I have never seen a purple poinsettia before. I just bought it because it had the right color for the season. In Norway we always decorate our homes with purple flowers, candles, table cloths etc. We always have 4 purple candles together, and light one each Sunday before Christmas eve. On the forth Sunday they are all lit. Advent (from the Latin word adventus meaning "coming") is a season observed in many Western Christian churches, a time of expectant waiting and preparation for the celebration of the Nativity of Jesus at Christmas. It is the beginning of the Western liturgical year and commences on Advent Sunday, called Levavi. The Eastern churches' equivalent of Advent is called the Nativity Fast, but it differs both in length and observances and does not begin the church year, which starts instead on September 1.[1] The progression of the season may be marked with an Advent calendar, a practice introduced by German Lutherans. At least in the Roman Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, Moravian, Presbyterian and Methodist calendars, Advent starts on the fourth Sunday before December 25, the Sunday from November 27 to December 3 inclusive. Latin adventus is the translation of the Greek word parousia, commonly used in reference to the Second Coming of Christ. For Christians, the season of Advent serves as a reminder both of the original waiting that was done by the Hebrews for the birth of their Messiah as well as the waiting of Christians for Christ's return. The usual liturgical colour in Western Christianity for Advent is either purple or blue. The purple colour is often used for hangings around the church, on the vestments of the clergy, and often also the tabernacle. On the 3rd Sunday of Advent, Gaudete Sunday, rose may be used instead, referencing the rose used on Laetare Sunday, the 4th Sunday of Lent Camera Model Canon EOS 400D DIGITAL Shooting Date/Time 02.12.2011 12:57:12 Shooting Mode Aperture-Priority AE Tv( Shutter Speed ) 1/640 Av( Aperture Value ) 5.0 ISO Speed 800 Lens 17.0 - 70.0 mm Focal Length 70.0 mm Image Quality RAW Flash Off AF Mode Manual focusing Picture Style Faithful