Advent calendar
An Advent calendar is a special calendar that counts the days to Christmas through the month of December.[1] Most of them start on the first day of December, but sometimes they include the last few days of November because of the Christian advent.[2][3] The advent calendar was used first by German Lutherans from 1800 to 1900, but now many Christians use them.[4][5]
Looks and use
Advent calendars have pictures on them that show either the Christian nativity scene, Santa Claus, or a winter landscape. However, there are also many different looks, such as sports or technology.[6] They can either be made of paper, wood or fabric.
Many Advent calendars have large cards shaped like a rectangle, with little "windows" that can be opened.[5] There are usually 24 windows on a card, one for each day from December 1 to the day before Christmas. Each window has a number, and you open one each day. For example, on December 16, you would open the window with a '16' on it.[2][3]
There are sometimes pictures, poems, or even chocolate behind each window. Other calendars have Bible verses or a prayer behind the windows, which Christians use to celebrate their Advent as part of their religion.[4][7] Advent calendars can also have puzzles or games behind the windows.
There are many different kinds of Advent calendars. Some are made online on social media, and some towns have made living advent calendars.
Advent Calendar Media
Doors for 15 and 17 December of an Advent calendar at a building in Lucerne, Switzerland
Advent calendar from Im Lande des Christkinds. The doors contain Christmas poems. Images, from a cut-out sheet, were pasted over them.
A 1946 Advent calendar by Marianne Schneegans
The 24 windows of the front of Hellbrunn Palace in Salzburg, Austria, used as an Advent calendar during the town's Christmas market
A home-made Advent calendar featuring presents
An Advent calendar consisting of images that have dates on the reverse side
A Norwegian Advent calendar
A home-made Advent calendar made from wood in the shape of a Christmas tree
Advent Calendar at the City Hall in Stollberg, Saxony
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Related pages
References
- ↑ Penney, Sue. Christianity (in en) (1999)Heinemann. p. 38. ISBN 9780435304775.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Online Advent calendar created by the world (in en) (November 17, 2016)Anglican Communion News Service. Retrieved December 8, 2016.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Mac Donald, Sarah. Primate launches online calendar for Advent (in en) (November 26, 2014)Catholic Ireland. Retrieved December 8, 2016.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Mills, T.J.. The Twelve Blessings of Christmas (May 10, 2010)Thomas Nelson Inc.. p. 54. ISBN 9780529124319.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Gassmann, Günther. Historical Dictionary of Lutheranism (April 4, 2001)Scarecrow Press. p. 87. ISBN 9780810866201.
- ↑ MacBeth, Sybil. The Season of the Nativity (in en) (November 1, 2014)Paraclete Press. p. 50. ISBN 9781612616131.
- ↑ Black, Vicki K.. Welcome to the Church Year: An Introduction to the Seasons of the Episcopal Church (January 9, 2004)Church Publishing, Inc.. p. 17. ISBN 9780819225757.
Other websites
- Taylor, Alan (November 30, 2012). "2012 Hubble Space Telescope Advent Calendar". The Atlantic. https://www.theatlantic.com/infocus/2012/11/2012-hubble-space-telescope-advent-calendar/100415/.