Advent Sunday: Dates, Meaning, Wreath & Traditions
The Christmas season in the Christian calendar doesn’t start on December 25 — it starts with Advent. Advent Sunday, the first Sunday of Advent, falls on the fourth Sunday before Christmas and marks the beginning of a four-week season of waiting, preparation and hope. In 2026, Advent Sunday is November 29.
| Name | Advent Sunday |
|---|---|
| When | Every year on the first Sunday on or after November 27 |
| Next date | Sunday, November 29, 2026 · in 36 days |
| Type | Religious Holidays |
| Observed in | 🇦🇹 Austria🇩🇪 Germany🇳🇴 Norway |
| Topic | ReligiousSeasons & Festivals |
Upcoming Advent Sunday Dates
| Year | First Sunday of Advent |
|---|---|
| 2026 | November 29 |
| 2027 | November 28 |
| 2028 | December 3 |
| 2029 | December 2 |
Advent Sunday always falls between November 27 and December 3 — it is the Sunday nearest to St. Andrew’s Day (November 30). It also begins the new church year in Western Christianity.
What Does “Advent” Mean?
Advent comes from the Latin adventus, meaning “coming” or “arrival”. Christians use the season to prepare for celebrating the birth of Jesus at Christmas and to reflect on hope for his second coming. Traditionally it was a quieter season of prayer and sometimes fasting — the opposite of the busy shopping weeks many people know today.
The Four Sundays of Advent
| Sunday | Common theme | Candle |
|---|---|---|
| 1st Sunday | Hope | Purple |
| 2nd Sunday | Peace | Purple |
| 3rd Sunday (Gaudete Sunday) | Joy | Rose/pink |
| 4th Sunday | Love | Purple |
| Christmas Eve or Day | Christ | White centre candle (in many traditions) |
Advent Traditions
- Advent wreath — a ring of evergreen with four candles, one lit each Sunday. It was popularised in 1839 by Johann Hinrich Wichern in Hamburg, who used a cartwheel with 24 candles for children at a mission school.
- Advent calendar — little doors opened each day in December; printed calendars appeared in Germany in the early 1900s, and chocolate versions are now hugely popular.
- Purple vestments and decorations in churches, symbolising preparation and repentance.
- Advent carols such as “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel”.
- Christmas markets in Germany and Austria often open around the first Sunday of Advent.
- Lighting a candle in the window in Scandinavian homes during the dark weeks.
Advent in Eastern Christianity
Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic churches observe the Nativity Fast, a 40-day period from November 15 to December 24 (or later, for churches using the Julian calendar), with fasting from meat and dairy and special prayers.
Ideas to Make Advent Meaningful
- Make an Advent wreath for your table.
- Create a “reverse Advent calendar” — add one food item a day to donate to a food bank.
- Read a short passage or reflection each evening.
- Do one act of kindness every day until Christmas.
- Write Christmas cards gradually instead of all at once.
👉 Christmas countdown: National Christmas Card Day — December 9
👉 Also around this date: St Andrew’s Day — November 30
When is Advent Sunday?
Advent Sunday is observed every year on the first Sunday on or after November 27. Here are the dates for the coming years:
| Year | Date | Day of the week | Countdown |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | November 29, 2026 | Sunday | in 36 days |
| 2027 | November 28, 2027 | Sunday | in 400 days |
| 2028 | December 3, 2028 | Sunday | in 771 days |
| 2029 | December 2, 2029 | Sunday | in 1135 days |
| 2030 | December 1, 2030 | Sunday | in 1499 days |
| 2031 | November 30, 2031 | Sunday | in 1863 days |
FAQs
The first Sunday of Advent in 2026 is November 29.
Advent Sunday is the fourth Sunday before Christmas Day, always between November 27 and December 3.
Advent comes from the Latin word adventus, meaning “coming” or “arrival”.
The third Sunday, Gaudete Sunday, is a day of joy, symbolised by a rose-coloured candle.
Lutheran pastor Johann Hinrich Wichern popularised it in Hamburg in 1839.