Advent Wreath Ideas: 15 Cozy Handmade Looks Inspired by Johann Wichern’s 1839 Cartwheel Original

These Advent wreath ideas start with a sweet true story from 1839. In Hamburg, Germany, a pastor named Johann Hinrich Wichern ran a school and home for poor children called the Rauhes Haus. Every day in December the children asked him if Christmas had come yet. So he took an old wooden cartwheel, set it with 24 small red candles and 4 big white ones, and lit one more each day as the big day came closer. His simple countdown spread across Germany, shrank into the four candle wreath we know today and reached North America in the 1930s. Advent starts on Sunday, November 29 this year, so now is the perfect time to make your own. Every one of these Advent wreath ideas uses battery candles, so it is safe for busy homes, kids and pets. Grab some greenery and let us count down together..

Advent Wreath Ideas Start With This Cozy Evergreen Classic

Start with the wreath most of us picture when we hear the word Advent: a full ring of evergreen with four creamy pillars standing in it. Lay fresh fir or cedar on a round wooden tray, tuck in dried orange slices, pinecones and a few red berries, and add little cinnamon bundles tied with twine. Battery pillar candles give the same soft glow with none of the worry, and many have timers so they switch on by themselves each evening. Where would you set yours..

You will need: A round wooden tray or charger, a 14 inch foam or wire wreath ring, fresh fir or cedar branches, floral pins, 4 cream battery pillar candles, dried orange slices, pinecones, faux red berries, cinnamon sticks and twine.

How to make it: 1. Pin short evergreen sprigs all around the ring, all facing the same way. 2. Set the ring on the tray and stand the 4 battery candles evenly inside it. 3. Tuck in oranges, pinecones, berries and cinnamon bundles until it looks full.

Wichern’s Cartwheel Wreath, Remade With Battery Candles

This is the one that started it all. Wichern’s original was an old cartwheel with small red candles for the weekdays and big white ones for the Sundays, so the children could count the days at a glance. You can copy it with a thrifted wagon wheel or a large wooden hoop. Use 4 white battery pillars and as many small red battery tapers as there are days until Christmas, then switch on one more each morning. Would your family enjoy counting down this way?

You will need: An old wagon wheel or a large wooden ring, fir or pine branches, floral wire, 4 white battery pillar candles, small red battery taper candles, small clip on candle holders.

How to make it: 1. Clean the wheel and lay it flat on a sturdy table. 2. Wire evergreen branches around the rim until it is covered. 3. Clip the small red battery tapers around the rim and set the 4 white pillars evenly between them.

Advent Wreath Ideas in Traditional Purple and Pink

Many families use three purple candles and one pink one, with the pink lit on the third Sunday as a cheerful marker that Christmas is close. It is a lovely, old tradition and it also looks beautiful on a white table. Tie a velvet bow in each color right beside its candle so the colors carry through the whole wreath. Purple and pink battery pillars are easy to find online before December. Do you have a tradition for each Sunday at your house?

You will need: A wreath ring with fresh or faux greenery, 3 purple and 1 pink battery pillar candles, purple and pink velvet ribbon, floral wire, scissors.

How to make it: 1. Cover the ring with greenery and place it on a plate or charger. 2. Stand the 4 candles evenly in the ring with the pink one where you like. 3. Tie four velvet bows and wire each one beside its matching candle.

A Dough Bowl Advent Centerpiece

Not every countdown has to be round, and of all the Advent wreath ideas here, this one suits a long narrow table best. A long wooden dough bowl holds four candles in a neat row down the middle of the table, which suits a narrow dining table perfectly. Fill it with moss, add the candles, then tuck pinecones and short evergreen sprigs into every gap. Our dough bowl Christmas decor ideas show how to keep using the same bowl all season. Would a row or a ring fit your table better?

You will need: A wooden dough bowl, sheet moss, 4 cream battery pillar candles, pinecones, short evergreen sprigs, a few faux berries.

How to make it: 1. Line the bowl with sheet moss. 2. Space the 4 candles evenly in a row and press them down so they stand firm. 3. Fill the gaps with pinecones, sprigs and berries.

Moss and Pinecone Ring

If you love a woodland look, this is one of the cheapest Advent wreath ideas on the list. Collect pinecones on a walk, grab a bag of preserved moss from the craft store, and glue both onto a simple foam ring. It looks like a little forest floor on your table and lasts for years because nothing in it wilts. A rough wooden board underneath makes it feel cozy and rustic. How many pinecones could you find on your next walk?

You will need: A foam wreath ring, preserved sheet moss, 20 to 30 small pinecones, a hot glue gun (adult help), 4 white battery pillar candles, a wooden board.

How to make it: 1. Glue moss all over the foam ring. 2. Glue pinecones on top in small clusters. 3. Set the ring on the board and stand the 4 battery candles inside it.

Advent Wreath Ideas With Dried Oranges and Cinnamon

This one smells as good as it looks. Dried orange slices glow like little stained glass windows, and cinnamon sticks and star anise add a warm spicy scent every time you walk past. Dry the oranges in a low oven a few days ahead, then wire them in among the greenery. Ivory candles keep the colors soft and warm. It is a lovely project to make with older kids on a slow weekend afternoon. Which scent says Christmas in your home?

You will need: A wreath ring with fir greenery, 2 or 3 oranges, cinnamon sticks, star anise, floral wire, a hot glue gun (adult help), 4 ivory battery pillar candles.

How to make it: 1. Slice the oranges thin and dry them on a rack in a low oven for 3 to 4 hours (adult help). 2. Wire or glue the slices, cinnamon and star anise around the greenery. 3. Stand the 4 candles evenly inside the ring.

Scandinavian Birch and Wood Bead Ring

Scandinavian homes keep things calm and light, and this ring fits right in. Wrap thin birch twigs into a loose circle, thread a few strands of natural wooden beads through it, and keep the candles plain white. There is no red or green at all, so it also looks right well into January. Calm Advent wreath ideas like this one suit modern homes. If you do not have birch, any pale twigs or even grapevine painted white will work. Do you prefer bright colors or calm whites in winter?

You will need: A grapevine or twig ring, thin birch twigs, natural wooden beads on string, white craft paint (optional), floral wire, 4 white battery pillar candles.

How to make it: 1. Wire extra birch twigs around the ring so it looks full and loose. 2. Wind the bead strands through the twigs. 3. Set the ring on a pale board and stand the white candles inside.

A Hanging Advent Crown Over the Table

In many German homes the wreath does not sit on the table at all. It hangs flat from the ceiling on four ribbons, like a little crown floating above dinner. It frees up table space and looks magical when you walk into the room. Use a sturdy ring, tie four long ribbons to it at even spots, and gather them to one ceiling hook. Keep it light and use only battery candles that are glued in place. Have you ever seen one of these?

You will need: A sturdy wire wreath ring, faux evergreen garland, 4 long red ribbons (about 2 yards each), a ceiling hook, 4 small battery pillar candles, strong glue dots.

How to make it: 1. Wrap the ring with faux garland and wire it firmly. 2. Tie the 4 ribbons at even spots and knot them together at the top. 3. Glue the battery candles on top and hang it from a secure hook (adult help on a ladder).

Eucalyptus and Red Berry Ring

For a fresh, modern twist, swap the fir for silver dollar eucalyptus, one of the easiest Advent wreath ideas to try. The round gray green leaves look soft and pretty, and bright red berries make them pop. Sage green candles tie the whole thing together. Fresh eucalyptus dries well right on the wreath, so it keeps its shape all season. It looks especially lovely on a marble or white table. Would you choose sage, white or cream candles for this one?

You will need: A wire wreath ring, a bunch of silver dollar eucalyptus (fresh or faux), faux red berry picks, floral wire, 4 sage green battery pillar candles.

How to make it: 1. Cut the eucalyptus into short pieces and wire them around the ring. 2. Tuck berry picks in between every few bundles. 3. Stand the 4 candles evenly in the center.

Mason Jar Advent Row on a Windowsill

Not all Advent wreath ideas need a ring. A windowsill is a perfect spot for a countdown, and four mason jars fit there neatly. Pour coarse salt into each jar like snow, add a layer of fresh cranberries, then set a small battery candle on top. Switch on one more jar each Sunday so the window gets a little brighter every week. It glows beautifully from outside after dark. For another way to count the days, try our DIY Advent calendars. Which window would you light up?

You will need: 4 clear mason jars, coarse salt or Epsom salt, fresh or faux cranberries, 4 small battery pillar candles, evergreen sprigs, twine.

How to make it: 1. Fill each jar about a third full with salt. 2. Add a layer of cranberries and set a battery candle on top. 3. Tie twine around each rim and line the jars up with sprigs around them.

Advent Wreath Ideas for a Cake Stand

Short on space? Raise a small wreath up on a cake stand. It sits nicely on a kitchen counter or a coffee table and looks extra special at that height. A 10 inch ring with four short battery candles is just right. Tiny pinecones and a few sprigs are all you need. When Christmas is over, the cake stand goes straight back to holding treats. Where would a little one like this fit in your home?

You will need: A white cake stand, a small 10 inch wreath ring, short evergreen sprigs, tiny pinecones, 4 short white battery pillar candles, floral pins.

How to make it: 1. Pin short sprigs around the small ring. 2. Set it on the cake stand and add the 4 candles inside. 3. Tuck tiny pinecones around the base.

Stepped Wooden Block Advent Set

This simple set is a great first woodworking project. Cut four blocks from a leftover fence post or a thick piece of pine, each one a little taller than the last, and drill a shallow hole in the top for a battery tea light. Lined up like a staircase, they show at a glance how close Christmas is getting. A little fir at the base finishes the look, and wooden Advent wreath ideas like this one last for decades. Who in your house would help sand the blocks?

You will need: A thick pine post or 4×4 scrap wood, a saw, a drill with a tea light sized bit (adult help), sandpaper, 4 white battery tea lights, evergreen sprigs.

How to make it: 1. Cut 4 blocks at about 3, 4, 5 and 6 inches tall (adult help). 2. Drill a shallow hole in the top of each and sand the edges smooth. 3. Line them up from short to tall and set a tea light in each.

Minimalist Brass Ring With Greenery

Less really can be more, and this is one of the most modern Advent wreath ideas here. A thin brass ring with four slim taper holders looks elegant and modern, and you only need a few sprigs of greenery on it. Brass rings are sold online for macrame and plant projects, and small brass taper holders glue right on. White battery tapers keep it sleek and safe. It looks lovely on a dark wood table. Is your style more minimal or more is more?

You will need: A thin brass or gold metal ring, 4 small brass taper candle holders, strong metal glue, 4 white battery taper candles, a few eucalyptus and pine sprigs, thin wire.

How to make it: 1. Glue the 4 taper holders evenly around the ring and let them set. 2. Wire a few sprigs between the holders. 3. Slide in the battery tapers.

Felt Ball Advent Wreath Ideas for Kids

This version is completely soft, so little hands can touch it as much as they like. String colorful felt balls onto a wire ring and add four candles made from rolled up felt. Each Sunday, the kids can add a small felt star on top of the next candle to show it is lit. It is cute, safe and cheap to make. Pop it in the playroom or on the kids table. Which color would your kids pick first?

You will need: About 60 felt balls in red, green and white, a thin wire ring, a large needle (adult help), felt sheets in red, green and white, fabric glue, 4 small felt stars.

How to make it: 1. Thread the felt balls onto the wire and close the ring. 2. Roll felt strips tightly and glue them into 4 short candles. 3. Glue the candles onto the ring and keep the stars in a little dish for each Sunday.

Advent Wreath Ideas for Small Walls: The Embroidery Hoop

End with a wreath that hangs on the wall. A wooden embroidery hoop wrapped halfway with greenery and berries makes a fresh, modern frame, and four little felt candles sewn at the bottom count down the Sundays. Turn a felt candle around or add a tiny gold star each week. It costs just a few dollars and fits on a door, a hallway or above a desk. Read more about the history of the Advent wreath on Wikipedia while you work. Which room would you hang yours in?

You will need: A 10 to 12 inch wooden embroidery hoop, short fir sprigs, faux red berries, floral wire, felt scraps in cream and red, fabric glue, velvet ribbon.

How to make it: 1. Wire the sprigs and berries around one side of the hoop. 2. Cut 4 small felt candle shapes and glue them along the bottom. 3. Tie a velvet ribbon at the top to hang it.