ktgrok Posted December 1, 2019 Share Posted December 1, 2019 I've gone through a few over the years. I have a ceramic/pottery type one that takes taper candles I used for years and years, but I don't love it really, and with kids and cats I have found I really prefer to use LED candles instead of real ones. With real ones I barely kept them lit, with the LED ones I can keep it lit all evening and even overnight, so that if I wake due to a child needing me I see it burning in the dark house and that is just so wonderful. But LED tapers are terrible. I have tried the two brands that make advent colored tapers and they both are pretty awful, and neither fit well in the candle holders. So a few years ago I started using a different wreath. First two years I kept the one I had as a base but added live pine branches. This made i prettier, but didn't solve the candle problem. I've included a photo of it, with LED taper candles. But between the candle issues and the needles falling out every time I shifted or bumped it it really wasn't a great long term solution. So then two years ago I bought a wreath from somewhere, the fake greenery kind, and decorated it a bit and switched to using glass votive candle holders that I painted in advent colors with LED tea lights inside. Worked great. Second photo is that wreath. This year the wreath got unpacked and most of the decorations have fallen off, it looks a bit sad, and two of the glass votive holder things are broken. So I need to get new ones of those, and I think I just want to start from scratch. This wreath is fairly large and takes up a lot of the table. With all the simplifying I'm doing it is just too much. I don't want to spend a month with that much table real estate eaten up, constantly moving it, etc. So, I want small, I want something that will work with votive or tea light sized LED candles, and I probably will paint the candle holders to be purple and pink because finding colored LED candles is a pain. Oh, and I want a white candle for the center, for Christmas Day. Most I see premade don't have that "Christ Candle" in the middle, and I really really want that. I love seeing it there all of Advent and then finally lighting it when it is Christmas. (ok, turning it on, not lighting it, but you get the idea. Although since that one is only used one day a real candle would work). So, anyone have one they love? Even if it doesn't fit my parameters I'd love to see it, just to get inspiration. I can pull ideas from lots of them and cobble them together 🙂 I figure tomorrow after church (or after urgen care...still need to go take care of my sinus/tooth/ear/whatever problem), I'll hit up Michael's and Dollar Tree to put something together. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted December 1, 2019 Share Posted December 1, 2019 (edited) Ours is not what you want so I won't include a picture, but I just want to say that we use real candles but light it at dinner and keep it lit only for dinnertime, so there's always "supervision" for the candles. Edited December 1, 2019 by Chris in VA 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted December 1, 2019 Author Share Posted December 1, 2019 1 minute ago, Arctic Mama said: We are supposed to make one at church tomorrow but everyone is sick, so I’m doing it on my own later this week. I’m only lighting it for dinner, less hassle. The LEDs have too short of a lifespan. I buy my LED tea lights at the dollar store - $1 for a two pack. At 50 cents each I don't mind replacing them once during Advent. I'd say I spend maybe $5 a year on them...maybe. Some years I get ones that last longer than others. Not saying you should switch - just mentioning in case others might want to try it. LED candles at say, Target, are way more expensive! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz CA Posted December 1, 2019 Share Posted December 1, 2019 (edited) Ours is just a wreath with some holly berries and some gold stars on it and 4 beeswax candles - my friend made the wreath because I am too clumsy with crafts. This is what it looked like last year. Edited December 1, 2019 by Liz CA 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HS Mom in NC Posted December 1, 2019 Share Posted December 1, 2019 Mine is a traditional Scandinavian style, so it's not a wreath, it's a straight line of candles. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted December 2, 2019 Author Share Posted December 2, 2019 (edited) 9 hours ago, Homeschool Mom in AZ said: Mine is a traditional Scandinavian style, so it's not a wreath, it's a straight line of candles. I'd love to see it! I almost went with that style, but didn't realize it was a Scandinavian tradition! Edited December 2, 2019 by Ktgrok Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted December 2, 2019 Author Share Posted December 2, 2019 So, this is what I have. I'm not 100% set on keeping it this way, but honestly, until the antibiotics kick in and it doesn't hurt to breathe this is good, lol. My 20 year old said, "it is lacking in leaves," lol. I had planned to paint the glass votive holders purple and pink but I decided not to, as I think that would ruin the look. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
history-fan Posted December 2, 2019 Share Posted December 2, 2019 I think it looks nice. If you're still looking here are a few ideas; https://www.uffdashoponline.com/store/store/comersus_viewItem.asp?idProduct=1649 https://scandinaviangifts.com/danish-iron-4-cup-heart/ https://www.catholicgiftsandmore.com/product/nativity-advent-wreath-votive-holders-hc140?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=MerchAdv&gclid=Cj0KCQiAiZPvBRDZARIsAORkq7fvm8UOlOZNGdNl3gKKLZrLH5WQ9XBBFgCUGSqXCZSTll4rHCXy_C0aArl0EALw_wcB 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MercyA Posted December 4, 2019 Share Posted December 4, 2019 I am now a member of a church that celebrates Advent! I am still learning what the different candles mean. It's fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted December 4, 2019 Author Share Posted December 4, 2019 1 minute ago, MercyA said: I am now a member of a church that celebrates Advent! I am still learning what the different candles mean. It's fun. We are doing this little study now, maybe it would interest you and your kids? https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Advent-Booklet-Complete-Advent-Unit-53-pages-1588879 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MercyA Posted December 4, 2019 Share Posted December 4, 2019 1 minute ago, Ktgrok said: We are doing this little study now, maybe it would interest you and your kids? https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Advent-Booklet-Complete-Advent-Unit-53-pages-1588879 That looks like fun! And plenty of things to color, too! (I think I like coloring even more than my DD....) 🙂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wintermom Posted December 4, 2019 Share Posted December 4, 2019 (edited) Mine is very simple. The glass base is from Norway. The battery powered candles are from IKEA. The decorative things around each candle are from Norway. I will NOT keep this at lab-nose level or it will be eaten! 😉 Edited December 4, 2019 by wintermom 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HSmomof2 Posted December 4, 2019 Share Posted December 4, 2019 (edited) I did use LED tea lights when my dc were younger. Edited December 4, 2019 by HSmomof2 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted December 4, 2019 Author Share Posted December 4, 2019 i'm loving them! Thank you for sharing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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