Who invented the advent calendar?
Open a new door every day, be a little closer to Christmas every day – an Advent calendar makes all children’s eyes shine. But who actually invented the advent calendar? You can find out more here.
You know it from your own childhood days: the anticipation. The impatience. The long wait. 24 days are never as long as before Christmas. Opening a door of the advent calendar every day makes you want to look forward to each new morning before you fall asleep, which will finally bring the long-awaited day closer. An advent calendar is easy to make yourself. Maybe your child would like to help you?
A mother invented the advent calendar
This custom is traced back to the pastor’s son Gerhard Lang. In the last few days before Christmas, he asked his mother every evening when the time had finally come and when Christmas would begin. Because she didn’t feel like answering the same question every day, she made her son an advent calendar. She got little boxes, numbered them, and packed a piece of pastry in them. Gerhard was now allowed to open a box every day and eat its contents. In addition, he now always knew how many days were left until the festival.
Gerhard later became a partner in a printing company and remembered his mother’s idea again: in 1908 he had the first advent calendar printed. It consisted of 24 sheets with pictures to cut out and 24 sheets with fields to stick on. In 1920 the first calendar with a door that could be opened appeared.