it with a piece of wire.

2. Wrap the berry garland around the wreath.  Again if necessary secure it with a piece of wire.

3.  Push the leaves up around the pine cones on two of the floral picks.  Then do the same thing on two picks that have golden berries.
 
4.  Use the wire cutters to cut them down.  I cut two other picks down.

5.Push the prepared picks into the wreath in a nice pattern.

6. Using the hot glue gun attach the miniature clay pots spaced as evenly.

When you put the candles in you may have to wrap the bottoms of them to make them stand up (depending on how fat your tapers and up being.)


I think I will do 5 purple candles and one pink.  When I was a kid we would have hot chocolate and eggnog while we listened to my dad read the scripture.  We all had our own special mugs.

What are some other Christmas traditions?  Please comment with your traditions.  Happy Nativity!  Or Theophany or Epiphany what ever you celebrate tomorrow :)

jnd