In the United Kingdom, the Christmas wreath is a symbol of the spirit of Christmas. Beginning in December, many people decorate their homes with wreaths from a local florist or market, usually adorned in the seasonal colors of green, red, and gold. Traditionally, UK residents hang Christmas wreaths on the inside or outside of the home’s entrance. In old England, unmarried women would tie a sprig of holly or ivy to their beds to protect them from ghosts and evil spirits. It was believed that supernatural creatures were more active at Christmas time due to the loud screaming winter winds and the creaks caused by strong storms, and it was thought that the holly and the ivy had magical powers of protection. Since the holly and the ivy were protectors of women during pagan times, they were forbidden to appear inside the Christian home. For this reason, it was used to decorate the outside of the home, still serving to protect the home from evil spirits. The prickly thorns found on the holly took on the symbol of the crown of thorns that Jesus Christ wore during his crucifixion.

Some Christians believe that the holly berries were originally white, and that as Jesus Christ bled during his crucifixion, his blood colored the berries red. The green leaves of the holly plant represent the story his life while the red berries tell the story of his death. The circular shape of the wreath is a symbol that Christ has died, Christ has risen, and Christ will come again, a circular philosophy of life. In British culture, many traditions incorporate the Christmas wreath during the Advent season. Advent is a word derived from “adventus”, the Latin word for arrival. It is the period of anticipation for the arrival of Christmas. In preparation, the wreath is laid flat on a church table top, with four candles (traditionally red) standing in a circular shape about the wreath. Each candle represents one of the four Sundays in Advent, with a fifth candle positioned in the center (traditionally white). The red Advent candles are lit every Sunday leading up to Christmas as a visual countdown. The white Advent candle is lit on Christmas Day.