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When did advent calendars first become a tradition and where?

Like so many of our Christmas traditions, this one began in Germany. Originally, it was simply a way to count down the days to Christmas. Advent comes from the Latin word, adventus, meaning arrival. The term advent is actually a religious term referring to the four weeks leading up to Christmas. Traditionally, it begins at the end of November. Though in modern times, people use the more convenient December 1st to begin their Christmas countdown. Before the printed calendars, many families would mark each day with a chalk line drawn on a door. Other families might light a new candle or offer some other small token for each day.

Gerhard Lang first printed the advent calendar in 1908. As he was growing up, his mother attached candy to pieces of cardboard. He would take one piece off for every day leading up to Christmas. The first calendar he printed had colored pictures that would attach to cardboard for each day. Eventually, these holiday treasures were made with doors to open daily. Often, they would be filled with candies, pictures or Bible verses.

In Germany, the advent tradition is still going strong. Many towns actually transform buildings into life size calendars, each day showing a new Christmas scene! This beautiful town hall in the German city of Hunfeld is perhaps the most stunning example. Twenty four windows on the front are marked for each day, and opened to reveal a new scene.