Many people who observe the Christmas Advent season like to use the traditional four candles on the Sundays leading to a Christmas celebration on the 25th of December.
While the Advent wreath is traditional, who says it has to be a circle of greens with four candles?
Here’s a different idea:
Make a holiday centerpiece with room for four pots filled with moist moss. If a candleholder within is added for each Sunday of Advent, it becomes your version of an Advent wreath!.
Each pot might even decorated with a symbol for each Sunday:
- the first Sunday of Hope,
- the second of Peace,
- the third of Joy,
- and the fourth of Love.
Pomegranate Symbolism for a Centerpiece
Grow your own Fruits of the Spirit! (Figuratively speaking)
Surround the pots with a few or more pomegranates. Use them to discuss the meaning of this type of seed….
Scripture:
Galatians 5:22
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
Thoughts:
The pomegranate is the fruit that many think is the illustration that Paul used for the fruit of the Spirit. It figures prominently in Old Testament symbolism, appearing as decoration on the the priests garments, the pillars in the Temple, and as one of the fruits carried out of the promised land by Israel’s spies. Being a beautiful fruit, it is also used in the Song of Solomon allegory
We await in hope for fruitfulness of Christ to be born within us this season. He is our root, the root of Jesse, and our grafting into His life means a bounty of beautiful fruit from what was once the dry tree of our lives. When we look on the pomegranate and think of its refreshing taste, we look forward in hope for what God is able to create in us.
Why do you think God directed this to be an important symbol in our worship of Him?
- The many beautiful seeds speak of fruitfulness, and reminds us that God wants us to be productive of good qualities and of benefit to others
- Also associated with rebirth
- Pomegranate seeds are healthful and nutritious
- They are richly beautiful in color and form; God seems to have delighted in placing beauty everywhere throughout creation
If you have a Mediterranean climate, you can grow a pomegranate tree
Peel, seed, and juice a pomegranate
Many Pomegranate recipes
Pomegranate trees do well in hot, dry climates with little to no care.
Grenadine is the syrup made of pomegranates.
What is the pomegranate fruit like?
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Its fruit is globular, a rosy maroon red outside, inside are bright crimson seeds fitted within creamy white crannies made by the fruit’s membrane. It is the seeds in juicy ruby red rows, however, that are so delicious.
Sweet, yet slightly astringent, the seeds burst with juice, and have a pleasant crunchiness. Delightful as a garnish on salads, or strewn across a meat dish, they give flavor, texture, and color.
Pomegranate is the healthiest of them all because it contains the most of every type of antioxidant. It wins in all categories. And it’s thought that it might do some very good things; it may protect against some cancers, such as prostate cancer. It might also modify heart disease risk factors, and it could be healthy for your heart. –UCLA study
Advent Activity:
Make your flower pot candleholder or just buy some pomegranates and enjoy a new ( or favorite!) taste treat. They are in season from October through January.
Supplies you will need:
- small plant pots and moss
- candle inserts with candles
- pomegranate fruits
