Make an Advent Candle

 Christmas Countdown, Hands-On STEM, and the Joy of Measuring Time

Advent brings excitement, anticipation, and countless creative opportunities for families and teachers to celebrate, learn, and bond. This year, try making an Advent candle—a hands-on science and craft project that blends tradition, time measurement, and daily reflection. Discover the history of candle clocks, explore STEM challenges, and enjoy counting down to Christmas with a meaningful twist.

The History of Candle Clocks and Advent Candles

People have measured time with light for thousands of years. The first written record comes from a poem by You Jiangu (China, 520 BCE), describing six evenly marked candles, each burned for four hours as a timekeeper. In 9th-century England, King Alfred the Great popularised the “candle clock”—not just marking the wax but inserting tacks that dropped and signalled intervals as the flame progressed.

Even more ingenious, the engineer Al-Jazari (Turkey, 1206) crafted candle clocks with dials, weights, counterbalances, and bayonet fittings—technology still in use! While we don’t rely on candle clocks anymore, Advent candles still help measure days, spark curiosity, and build anticipation for Christmas.

Crafting Your Advent Candle

A homemade Advent candle is a pillar or votive candle marked for daily countdowns (usually 12 or 24 days).
What you need:

• A wax pillar candle (about 30 cm / 12 inches for best results)
• A thin-nib marker pen
• Scrap paper and pencil for measuring sections
• Candle holder for safety

Step-by-step instructions:

1. Wrap a piece of scrap paper to match your candle’s length. Fold and mark the days for an evenly spaced countdown (12 or 24 works best; start from Advent or December 13 for 12 days of Christmas).
2. Use the marker or a paint pen to mark numbers or lines for each day on the candle. Add decorative touches—coloured bands, Christmas motifs, or family initials.
3. Place your Advent candle safely in a sturdy holder. Each day, light the candle after dinner or bedtime, burning just to the marked section. Extinguish and save for the next day.
4. Remind children about candle safety: never leave it unattended, and keep matches out of reach.

Measuring Time—STEM Extension and Science Projects

Revisit ancient and modern techniques for measuring time—with candle clocks, sundials, water clocks, and marble runs.

• Test how long your candle takes to burn for each section, comparing pillar, birthday, votive, and beeswax candles.
• Make predictions, graph results, and discuss variables: air flow, candle thickness, wax type, and burning conditions.
• Invite children to create their own timekeeper invention—a fun engineering challenge.

Explore Hands-On Education’s Measuring Time topic, including printable sundial, timeline, and schedule activities; marble run challenge, water clocks, and seasonal timekeeping projects.

Advent Candles as Family Tradition and Mindfulness

Lighting an Advent candle together invites daily reflection, quiet time, and conversation.

• Share stories, holiday hopes, or favourite winter poems as candlelight glows.
• Make personalized candles for each child—adding initials, symbols, or wish lists.
• Journal each day’s highlights—good deeds, surprises, or acts of kindness.

Link with Hands-On Education’s Seasonal Journaling for printable prompts and family storytelling.

More Measuring Time and Seasonal Activities

• Make a marble run that lasts exactly 10 seconds—a STEM challenge for maths and physics lovers.
• Try Hands-On Education’s timeline and calendar printables, extending Advent to full-year time learning.

BBC Bitesize Christmas Countdown

For interactive games, facts, and short videos on Advent, Christmas, and seasonal traditions, visit BBC Bitesize Advent and Christmas for KS1/KS2.

Safety Reminder

Always supervise all candle activities. Teach children why fire safety matters and model safe lighting, extinguishing, and match storage habits.

Closing Thought

Making an Advent candle combines history, tradition, science, and creativity. As the wax melts and the days pass, children learn not just numbers—but patience, anticipation, and the comfort of simple daily rituals. Happy Christmas crafting and countdown!