Make An Advent Candle

Measure time with a candle this holiday season.

A Fun Easy Holiday Hands-On Activity

The countdown to Christmas has officially started! The holiday season has now begun in full and like many other children, my boys are eagerly awaiting Christmas day. Earlier in the year we explored different ways of measuring time and I thought we could revisit this concept and put what we learnt into action once again, this time by making an advent candle.

While my boys, Teddy and Harry will certainly still want an advent calendar, I thought this could be a fun daily learning activity for us to do. Firstly, I’d like to go into the history of people using candle clocks and look at how some of the methods developed hundreds of years ago are still in use today.

History Of The Candle Clock

The earliest known reference to using a candle to measure time dates back to 520 BCE in a poem by the Chinese poet and thinker You Jiangu. This poet had a device in which six identical candles each measuring 12 inches in height were divided into 12 sections. Each candle burnt out after 4 hours, each one-inch mark representing 20 minutes. The candles were placed in a wooden case to protect them from being blown out accidentally.

These types of candles are known as graduated candles as they have evenly spaced graduations or intervals that indicate the passage of time as the candle burns. The speed at which an ancient candle and modern candle burns varies greatly and should be measured beforehand for accuracy.

During the rule of King Alfred the Great (c. 849 – 899) candle clocks took another leap forward. He is credited with inventing a type of candle clock to divide his day into segments. The candles were marked to indicate time intervals so he could organise his day for study, prayer, rest and other duties.

This on its own was not such a new idea however, and it was his inclusion of well-placed tacks that garner him much praise. As the candle burnt down the wax would release a metal tack into the candle holder. This clang, would indicate the passing of a precise amount of time.

As time passed so did technology and three hundred years later in modern day Turkey the most sophisticated design yet was created. In 1206 Al-Jazari began perfecting his candle clocks that were truly the latest tech! They included a dial to display the exact time, and for the first time, a bayonet fitting and a fastening mechanism that is still being used in present times. These clocks used a weight, pulley, and counterbalance arrangement which could even display the time.

As it is most of these wonderful ideas are not in use directly today. But that doesn’t mean we can’t revive some of them for our own bit of hands-on fun. So, let’s dive into what an advent candle is and how to make it with your children or classroom.

What Is An Advent Candle?

An advent candle is a way of measuring time and counting down days. In this case it’s lighting it every day in the run-up to Christmas. An advent candle is divided into an equal number of sections, marked by a number or a line. Ensure that your candle is clean and fairly smooth so you ink will stick to it.

Ideally for an advent candle you want one that’s around 30cm (12 inches) high and is a pillar candle. You will also need to evenly mark around the candle to indicate a passing of time. The space between these lines will partly be determined by how many days you are looking to use your advent candle for.

What Kind Of Candle Do We Need?

When we experimented with measuring time with a candle in the summer, we tested many different types and sizes. We looked at the standard coloured birthday cake candles, tall thin birthday candles (pillar candles), short votive candles and even beeswax candles and soy candles. In the end we chose the long thin pillar candles easily found in UK supermarkets.

In the summer we were trying to measure 3 minutes accurately. We tested various candles in various conditions and enjoyed seeing how the environment and type of candle would change from one lit session to another. After finding the votive candles the most consistent previously we decided to stick with these and use them once again for our advent candle.

In making our advent candles we are counting down the days and can leave these to burn a little longer than a few minutes. We chose pillar candles which were thick enough for the Teddy and Harry to write numbers on and even draw some decorative designs. Remember, the thicker the candle, the longer it will take for it to burn down to the next day. We have decided to only count the last 12 days before Christmas, but you can count down any number of days that suits you.

How To Make Your Advent Candle

To make your advent candle you will need:

Firstly, you will need to make sure you can fit all the numbers or line you intend to use onto your candle. To do this cut a piece of scrap paper a little shorter than the length of your candle. Four our twelve-day advent candle the boys folded a paper in half to mark the 6th day and in half again to find the 3rd and 9th day. Unfold the paper and use a pencil to mark each third day. From here it will be easier to fill in the gaps by eye.

Place the paper alongside the candle and using the marker pen, write the numbers directly onto the candle. Once this is done, some children may wish to draw additional designs or styles to their advent candle.

Once your twelve-day advent candle is ready, place it in a candle holder. On each day of your countdown light the candle – but don’t forget to blow it out once it has burnt through the number and line indicator, ready for the next day!

SAFETY; you may wish to discuss the importance of fire safety with your child before lighting the candle. Do not leave the candle unattended or in reach of young children.

More Measuring Time Activities

For any teachers or parents looking to further explore the topic of measuring time be sure to check out Hands-On Education. We offer a complete nine activity topic perfect for primary aged children completely free. These activities and worksheets include:

We hope you enjoy making your advent candle ready for the countdown to Christmas!

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