Counting down to Christmas: the history of the advent calendar

Many children gleefully count down the days until Christmas, looking forward to finding their gifts from Santa under the tree. Kids, and their parents, have been doing it for centuries, and the practice eventually gave rise to advent calendars.

Advent, which means arrival in Latin, begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas.

Like other Christmas traditions, advent calendars began as a spiritual component of the holiday before becoming commercialized. At the beginning of the 19th century, religious families in Lutheran Germany began counting the days to Christmas by drawing chalk lines on their doors, lighting a candle or hanging religious images on the wall.

In the 1900s, the first printed advent calendars were made in Germany -- either in 1902 or 1903 in Hamburg or in 1908 in Munich -- with production continuing until World War II when cardboard was rationed. These early advent calendars featured either religious images or Bible verses behind doors or cardboard images that could be attached to the calendar.

By the 1940s, advent calendars had arrived in America and the first candy-filled calendars were sold in the 1950s. These sweet versions included a piece of chocolate hidden behind each door, replacing religious images or verses.

Advent calendars are available in many stores or, if you're feeling crafty, can be made at home.

Sources: historytoday.com; holiday.net

Mini-envelope advent calendar (Photo by Carrie Romines)

Make your own advent calendar

__Materials__ • Scrapbook paper in coordinating colors • Slips of paper • Scissors • Tape or glue stick • Clothespins

Directions

Step 1: Cut scrapbook paper into 25 envelope patterns. There are several templates online you can choose from. Fold into envelope and tape or glue flaps. Be sure to leave one side open so you can put the activity paper inside.

Step 2: Cut strips of paper small enough to fit into the envelopes. On each piece of paper write a holiday-related activity to be done that day. Examples: Make Christmas cards to mail to friends and family, dance and sing to Christmas music, bake Christmas cookies.

Step 3: Put activity paper in envelope and finish sealing.

Step 4: On the front of each envelope, write a number from 1 to 25. The numbers can be handwritten, stickers, cut out paper, anything you want. Then arrange in order from 1-25.

Step 5: Hang envelopes using clothespins.