Today marks the first of December, and the start of the Christmas advent calendar. The advent calendar tradition began in Germany during the 19th century, with a chalk mark for each day leading up to Christmas. By 1900 the first printed calendar was produced in Germany, by Gerard Lang. This calendar featured miniature colored pictures, that were attached to a piece of cardboard, each day. As Lang's design progressed, the advent calendar included candy, a picture, or a religious verse. Lang's calendars were produced until World War II, when the factory shut down due to shortages. Later, President Eisenhower promoted the advent calendar as an American tradition.
Growing up my brothers and I began our Christmas countdown on December 1st. Each morning we would sit at the breakfast table and search for the current date. The paper door was then opened to expose the secret image. The twenty-fourth door was always the most exciting, due to it's large size and celebratory image.
Each year my mum purchases a few different advent calendars. My brothers and I select our favorite and the countdown begins. I tend to favor the ones with glitter embellishments. Here are a few of my favorites:
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