The Fort Belvoir Garrison Chaplains Office hosted a time-honored tradition Sunday at the Religious Education Center: The annual Advent wreath making event.
"Advent is the time that we prepare for the coming of Christ. It's significant on both the Protestant and the Catholic calendar," said Sister Michael Bochnowski, garrison director of religious education. "The Families are encouraged to take (the wreath) home and put it on their dinner table and light it every day before Christmas and say a prayer. It's a sign of hope."
Bochnowski started Fort Belvoir's Advent wreath event 22 years ago and has organized it ever since.
"It was just an opportunity for Families to come together and develop this tradition in their Family, so they had something to get ready for Christmas with," she said.
The smell of fir filled the Religious Education Center Sunday as Families arranged the greens and put candle holders, ornaments and bows on their wreaths.
"It smells beautiful," said Grace Smallenburg, 10, while she helped tie greens around a wreath.
"We're trying to make it so beautiful," she added. "It's about Jesus coming."
Advent wreaths hold four candles -- three purple and one pink -- representing the four weeks before Christmas.
Francis Haynes, 10, explained how to celebrate Advent with the wreath.
"Every Sunday, you light one of the candles," he said. "I think it's important because it counts down the days until it's Jesus' birthday."
Beth Engelhardt, Navy spouse, and her children, Kyle and Lily, decorated a wreath with golden ornaments.
"This is the first time we made it ourselves," Engelhardt said.
The wreath helps her Family remember "the real reason for Christmas," she said. "It's not all about what we see outside, and I want the kids to be exposed to that meaning."
For some Families, creating an Advent wreath is a longstanding Christmas tradition.
"Since I was very little, I've always done the Advent wreath with my mother," said Anna Blanchard, military spouse, who brought her two sons, ages 8 and 7, to the event. "It brings the Family together. Advent is so much more than just welcoming the Lord; it's also being thankful for the things that we have."
Brittany Beim, a military Family member and college student, extended her Thanksgiving break so she could help her Family make their Advent wreath this year.
"It's tradition now," Beim said. "It's nice just to create it as a Family instead of having to go out and buy one. It's more meaningful that way.
"That's the thing I love about Christmas -- it's just bringing the Family together," she added.
For more information on Advent and Christmas activities on Fort Belvoir, visit www.fortbelvoircatholic community.com.
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