Another Christmas wreath is
known as the Advent Wreath.
There are many variations of
the Advent Wreath, but the
most common usually
consists of four candles in a
circle of evergreens.The mid-winter rituals of paganism also featured an evergreen wreath with four
candles. The candles were placed in each of the 4 directions ñ North, South, East
and West. Like four of the points on a Pentagram, these candles represented the
4 elements ñ earth, wind, water and fire. The twelve astrological signs of the
Zodiac are categorized into the same four groups. Sometimes a fifth candle was
placed in the middle of the wreath. The rites and rituals that were performed
around this wreath were to ensure that continuance of the ìcircle of lifeî.
According to those that practice witchcraft, no magic will be successful without
the conjuring of the Lords of the Quarters (the gods of the elements). A witch must
know and understand the elements, and how to call upon them for their help in
magical endeavors. Without them all spells would be incomplete.
The Scandinavians (from which we get our most commonly held depiction of the
modern day Santa) hoped to encourage the ìgod of lightî to turn the ìwheel of the
worldî back towards the sun by the use of the wreath and the candles.
Tying Apollo to Tammuz are the branches used in the wreath. The branches
come from an evergreen tree, the symbol of the reincarnated sun god. Another
title of Apollo is ìthe Archerî, the same name for the astrological sign of
Sagittarius.
Saint Luciaís Crown
Scandinavians are also responsible for a type of the advent wreath that is used
during Saint Lucia day in Sweden. The feast day of Saint Lucia is celebrated as a
festival of lights (possibly an attempt to identify this festival with the Jewish
Hanukkah, Festival of Lights, when Godís people won a victory over their Greek
conquerors). According to this very old tradition, a young woman is chosen from
the village or town to represent Saint Lucia. It is a great honor to be chosen for
this assignment. She is dressed in a white gown with a red sash and goes from
one farm to the next in the early hours of the morning of December 13. On the top
of her head, she is adorned with a Saint Lucia Crown ñ an evergreen wreath with
four lighted candles.