Candles and religion have gone hand in hand for centuries. Even after the invention of light bulb, churches around the world still light candles for the services. Candles have for centuries been used to mark special occasions and Advent is no different.

In fact, Advent is so connected with candles that the Advent wreath has 4 candles and some have a fifth candle in the center. Each candle has a special meaning and each one needs to be lit on a certain day.

Advent is known as the season when the King is coming. For this reason, purple has been the traditional color that is used for the Advent wreath since purple is considered the color of royalty. On an interesting note, purple was chosen as a royal color simply because the dye was one of the most expensive dies available.

But back to the Advent wreath, which has 3 purple candles and one rose colored candle. Each candle represents a countdown to the coming of the King and it also has a symbolic meaning. The first purple candle means Hope. The second purple candle means Love. The third candle that you light is the rose colored candle and it means Joy. And finally, the fourth candle and third purple one means peace. The candle that rests in the center of the Advent wreath should be white and it represents Christmas Day. The fifth candle is completely optional.

When you use your Advent wreath, you will light a purple candle on the first Sunday of Advent, the second Sunday of Advent you will light two purple candles; the one you already lit the week before and the second one. The third Sunday of Advent, you will light the two previous candles as well as the rose candle, and on the fourth Sunday, you will light all the candles except the white one. The candle in the center represents Christmas so you don’t light it until Christmas Day.

Maybe you’re going to book your first cruise and you’re wondering what cruise ship activities there are to look forward to. Each cruise is different and there’ll be different cruise activities onboard. It depends on both the cruise line you book with and the ship you’ll be voyaging on.

The easiest way to check is to either get directly in touch with the cruise line or take a look at the paperwork that comes with your cruise information.

Cruises area about having fun and relaxing.
Aside from the cruise entertainment and the cruise food, which are common to just about all cruises, there could be different classes, shows, dancing, and much, much more.

Whatever ship you take there will probably be more than enough cruise games and cruise ship activities to keep you occupied for the length of your voyage.

Make sure you’re going to get what you want

If there are specific things you want to do on a cruise you’ll definitely want to get in touch with the cruise directly or speak with a travel agent.

If you know what you’re looking for or want some ideas, a travel agent should be able to help you and then book the cruise that meets your needs.
Or, if you get in touch with the cruise lines directly, they can help you find the specific ship that has the cruise activities you’d like.

For example, if there are a number of swimming pools on one ship there might be swimming classes. But never assume that a ship or a cruise line has the cruise activities that you want. It’s much better to find out before you book your tickets rather than be disappointed.

Remember that your tickets could be non-refundable. So make sure that you know exactly what you’re going to get before paying for your cruise by check or putting it on your credit card

With increasing gas prices and fewer international travel plans for American travelers, it’s hard to believe a European vacation is a possibility in the near future. Still, many Americans are heading overseas regardless of the state of the economy, and cashing in frequent flier miles, tracking down low-priced airfare and booking up European packages at discount rates. Some are cutting costs even further by venturing to hostels and making use of public transportation to explore the major cities and attractions. If you’re heading off on a European vacation this year, make sure you’re planning with these five essentials in mind:

1. Make reservations for Eurail. Taking the train isn’t as easy as it used to be, and as public transportation becomes the preferred choice of traveling for many, it’s harder to find a seat. Make reservations for cross-country treks so you always have a comfortable seat waiting.
2. Buy tickets to museums well in advance. Museums are a top tourist hotspot year round in most European cities, so it’s in your best interest to purchase your tickets in advance whenever possible. If you can’t buy them online, make sure you reserve your pass over the phone when you arrive at your destination city. Many major exhibits and events reach ‘sold out’ status within days of the opening, so be prepared to change your plans if needed.
3. Book your hostel stay online. Many ‘upscale’ hostels, or those with extra amenities and perks require advanced reservations, and you can check the status of openings by reviewing the hotel booking site online. Online booking has become easier than ever, and all you need is a credit card to reserve your spot.
4. Exchange currency before you leave. Don’t wait until you arrive at the airport or into your destination city to convert your dollars. It can be hard to track down a bank, and you may end up paying extra fees for the service. Plan ahead so you’re converting your dollars at a U.S. bank to save money and stress of the currency exchange.
5. Book your bus reservations online. If you prefer to ride the bus or ‘coach’ for a portion of your trip, make your reservations online; this will help you save time and you can plan your itinerary relatively easily with your seats booked well in advance.

The UK now has roughly 33 million registered vehicles on its roads, and this figure is ever increasing. Correlating with this is the number of road related deaths, which two years ago was roughly 258,000. With congested roads filled with frantic motorists its imperative that you are clued up on basic road tips both for your sake and that of others.

First and foremost, never, ever drive while under the influence of alcohol or any other intoxicating substance. Even though this is against the law in every established country, with heavy penalty’s being imposed on those found guilty - it is still a wide-spread problem. Not only does alcohol give you a false sense of ability, but it slows vital reaction times down considerably.

Tailgating, or following the car in front too closely, is another major contributor to road accidents in the UK. When tailgating you are essentially cutting off the view of any activity ahead of the car in front of you and reducing the amount of time you have to react to any sudden changes the car ahead makes. The space in between you and the car ahead should be considered as a sort of “buffer”, as a rule of thumb leave a two second gap, four seconds when wet and 10 when icy.

Following on from the above point, many motorists fail to adjust their driving speed based on the condition of the road. When the road is wet or icy, braking times are increased considerably - your speed should therefore be adjusted accordingly. Minimising the number of distractions you have while driving also helps a tremendous amount, common distractions include, hand-held phones, loud music, eating food etc.Having a good idea of what is going on around your vehicle at all times is imperative, relying solely on your mirrors is not enough - its important that you check your “blind spots” before slowing down or changing lanes etc.