Advent Calendars Explained: History and How to Choose One
Photo credit: Elena Mozhvilo (via Unsplash)
Where Advent Calendars Actually Come From
Advent calendars trace back to 19th-century Germany, where Protestant families marked the days
of Advent (the four Sundays leading up to Christmas, and the weeks between) with chalk marks or
lit candles, a way of making the wait tangible for children specifically, long before printed
calendars existed.
The First Printed Calendars
The first commercially printed Advent calendar is credited to Gerhard Lang in Germany around
1908, based on a punch-card calendar his mother had made him as a child. Doors to open behind each
number became standard shortly after, giving the format we’d recognize today.
Why Chocolate Took Over
Chocolate-filled advent calendars became widely popular starting in the 1950s, turning a
mostly religious/family tradition into a mainstream retail product. This is also roughly when the
format spread well beyond Germany into broader Western Christmas culture.
Choosing One Today: What Actually Matters
Beyond chocolate, the format has expanded into beauty products, toys, tea, and books, the
actual decision point isn’t the theme but whether it’s date-accurate (starting December 1st with
24 doors, versus the technically-correct but less common actual liturgical Advent, which varies in
length year to year) and whether the quality behind each door matches the price, cheap calendars
often pad quantity with poor-quality fillers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do most advent calendars have 24 doors?
24 doors covers December 1st through Christmas Eve, a simplified, consistent version of the actual liturgical Advent period, which varies in length year to year based on which Sunday Advent begins.
When did chocolate advent calendars become common?
Starting in the 1950s, which is also roughly when the tradition spread widely beyond Germany into mainstream Western Christmas culture.
Is a real Advent calendar religious?
Originally yes, tied to the Christian liturgical season of Advent, though most modern commercial calendars are secular in practice, focused purely on the daily countdown format.