Third Sunday of Advent: Let's Light Up Our Joy

Let's light it up and heat it up to full Christmas power! The Third Sunday of Advent is synonymous with Joy!

You know what just lit me up? Our third candle! It falls between December 11th and 17th, and it's not called that for nothing. silver Sunday! And that candle color! While the first two candles – Hope and Peace – they are purple and so serious, the third one is suddenly a beautiful pink!

It's a little fireworks display in the middle of the dark Advent! Pink is the liturgical color for this day and symbolizes the joy of the approaching end of Lent and the expected arrival of the Savior!

• We call this pink beauty a shepherd's candle - it reminds me of the good news that the shepherds announced about the birth of Jesus Christ. I immediately want to sing!
• It's also called Gaudete (Rejoice!) and I can totally feel the joy flowing through my veins!
• And most importantly, it's a Friendship candle! After all, it symbolizes reciprocity and brotherhood! Girls, this is the moment! Call your friends, invite your neighbor for an eggnog! The second half of Advent is a little more cheerful and is made for gatherings in a wider family circle!

But now for the best part! Let's dive into the traditions that make us feel like we're having a real, authentic Christmas!

My grandmother always said that without Christmas It's not Christmas! And imagine, our traditional Christmas wreath, made of nine braids, has such a deep meaning!

• Bottom four braids – these are our foundations! They symbolize the four elements: fire (Sun), water, earth and air.
• Middle three braids – that's us, people! They represent the reason, emotion, and will of man.
• Top two braids – and here it flies to the sky! They cling to what leads us highest: to knowledge and love.

When I realize this, the feeling when I bake it and the whole kitchen smells of butter and vanilla... That's a ritual for me that draws me into the greatest comfort. Mmm – it’s starting to feel good! Christmas cheer 😉

Did you know that the apple is another typical symbol of Czech Christmas and was used to tell the future? We all know the superstition: if we cut an apple on Christmas Eve and discover a star inside… we will have good luck, be healthy and happy for the whole following year! I always wish on Christmas Eve that the star is perfect!

And what would Christmas be without a tree! Do you know how this beautiful tradition came to the Czech Republic? How else but from Germany! And the first Christmas tree in our country was decorated by the director of the Prague Estates Theatre, Jan Karel Liebich, back in 1812 at his chateau in Libeň! Wow, that's history! Even though it was initially promoted slowly and only in wealthy families, today the tree is simply the heart of Christmas!

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Girls, the third Sunday calls us: Let's rejoice! Let's light the pink, the scent of vanilla and love, and let's celebrate that Christmas is coming! We have everything we need: friends, traditions and that wonderful feeling of anticipation.

What do you say, let's get inspired now on how to decorate our Christmas tree to make it look fairytale-like? Or are you more tempted to immerse yourself in the magic of Bethlehem somewhere in a museum or directly in a church?

Cinnamon: the spice that warms, heals and awakens the soul