The lighting of an Advent wreath is a familiar custom during this season in churches and in homes. A wreath is formed, usually of evergreen branches, and adorned with four purple or blue candles. Some churches substitute a pink candle for one of the purple ones. A single white candles sits in the middle of the wreath. On each Sunday in Advent a new purple or red candle is lit until, at last, all four candles are burning.
Some churches attach meanings to the four candles, such as hope, peace, love and joy.
The increasing light shed by the candles represents the believers' increasing joy as the day of Jesus' coming approaches. On Christmas Day the white candle is lit to proclaim that the Light of the World has come. Many of the popular customs of the Christmas season, such as the Christmas tree, the Yule log, and the Christmas wreath, have their origin in pagan observances and were adopted and given new significance by Christians. The liturgical color for the Christmas season is white . The Epiphany season, which begins on Epiphany Day, January 6, varies in length depending on the date set for Easter.