Advent Calendars
Did you have an Advent Calendar as a kid? I sure did! Ours was a wall hanging with a Christmas Tree on it. The tree had 24 small snaps on it, 24 pockets, and 24 felt ornaments with small snaps on them as well. Every day, one kid got to snap on an ornament. Counting down the time until we could open presents.
That’s all I knew about it. Presents. Did I know it was religious or had religious roots? I sure didn’t. It wasn’t until I was much older that I linked it to marking the days leading to the Nativity.
The Origins of the Advent Calendar
Popular lore says that Lutherans in the 16 century were the first people to commemorate the countdown to Christmas with something physical. Except they didn’t use an actual calendar. They used a wreath and candles and lit one Candle for each of the Sundays before Christmas.
This marked the start of the Season of Advent, which spans the four Sundays before Christmas, they lit candles each night leading up to Christmas.
Inventor of the calendar
At the turn of the century, two things changed regarding the Season of Advent. Of course, it still existed — and still does — but there was a modern twist to it.
This was when a German inventor named Gerhard Lang created the concept of a printed Advent calendar. Also, he made his version for 24 days only — versus the nearly month-long period of those four Sundays before Christmas. It’s more practical to start the calendar on December first.
Plus, Lang grew up enjoying a 24-day homemade precursor to the Advent calendar. His mother sewed cookies into the lid of a box, and he was allowed to eat one a day during Advent. By the 1920s, Lang tweaked the design to include windows that you could open. Behind the windows? Scenes or quotes from the Bible.
Advent Calendars in the United States
Advent calendar made their way to the USA by way of American servicemen. They were already popular in Germany and England they brought them back home to America after World War II.
In 1971, British confectionery Cadbury produced the first Advent calendars with chocolate behind each window. The tradition didn’t really catch on, however, until Cadbury started producing the chocolate-infused calendar annually in 1993, the BBC reported. Suddenly, more people developed a taste for this Christmas tradition, and there was no looking back.
“We LOVE advent calendars in my house. When my kids were small, we did the traditional chocolate advent calendars,but as my kids got older, we got more creative. Every year, my son gets a new LEGO Advent calendar, and my other kid gets a fancy chocolate one. And most importantly, we have an Advent calendar we made for my cat where he gets a special treat every day, too!”
—Michelle Price of Honest and Truly
When do Advent calendars start in December?
Thanks to Lang’s creation, here’s how the modern Advent calendar works.
- It starts on December 1.
- There are 24 windows that you open.
- You open one each day based on the calendar date.
- You open the last window on December 24 or Christmas Eve.
Popularity of these Christmas calendars
Today, Advent calendars can be made of various materials, such as paper, wood or fabric. Not all include chocolate. Some do-it-yourself Advent calendars might include 24 bags or 24 boxes filled with keepsakes or edible goodies.
And, boy, have they become popular. VYPR, a consumer-insights company, surveyed shoppers about Advent calendar purchases. They found that 55 percent of them had planned on buying an Advent calendar for themselves or someone else.
Anticipation calendars
In addition, marketing experts say that Advent calendars — which they refer to as anticipation calendars — have mass appeal during the holiday season and beyond; some kids and parents even make countdowns to the first day of school.
“Anticipation calendars also give consumers the opportunity to experiment with products the recipient has not tried before,” reported marketing intelligence company Mintel. “From simple interactive cardboard calendars with sweets affixed behind a series of easy-to-open doors, the concept of ‘counting down the days to Christmas’ has become an elaborate enterprise.”
“My family and I are all tea enthusiasts, so I came up with the idea of creating Advent Tea Calendars,” she explained. “Every year, during Thanksgiving, I gift these calendars to our friends and family so they can enjoy them throughout December. To make it extra special, I collect unique and specialty teas throughout the year to include in the calendar. This has become a tradition that everyone loves, and I love making them.”
—Jere’ Cassidy of One Hot Oven
In other words, Advent calendars aren’t just for children anymore. One of the newer iterations of this holiday staple is the luxury Advent calendar. The Washington Post reported about extravagant ones, ranging from $600 makeup calendars to a $100 wellness to a $4500 luxury brand. Even department stores like Saks Fifth Avenue and Nordstrom have started stocking Advent calendars.
So whether you prefer a traditional Advent calendar or a more modern version with unique and possibly luxury surprises behind each window, there is sure to be one that suits your style, taste and budget.
