Advent, meaning “coming” or “arrival” in Latin, is a period of preparation and anticipation of the birth of Jesus Christ. And while Advent starts on the fourth Sunday before Christmas, the Advent calendar starts on December 1. Discover the Advent Calendar History and how it popularized around the world:
The Start of Advent Calendars
Advent calendars have been used since the mid-1800s by Lutherans who marked off each day of Advent starting with December 1 until December 24, the day before Christmas.
About 50 years later, these calendars were printed in Hamburg, Germany for its newspaper readers.
Advent Calendars As We Know Them
The first resemblance of the Advent calendar that we know of today was introduced to the public in 1908 in Munich, Germany by Gerhard Lang.
Land credit his mother with the idea who made him 24 little square cardboards each with a little sweet for each day of the Advent period. Then, as an adult in 1908, he produced the first printed Advent calendar, though at that time without windows.
A few years later, he created the concept of little doors, with each door containing a devotional picture or Bible verse.
Printing Pause
And while the idea spread through Germany, the printing of calendars paused during World War 1 and 2 because of the rationing of paper. After WWII ended, Richard Sellmer of Stuttgart reintroduced the calendars which then popularized around Europe.
American Popularization
In the 1950s, Advent calendars with chocolates became mainstream. And over in the US, President Eisenhower was photographed opening an Advent calendar with his grandchildren which brought Advent calendars to national fame throughout America.
Today’s Advent Calendars
Today, Advent calendars have evolved from more than just little chocolates. You can find calendars with little bottles of wine, beer, or whiskey, or calendars with makeup products, or even little token toys.
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