Advent is a season of joy and hope for all who follow Jesus Christ. This season begins a new Liturgical (Church) Year. Advent has a twofold character, for it is a time of preparation for the Solemnities of Christmas, in which the First Coming of the Son of God to humanity is remembered, and likewise, a time when, by the remembrance of this, minds and hearts are led to look forward to Christ's Second coming at the end of time.
In Advent we open our hearts to Jesus in prayer and show by our actions each day that we are his followers. We try to care more for other people, to be more patient and understanding. During Advent we are invited to change our lives and our hearths to be more like Christ.
The liturgical color for Advent is purple or royal blue that includes an element of penance in the sense of preparing, quieting, and disciplining our hearts for the full joy of Christmas. The third Sunday of Advent is called "Gaudete" Sunday (coming from the first word of the Latin Entrance Antiphon for this day, meaning "Rejoice") and the liturgical color may be rose instead of purple. This is the Church's way of further heightening our expectation as we draw ever nearer the Solemnity of Christmas.