The Fifth Candle

Advent wreaths traditionally have four candles; mine has five, although there were even more initially.

Wichernkranz (©Wikipedia/Fretwurst)

Here is the first Advent wreath conceived by Johann Hinrich Wichern. Read the full story here.

There is a charming nursery rhyme. My translation follows the German principle for poets, "Reim dich oder ich fress dich (Rhyme or I will eat you):"

Advent, Advent, ein Lichtlein brennt, Erst eins, dann zwei, dann drei, dann vier, Dann steht das Christkind vor der Tür. Doch Witzbolde dichteten weiter: Und wenn das fünfte Lichtlein brennt, Dann hast'e Weihnachten verpennt.

Advent, Advent, a little light is burning, First one, then two, then three, then four, Then Christ Child will knock on the door. Funny people continued: And when the fifth candle is shining, You blew Christmas; you are whining.

That will not happen in my case. When I bought the Advent wreath, I noticed a loose candle in my bag at the checkout. The cashier asked, "Do you want to change the wreath? "

Well, I was in a hurry; my streetcar was not waiting, so I mumbled, "No, thank you," and left, ready to fix the loose candle later myself.

In the streetcar, I checked that the wreath had its four candles all right, but there was another fifth. I had an idea on the way to my daughter at the Katharinenstift.

She will not have a tree in her room for Christmas, so I will light the fifth candle for both of our joys on Christmas Eve.

P.S: A faithful reader made me aware that in a Lutheran tradition, Advent wreaths have four candles on the ring but an added fifth candle in the center. It is called the Christ candle to be lit at Christmas.

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