What is Advent? The Season of Anticipation
The word "Advent" comes from the Latin adventus, meaning "coming" or "arrival." For four weeks before Christmas, the church has traditionally observed a season of waitingâpreparing hearts and homes for the celebration of Christ's birth while also looking forward to His second coming.
Advent is countercultural. In a world that rushes to Christmas in October, that plays carols before Thanksgiving, that exhausts celebration before December 25th arrives, Advent says: wait. Prepare. Anticipate. The best is yet to come.
Your home can embody this counter-cultural posture. Advent decorating creates spaces that build anticipation rather than rushing to the climax, that prepare hearts rather than satisfying impatience.
Beyond Commercial Christmas: Reclaiming the Sacred
Modern Christmas decorating often has little connection to faith:
- Santa dominates over Savior
- Consumerism crowds out contemplation
- Busy-ness replaces preparation
- The commercial drown out the sacred
Advent decorating offers a different path. Instead of just Christmas décor that happens to be in a Christian home, you can create intentionally Christian spaces that shape the season's meaning.
The Goal
- DĂ©cor that tells the Nativity story
- Spaces that build week-by-week anticipation
- Art that points to Christ, not commercialism
- Environments that form faith in children and adults alike
- Homes that witness to visitors about what Christmas really means
Week-by-Week Advent Decorating Ideas
The four weeks of Advent traditionally focus on different themes. Your decorating can progress through these:
Week 1: Hope (The Prophets)
The season begins with expectation. The prophets foretold a Messiahâand He came.
Decorating ideas
- Display art featuring prophetic Scripture
- Light the first Advent candle (often purple)
- Simple décor that establishes anticipation without full celebration
- Scripture art with Messianic prophecies
Week 2: Peace (Bethlehem)
The second week focuses on the peace Christ brings and the journey to Bethlehem.
Decorating ideas
- Add nativity elements (stable, perhaps Mary and Joseph traveling)
- Increase candle lighting
- Art featuring Bethlehem scenes or peace-focused Scripture
- Begin displaying [Christian gifts](/collections/christian-gifts) that point to the season's meaning
Week 3: Joy (The Shepherds)
The third Sunday is often called "Gaudete Sunday"âRejoice! The shepherds received news of great joy.
Decorating ideas
- The pink (rose) candle is lit, marking growing celebration
- Shepherd imagery can be added
- Brighter elements begin appearing
- Music and increased festivity in the home
Week 4: Love (The Angels)
The final week before Christmas focuses on the love expressed in the Incarnation.
Decorating ideas
- Angel imagery joins the display
- The nativity scene nears completion (without Jesus figure yet)
- Maximum Advent décor but still waiting for Christmas
- Full candle lighting except Christ candle
Christmas Day
The waiting is over. The Savior is born!
Decorating ideas
- Place the Christ child in the nativity
- Light the central Christ candle
- Full Christmas celebration
- The preparation makes the celebration sweeter
Art That Points to the Nativity
Christian wall art can anchor your Advent decorating:
Nativity Scenes
Classic nativity artwork tells the central story. Choose pieces that fit your home's aestheticâfrom traditional paintings to modern interpretations.
Scripture Art
Key Advent/Christmas verses beautifully displayed:
"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given."
â Isaiah 9:6
"And she gave birth to her firstborn, a son."
â Luke 2:7
Madonna and Child
The [Gold collection](/collections/gold-collection) features pieces with warm tones that evoke the sacred intimacy of the Incarnation.
Light Imagery
Jesus as "Light of the World" themes connect beautifully with the candle-lit atmosphere of Advent. Art featuring light breaking through darkness resonates with the season.
Angelic Art
Angels announced Christ's birth. Angelic imageryâwhether traditional or contemporaryâbelongs in Advent dĂ©cor.
Creating Family Traditions Around Sacred Art
Advent art can become part of annual family traditions:
The Revealing
Some families keep special Advent/Christmas art stored away most of the year. Its annual appearance becomes an event children anticipate.
Progressive Display
Add one piece of art each Advent week, building toward Christmas. The growing display creates visual momentum through the season.
Story Time
Use displayed artwork as prompts for reading the Christmas story. "Tell me about this picture" becomes a gateway to Scripture.
Gift of Art
Consider making Advent/Christmas art a traditional gift. Each year, a new piece joins the collection, building a heritage over decades.
Practical Considerations
Making Advent decorating work in your home:
Practical Tips
- Start with the Advent wreath as the central visual
- Add elements week by week rather than all at once
- Create a "Nativity zone" where pieces gather progressively
- Consider using [best sellers](/collections/best-sellers) for pieces with proven appeal
- Store Advent-specific décor separately from general Christmas decorations
Resistance to the Rush
One practical challenge: the world pushes Christmas in November. Advent decorating resists this pressure. Consider:
- Waiting until December for Christmas music in the home
- Building slowly rather than decorating fully before Advent begins
- Saving special elements for their designated weeks
- Teaching children the value of anticipation
The Twelve Days
Historically, Christmas wasn't one day but twelveâfrom December 25th to Epiphany on January 6th. Your dĂ©cor can honor this:
- Keep Christmas decorations up through Epiphany
- Consider adding Magi figures on January 6th
- Let the celebration continue rather than rushing to take everything down December 26th
A Home That Waits Well
Advent is training in the art of waiting. In a culture of instant gratification, the church teaches us to anticipate, to prepare, to build expectation.
Your home can participate in this counter-cultural discipline. As walls display Advent art and nativity scenes develop week by week, your living space becomes a teacher of patience and hope.
The waiting makes the celebration sweeter. The preparation makes Christmas morning more meaningful. The journey through Advent deepens the joy of Christmas Day.
Let your home be a place where anticipation is honored, where waiting is valued, and where the slow approach to the manger makes the arrival more precious.
May your Advent be rich with anticipation. May your home build toward Christmas rather than exhausting celebration before it arrives. And may the Christ child at the center of your nativity remind every visitor of what the season truly means.