Christmas Wreaths - The Tradition

Some people hang wreathes year round, with flower wreathes marking the coming of spring and circles of dried bittersweet ringing in the fall. But at Christmas, the wreath comes into its glory, adorning the grand entrances of great houses and the modest doors of city apartments. The tradition is centuries old, but every holiday season it renews itself.Most wreathes are circular, and the circle has long been symbolic of the unbroken span of eternity, as well as the circular nature of life itself. Used in mid December at the time of the Winter Solstice, the circle symbolizes the certainty that the endless cycle of seasons will once again bring the return of light.

Some Christians use Advent wreathes to commemorate the meaning of Christmas. These wreathes, usually made of evergreens, are placed on a table or other horizontal surface. Four candles are affixed to the greenery to represent the four weeks of Advent, the season leading up to Christmas. Each week at a specific time family members say prayers and light an additional candle until all are alight just before Christmas.
The vast majority of Christmas wreathes are hung on doors, windows or walls, indoors and out. Traditional wreath greens include various types of fir, pine, holly, boxwood and even magnolia leaves. Modern wreathes may be made of a variety of materials for contrasts in color, texture and fragrance.Whatever the decorations, wreathes are the perfect symbol of the personal, spiritual, traditional, contemporary and, above all, festive spirit of the holidays.