An advent calendar with a winter theme.
An advent calendar is a special type of calendar that counts down the days until Christmas Day, starting from 1st December. Advent calendars can be made out of card or wood, and are usually filled with small bars of chocolate, shaped like Christmas figures. Wooden advent calendars can be reused later on and filled with chocolates or sweets. Advent calendars were first used in the 19th and 20th centuries by German Lutherans and were made by handwork, which can be traced back to the year 1851. The Adventcandle and Adventclock were old forms, which included a candle for the 24 days until Christmas, similar to the tradition of advent calendars, but slightly different. As a result, religious families hung small pictures on the wall, one for each day of December. Another tradition was to paint one chalk stroke a day before Christmas Eve on the house. Chocolate advent calendars started to appear in 1958, where advent calendars were filled with chocolate. In 1971, Cadbury launched their first chocolate advent calendar.
Traditional Advent calendars have the Nativity scene, Saint Nicholas, and winter weather, while some have a variety of themes ranging from athletics to electronics. From a plain paper calendar with flaps covering each of the days to cloth pockets on a backdrop scene to painted wooden boxes with cubby holes for small objects, they come in a variety of styles. Many Advent calendars are rectangular cards with 'lights' for each day of December leading up to and including Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. Every day leading up to Christmas, starting with the start of the Advent season for that year, or simply on December 1st, a series of doors are opened in succession. Frequently, the doors are distributed in no special order throughout the calendar. The calendar windows open to show a photograph, a poem, a segment of a novel (such as the plot of Jesus' birth), or a small gift (such as a toy or chocolate item). A Bible verse and Christian prayer are often printed on each frame, which Christians use as part of their regular Advent devotions. On the back of some advent calendars, you'll find puzzles and games. In its final issue of November, the long-running British publication Country Life features an Advent calendar, which it refers to as "our famous Advent calendar." There are many different types of Advent calendars, such as social media Advent calendars and recycled Advent calendars that can be stringed together. Living advent calendars have been produced in several cities. Popular Christmas motifs and patterns can also be used in some Advent calendars, with Jesus as the primary character.
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