German Advent is a religious celebration leading up to Christmas Day or the coming of the Christ Child. A Christmas wreath is set up each year with four candles, to represent each of the four weeks before Christmas. The wreath was important in traditional German homes as the Christmas Tree was not set up until Christmas Eve. The wreath would give the smell of Christmas in the meantime.
The fourth Sunday before Christmas families and friends would gather to light the first candle. Each week they would light one more candle. After lighting the candle traditional Christmas songs would be sung. Originally Advent was a more somber affair, with participants committing to give up something to the Christ Child, similar to lent. The traditions have changed in favor of the advent calendar. Originally these would have windows which opened to different scenes or symbols of Christmas. Today the most popular Advent calendar opens up to a piece of chocolate, again in the shape of Christmas symbols. German Advent
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