Advent Banners Explained: Colors, Candles and What Each Week Means

Advent is the season of waiting and preparing for Christmas. It begins four Sundays before Christmas, which puts the first Sunday of Advent on November 29 this year. For many churches it's also the season when the sanctuary changes the most: purple or blue replaces the green of ordinary time, the Advent wreath comes out, and banners go up to mark each week.

Here's a simple guide to Advent banner colors, the candle themes, and the banners and sets churches use through the season.

Advent Colors: Purple or Blue?

Purple is the traditional color of Advent in many churches. It's a royal color that points to Christ the King, and it's also a color of preparation and reflection.

Blue is used in many churches as well, especially some Lutheran, Anglican and Methodist congregations. It's often associated with hope and with the night sky before the dawn of Christ's birth, and it helps set Advent apart from the purple of Lent.

Neither is wrong. Follow your church's tradition and match your paraments and wreath candles. Many of our designs come in both colors. Our Hope, Peace, Love, Joy candle banner, for example, is available in purple or blue.

The Advent Candles and What They Mean

Each Sunday of Advent, one more candle on the wreath is lit. Many churches use these themes, and we have a banner for each one in our Advent candle banners collection:

• Week 1: Hope. Waiting with expectation for the coming of Christ.
• Week 2: Peace. The peace Christ brings, the Prince of Peace.
• Week 3: Joy. Often called Gaudete Sunday. In many churches this candle is rose or pink, marking joy as Christmas draws near.
• Week 4: Love. God's love shown in sending His Son.
• Christmas Eve or Christmas Day: the Christ candle. The white center candle, lit to celebrate Jesus' birth. Our Jesus banner completes the set.

The order of the themes varies between traditions (some churches light Love second and Peace fourth), so follow the order your church already uses.

Ways to Use Advent Banners

1. Hang the whole candle set

The Advent Candles Purple 5 banner set includes Hope, Peace, Joy, Love and Jesus in one matching design, so you can hang all five at once or add one each week as the wreath is lit. It comes in 18" x 60", 2' x 6' (most popular) or 3' x 8'.

2. Use carols across the front of the sanctuary

The Advent Candles Purple set of 4 pairs the same candle artwork with four Christmas carols: Joy to the World, The Lord is Come, O Holy Night and Peace on Earth. It comes as a 4-pack in 18" x 60", 2' x 6' or 3' x 8'.

3. Bring it into the lobby with a retractable

Advent retractable banners bring the season to the entrance, the lobby or a hallway without hanging anything on the wall. Each one is a 33" x 77" fabric insert on a silver aluminum base, in designs like Hope, Peace, Joy, Love and Welcome.

4. Proclaim the Names of Christ

For a Scripture-based series from Isaiah 9:6 and Matthew 1:23, our Names of Christ banners (Son of God, Immanuel, Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Prince of Peace and Everlasting Father) come as a set of 6 in tan and purple or tan and blue.

Sizes and Specs

• Hanging banners: individual candle banners come in 18" x 60", 2' x 6' (most popular), 3' x 5', 3' x 8', 4' x 6', 4' x 10' and 4' x 12'. Sets come in 18" x 60", 2' x 6' and 3' x 8'.
• Material: 100% polyester fabric, with pole pockets top and bottom.
• Retractables: a 33" x 77" fabric banner insert on a silver aluminum base with a clamp bar on top.
• Free design: change colors, wording or add your church name at no charge. We'll email a proof within 1 business day.
• Turnaround: 2 days from artwork approval, plus shipping. Shipping is free on orders over $100.

To have banners up for the first Sunday of Advent on November 29, plan to order by early to mid-November.

Shop Advent Candle Banners

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Questions about colors or which set fits your space? Call us at (888) 453-0060 or email support@churchbanners.com.