Advent candle holder made from natural materials – make a candle holder from a birch log

An advent candle holder made from natural materials starts in the log basket and ends on a forest walk. A birch log with white bark, a little moss, a few pine cones and red lingonberries makes a candle holder that looks like the forest in December – and the children can do most of it themselves.

The only thing that needs careful thought is the fire. Dry moss, pine cones and wood burn easily, and the advent candle holder is out during the darkest weeks, when the most candles are burning in people's homes. That is why the candle holder on this page is designed so the flames never come near anything that can burn: the candles stand in metal, the log sits on a tray and the natural materials lie low.

Advent 2026 – when are the candles lit?

The first Sunday of Advent 2026 is Sunday 29 November. Then comes the second Sunday of Advent on 6 December, the third on 13 December – the same day as Lucia – and the fourth on 20 December. Make the candle holder the weekend before the first Sunday of Advent, so it is ready when the first candle is to be lit.

The first candle is lit on all four Sundays and is always the shortest. The risk is greatest when it has almost burnt down, so keep a spare candle at home and replace it before the flame gets down towards the holder. The table above shows which candles are lit on which Sunday.

Gather materials in the forest

Gathering the materials can be an outing in itself – see advent outing. Take a basket and look for:

• Moss – a handful or two is enough. Take it from where there is plenty, and never scrape a rock or a stump bare.
• Pine cones – small spruce and pine cones work best; the big ones topple over.
• Lingonberry sprigs – a few sprigs with glossy leaves, ideally with the berries still on.

Under the right of public access (allemansrätten, Sweden's freedom to roam), you may take cones and branches that have fallen to the ground, and moss and lichen that are not protected – but only as much as you need for the candle holder. You may not break off twigs or spruce sprigs from living trees without the landowner's permission. There is more about the rules in the guide to the Right of Public Access.

Take the birch log itself from the log basket or buy it in a bag of firewood. Fallen trees and dead wood in the forest belong to the landowner.

Why the candles should stand in metal

It is tempting to drill four holes in the log and push the candles straight into the wood. Don't. Lit candles must stand on something that can't burn, and when a candle burns down in a hole in dry wood, it is the wood that catches next.

Use metal candle holders with drip guards instead – they come with a flat base or with a spike that is pushed into the wood – or four tealight glasses. Place them at least a hand's width apart, so the candles don't heat each other up. Then put the whole log on a tray made of metal, ceramic or glass, never directly on a tablecloth or a wooden table.

The moss dries out – and becomes kindling

Moss brought in from the forest is damp and green, but indoors it dries out within a week or so and then catches fire as easily as kindling. Mist it lightly with water every Sunday and always keep it low around the base, never up by the candle holders. The same goes for pine cones and lingonberry sprigs: all natural materials should sit well below the flames.

Never place spruce sprigs, lichen or dry twigs so that they stick up between the candles. Lit candles combined with flammable decorations are what fire safety experts warn about most.

Battery candles while the children are small

With children under school age at home, battery candles are the safest choice. LED taper candles and pillar candles don't get hot, they can stay out all day and the children can switch them on and off themselves on Sunday. There are battery candles with a flickering glow that are hard to tell from real ones at a distance.

If you choose real candles, three simple rules apply:

• An adult is always in the room while the candles are burning.
• Blow out all the candles when you leave the room, even for a moment.
• Place the candle holder where it can't be knocked over and well away from curtains.

Who does what – children and adults

• Ages 4–6: collect moss and pine cones, lay the moss around the base and choose where the cones go.
• Ages 7–9: place the candle holders the right distance apart, using a hand's width as a measure, and mist the moss every Sunday.
• Age 10 and up: can make the whole candle holder themselves, with an adult splitting or sawing the log.

After Christmas

When Christmas is over, carry the moss and lingonberry sprigs back out to the forest, or put them in the compost. The pine cones can be saved for next year or become pine cone ghosts in the autumn, and the log goes back into the log basket.

The candle holder goes well with a star made of sticks in the window and a homemade advent calendar with a little adventure every day. We gather more ideas for Advent and Christmas in Christmas with kids.