“For thou wilt light my candle: the LORD my God will enlighten my darkness.”
What’s inside
- Start here (p2): what the Advent wreath means, the 2026 candle chart, how to use it, candle safety
- The Hope Candle (p3, Sun Nov 29): waiting for God’s promise; Psalm 130:5 + Isaiah 9:2 and Micah 7:7
- The Peace Candle (p4, Sun Dec 6): the Prince of Peace is coming; Isaiah 26:3 + Luke 2:14 and John 14:27
- The Joy Candle (p5, Sun Dec 13): good tidings of great joy; Psalm 16:11 + Luke 2:20 and Matthew 2:10
- The Love Candle (p6, Sun Dec 20): God so loved the world; 1 John 4:19 + John 3:16 and 1 John 4:7
- The Christ Candle (p7, Christmas Eve or Day): the Light of the world has come; John 8:12 + Isaiah 9:6 and Luke 2:12
- Advent wreath coloring page (p8) · paper Advent candles to color and cut out (p9) · candle tracker Nov 29–Dec 25 (p10) · closing page with a family blessing (p11)
Advent candle readings for each Sunday
Here is each candle with its 2026 date, the King James verse to read as you light it and the readings printed in the PDF.
The Hope Candle: Waiting for God’s promise (Sunday, November 29, 2026)
“I wait for the LORD, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope.”
Read together: Isaiah 9:2 and Micah 7:7 (printed in full in the PDF). Read more: Isaiah 9:2-7. Talk about it: “Isaiah promised “a great light.” What does one small candle do in a dark room?”
The Peace Candle: The Prince of Peace is coming (Sunday, December 6, 2026)
“Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.”
Read together: Luke 2:14 and John 14:27 (printed in full in the PDF). Read more: Luke 1:76-79 · John 14:25-27. Talk about it: “Jesus said, “Let not your heart be troubled.” What helps our family when we feel worried?”
The Joy Candle: Good tidings of great joy (Sunday, December 13, 2026)
“Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.”
Read together: Luke 2:20 and Matthew 2:10 (printed in full in the PDF). Read more: Luke 2:8-20 · Matthew 2:1-11. Talk about it: “The shepherds told everyone what they had seen, and the wise men were full of joy when they saw the star. Who could we tell about Jesus?”
The Love Candle: God so loved the world (Sunday, December 20, 2026)
“We love him, because he first loved us.”
Read together: John 3:16 and 1 John 4:7 (printed in full in the PDF). Read more: 1 John 4:7-11. Talk about it: “God gave His Son at the first Christmas. What is the best gift you have ever been given?”
The Christ Candle: The Light of the world has come (Christmas Eve, Dec 24, or Christmas Day, Dec 25)
“Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.”
Read together: Isaiah 9:6 and Luke 2:12 (printed in full in the PDF). Read more: Luke 2:1-20 · John 1:1-14. Talk about it: “Jesus said, “I am the light of the world.” How can our family shine His light?”
Hope, peace, joy and love: the candles in brief
The four candles stand for hope, peace, joy and love, and the white candle in the middle is the Christ candle, lit on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. Many churches use three purple or blue candles and a pink (rose) candle for the third Sunday, the Sunday of joy. Customs differ: some families use all white or red candles, and some name the candles Prophecy, Bethlehem, Shepherds and Angels. Use whatever your church already does. For the history behind the wreath, the lighting order and why one candle is pink, read Advent candle meaning.
Advent wreath coloring page and paper candles
Kids can color a full Advent wreath with all five candles, lettered “in thy light shall we see light” from Psalm 36:9, and color and cut out five paper candles with flames to add one Sunday at a time. No matches needed.
How to use it
- Print at 100% (“Actual size”) on plain paper (card stock for the paper candles).
- Set up a wreath, four candles in a row, battery candles, or the paper candles on page 9.
- Each Sunday, light one more candle and read that week’s page together (about 10 minutes). On other evenings, light the candles again and color a flame on the tracker.
- On Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, light the Christ candle and read Luke 2:1-20.
Candle safety: let a grown-up light and blow out real candles, keep greenery and paper away from flames, and never leave candles burning alone. Battery candles or the paper candles are great with little ones.
Want a reading for every day too? Pair it with the free 25-Day Advent Reading Plan (one short reading a day, December 1–25).
Keep the light shining after Christmas.
Keep reading Scripture in the new year with the SOAP Bible Study Journal ($12.99), or pray every day with the 30-Day Prayer Journal ($9.99).
Learn this Advent’s verses by heart with the Scripture Memory Cards ($7.99), or get all three in the Starter Bundle ($24.99).
Related reading: Bible verses about Advent · Advent candle meaning · hope · peace · joy · love · light · waiting on God · Christmas · family · Bible verses for kids
Also free: 25-Day Advent Reading Plan · Christian Christmas coloring pages · Christmas Bible trivia · 12 Days of Christmas Scripture cards · Christmas gift tags · Christmas word search
Frequently asked questions
Is this Advent candle printable free?
Yes. All 11 pages are free to download and print for personal, family, classroom and church use. Please share the page link rather than the file, and don’t resell it.
When does Advent start in 2026?
Sunday, November 29, 2026. The Advent Sundays are November 29 and December 6, 13 and 20; Christmas Eve is Thursday, December 24, and Christmas Day is Friday, December 25.
What do the four Advent candles mean?
This guide uses hope, peace, joy and love, with a white Christ candle in the middle for Christmas. Some churches use other names, such as Prophecy, Bethlehem, Shepherds and Angels. For the history, colors and order, see Advent candle meaning.
Which Advent candle is pink?
In many churches the third candle, lit on the third Sunday of Advent (December 13, 2026), is pink or rose, for joy. The others are purple or blue. Many families use white candles instead, which is fine too.
In what order do you light the Advent candles?
One more each Sunday: Hope the first Sunday, then Hope and Peace, then Hope, Peace and Joy, then all four. The Christ candle in the middle is lit last, on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.
Is it for young children?
Yes. Each week has a question just for little ones, and kids can color the wreath page, the paper candles and the tracker. With little ones, use battery candles or the paper candles.
Which Bible version is used?
Every printed verse is from the King James Version (KJV), checked word for word.
Is there a daily Advent reading too?
Yes. The free 25-Day Advent Reading Plan has one short reading for each day from December 1 to 25. Use it alongside this Sunday candle guide.
Free for personal, family, classroom and church use. Please share the page link rather than the file, and don’t resell. Scripture from the King James Version (public domain in the US).
