Age: 19
Date of Performance: 4/24/2025
Language: English
Nationality: American
Occupation: Student
Primary Language: English
Residence: United States
- Text
The informant is a college student. She referenced the lighting of the four advent candles during the traditional Christmas season in December. It was a religious practice for her and her family and a way to celebrate their annual winter holiday.
2. Context
“Like the four advent candles that lead up to Christmas. You light one each Sunday before Christmas and it symbolizes hope, peace, joy and love.”
“It was just a way to celebrate with family and come together. We would sometimes go to church to do it but mostly just the sweet sentiment is what made it tradition for us.”
“Kind of for as long as I can remember. Yeah, I think we’ve just always done it no matter where we are on Sundays in December.”
3. Analysis
This is a ritual that is rooted in religious context from the Bible. It is meant to represent a different aspect each Sunday in the preparing for the coming of Christ. For this informant, it was adjusted to have religious undertones, and yet become more rooted in the familial aspect and honoring Christmas tradition. The informant clearly values the large morals reflected by the practice, and how it brought together her family to celebrate a holiday.