When does Advent start in 2026?

When Advent starts, 2026 to 2030

Advent lasts 26 days in 2026, 27 in 2027, 22 in 2028, 23 in 2029 and 24 in 2030. It is longest, 28 days, when Christmas falls on a Sunday, and shortest, 22 days, when Christmas falls on a Monday.

What Advent means

The word Advent comes from the Latin adventus, “coming” or “arrival.” It is a season of waiting and getting ready. Christians look back to Jesus' first coming, born in Bethlehem, and look forward to His promised return.

In Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, Methodist and Presbyterian churches, among others, Advent is also the first season of the church year, so the church's new year begins on the First Sunday of Advent.

How the date of Advent is set

Advent begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas Day. That is always a Sunday between November 27 and December 3, the Sunday nearest November 30.

To find it, start from Christmas Day and count back four Sundays. Christmas itself never counts: when December 25 falls on a Sunday, the Fourth Sunday of Advent is December 18 and Advent begins on November 27.

Christmas is always December 25, but it falls on a different day of the week each year, so Advent moves too. In 2028, Christmas is on a Monday, so the Fourth Sunday of Advent falls on Christmas Eve and Advent lasts only 22 days.

The Advent wreath and its candles

An Advent wreath is a circle of evergreen branches holding four candles, one for each Sunday of Advent. One candle is lit on the first Sunday, two on the second, and so on, so the light grows as Christmas comes closer.

1. Week 1HopePurple candle
2. Week 2PeacePurple candle
3. Week 3JoyPink candle
4. Week 4LovePurple candle

In many traditions three candles are purple and one is pink, or rose. The pink candle is lit on the third Sunday, Gaudete Sunday. Gaudete is Latin for “rejoice,” the first word of the day's traditional entrance chant, taken from Philippians 4:4:

Some churches use blue candles instead of purple, and some use white or red. Some wreaths add a white Christ candle in the center, lit on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.

Traditions differ. Many churches give the candles the themes hope, peace, joy and love; others use another order, or name them for the prophets, Bethlehem, the shepherds and the angels. The modern wreath is usually traced to Johann Hinrich Wichern, a Lutheran pastor in Hamburg, Germany, in 1839, and churches of many traditions use it today.

Lighting a wreath at home? Our free four-week Advent Bible study follows the same four themes, one for each Sunday.

Advent in different churches

Catholic

Advent begins on the Sunday on or nearest November 30 and opens the Church’s year. Priests wear violet, and may wear rose on Gaudete Sunday.

Anglican, Episcopal, Lutheran, Methodist and Presbyterian

Advent begins on the same Sunday and is the first season of the church year. Some of these churches use blue in place of purple.

Eastern Orthodox

Orthodox Christians prepare for Christmas with the Nativity Fast, 40 days of fasting and prayer that begin on November 15. Churches that keep the older Julian calendar, and celebrate Christmas on January 7, begin it on November 28.

Evangelical, Baptist and nondenominational

Practice varies. Some churches light an Advent wreath and read the promises of Christ’s coming on the Sundays before Christmas. Others don’t mark Advent formally and focus on Christmas itself.

However your church keeps it, Advent is an invitation to slow down and make room for Jesus.

Questions about Advent 2026

When does Advent start in 2026?

Advent starts on Sunday, November 29, 2026, the fourth Sunday before Christmas.

How long is Advent in 2026?

26 days, including four Sundays, from Sunday, November 29 through Christmas Eve, Thursday, December 24. Advent is longest (28 days) when Christmas falls on a Sunday and shortest (22 days) when it falls on a Monday.

What do the four Advent candles mean?

Many churches name them hope, peace, joy and love, one for each Sunday of Advent. Traditions differ, and some churches use another order or other names.

Why is one Advent candle pink?

In many traditions the pink, or rose, candle is lit on the third Sunday of Advent, Gaudete Sunday, a Sunday of rejoicing at the midpoint of Advent.

When does Advent start in 2027?

It starts on Sunday, November 28, 2027.

Make room for Jesus this Advent

Our free Advent Bible study has four short weeks of readings, reflections, questions and prayers, one for each Sunday from November 29. Use it with a small group, your family or on your own.

Sources

• What is Advent?, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
• Advent (glossary), The Episcopal Church
• Advent, Wikipedia
• Advent wreath, Wikipedia
• Advent calendar, Wikipedia
• Gaudete Sunday, Wikipedia
• Nativity Fast, Wikipedia

Dates are worked out from the rule above: the fourth Sunday before December 25. Scripture is quoted from the King James Version.