Advent Prayers for Catholic Families: A Simple Guide Through Advent 2026
Advent is the season of waiting. Before the lights and the gifts, the Church gives us four quiet weeks to prepare our hearts for the coming of Christ. In 2026, Advent begins on Sunday, November 29 and ends on Christmas Eve.
You do not need a long prayer routine to keep Advent well. A few simple prayers, said together at the same moment each day, can shape the whole season for your family. Here is a gentle guide.
Blessing the Advent wreath
Many Catholic families begin Advent by blessing their wreath on the first Sunday. Gather around it, light the first candle, and pray:
O God, by whose word all things are sanctified, pour forth your blessing upon this wreath, and grant that we who use it may prepare our hearts for the coming of Christ and may receive from you abundant graces. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Then light the candles for the current week each evening, at dinner or before bed, and pray a short prayer together.
A simple prayer for each week of Advent
Many families give each week of Advent its own theme. Here is a simple way to pray through them.
Week 1 (from November 29): Hope
Light the first purple candle and pray: Come, Lord Jesus, and fill our home with hope as we wait for you. Read Isaiah 9:2: "The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light."
Week 2 (from December 6): Peace
Light two purple candles and pray: Prince of Peace, quiet our hearts and make our home a place of your peace. This week also brings the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception on December 8, a beautiful day to pray a Hail Mary together as a family.
Week 3 (from December 13): Joy
Light the rose candle for Gaudete Sunday, the Sunday of rejoicing, and pray Mary's song of joy, the Magnificat: "My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior."
Week 4 (from December 20): Love
Light all four candles and pray: Jesus, born for love of us, help us make room for you this Christmas.
The St. Andrew Christmas Novena
One of the most loved Advent devotions begins on the Feast of St. Andrew, November 30, and is prayed fifteen times a day until Christmas. It is short enough for children to learn:
Hail and blessed be the hour and moment in which the Son of God was born of the most pure Virgin Mary, at midnight, in Bethlehem, in piercing cold. In that hour vouchsafe, O my God, to hear my prayer and grant my desires, through the merits of Our Saviour Jesus Christ, and of His blessed Mother. Amen.
Many families keep the prayer on a card by the kitchen table or in a pocket, so it is easy to pray through the day.
Free printable: download our St. Andrew Novena prayer card for free, print it at home and keep it by your Advent wreath.
The O Antiphons (December 17 to 23)
In the last days of Advent, the Church prays the ancient O Antiphons, one for each day, each calling on Christ by a different title from the prophets:
- December 17: O Wisdom
- December 18: O Lord and Ruler
- December 19: O Root of Jesse
- December 20: O Key of David
- December 21: O Dayspring
- December 22: O King of the Nations
- December 23: O Emmanuel
If your family sings "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel," you already know them: its verses are based on these antiphons.
Make a small Advent prayer corner
A small table with a candle, a Bible and a holy image helps everyone remember to pray. Prayer cards work well here: put out a new card each week, and let children take turns reading the prayer on the back. Our Our Lady of Hope Magnificat prayer card fits Gaudete week, the Virgin of the Midnight Star card with John 1:5 suits the darkest evenings, and the Madonna of the Dawn card with Isaiah 60:1 is a lovely card for Christmas Eve. You can find all our Advent and Christmas cards in the Christmas & Advent collection.
For more ideas, read our guide on how to create a Catholic prayer corner at home.
Keep it simple
Advent is not about doing everything. Choose one or two of these prayers and keep them faithfully. A candle, a short prayer and a few quiet minutes together each day are enough to prepare a place for Christ in your home.
