Advent is the weeks-long prep season before Christmas. It translates to adventus in Latin, meaning ‘coming’. With Advent arriving and people gearing up for the winter yuletide, Christmas is just around the corner. But I’m not there yet.
The Beginning of Advent Calendar
A long time ago, in Germany – precisely in the 19th century – the local Protestants marked down days to Christmas by chalking lines on walls and doors, adding straws inside the miniature manger, or lighting candles. This led to the introduction of the wooden Advent calendar, with a holy image dedicated to each of the 24 days. This practice inspired Gerhard Lang to print the first public Advent Calendar commercial. Eventually, it was added with the concept of small opening doors – presently considered the classic – in the 1920s.
Later, Advent calendars were picked up by brands and companies after World War II. Marketing and promoting them with visual prints and promises later included chocolate-filled boxes as calendars in the 1950s. And the rest is history.

With all the hustle and bustle, looking at your phone screen or hanging it on the wall to know what date it was, the Advent calendar helps you remember the day and date and keeps you grounded with the remainder of your daily set-to-do list. It’s fun, traditional and functional.
Advent is the period of celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ and praying for God’s eventual second coming. It is a time to cherish the tradition of holy festivities in church and at home. Each Sunday leading to Christmas, different essential messages and prayers are said to be offered with the light of candles in the Advent wreath.
It is a moment to appreciate your blessings and reflect on how far you’ve come. From your ancestors. How their timeless memories still occupy an evident space in your life. Like their photographs, habits, stories, recipes, or Advent calendar.
The four weeks leading up to the December miracle are as magical as the tale of Christ’s birth. During this time, children and adults engage in traditional and enlightening activities, such as lighting the Advent wreath of candles, marking the beginning of the Christmas countdown, or the Advent calendar sparking naive anticipation of the 25th of December.
Fun Fact – The Advent wreath encompasses four candles, one lit every Sunday until the Sunday before Christmas.

In the spirit of the holy holiday, children – and adults alike – begin their mornings by opening the paper doors to the day it is on the Advent calendar. And closing it to open the next one the following day. A new door, a new day. The closer you get to the last one, the higher the joy of cheers.
Why Is It Also Called Pagan Advent Calendar?
It is believed that Christmas festivities – like kissing under the mistletoe and decorating the fir tree – came from ancient pagan people. Who worshipped other gods or didn’t believe in one. The Advent calendar seems to take creative turns for believers – and non-believers alike – to enjoy the season like the popular 24-drawer boxes assembled in the shape of a tree or house filled with goodies of your choice.
The Advent calendar—also called the Yule Advent calendar—has long been included as a pagan tradition for the sacred time of Christianity and the winter solstice. It’s one of the many traditions in the world that light up the season, leading to a natural happening and a religious celebration. It starts on the 1st of December and ends on the 24th, before Christmas day, or even until Christmas Eve at times.
It’s the mystery of what’s in the box/note or which chocolate/food item it is for the day that entails surprise and merriment. Yule Advent calendar gets a new meaning every year when it is filled/ you fill it with new purposes for the days of December. In its most authentic and basest form, it is about slowing the duration of excitement and healthily building up anticipation by the last door/box/date.

1. Purposes of Advent Calendars
1.1) Countdown days to Christmas
1.2) Begin the holy days of the month by reading a verse from the Bible
1.3) Learn about/remember the people of the past and their longing for Christ’s presence.
1.4) Celebrate every day with a gathering, party, conversation, reading, gift exchanging until the 21st or 25th of December.
1.5) Know and remember the day of December it is without having to check your Android screen
1.6) Build up the joy and regular small motivations to brighten your mood
1.7) Perfect gift for yourself and your loved ones
1.8) Stay connected to the practices of your ancestors or welcome a new tradition for the future to follow
1.9) A chance to spend quality, memorable time with family and friends
1.10) Engage your kids with traditional activities and, at the same time, teach them about the coming of Christ
1.11) Connect to the kid in you for a while by anticipating what’s new every morning
2. Types of Advent Calendars
2.1) Opening doors calendar
2.2) Witchy Advent calendar
2.3) Yule Advent calendar
2.4) Packets with dates (numbers) to fill and hang on the Christmas tree
2.5) Food Advent calendar boxes (filled with items like chocolates, tea bags, coffee sachets)
2.6) Stationery Advent calendar
2.7) Christmas Advent calendar of boxes (that can be filled with items or activity notes)
2.8) Song Advent Countdown calendar (with links/barcodes of playlists)
2.9) Crystal Advent calendar
2.10) Virtual Advent calendar
2.11) Advent Pocket Calendar (made of cloth to hold items and cards)
2.12) Advent calendar with Jewellery
2.13) Personalized Advent calendar
2.14) Devotional Advent calendar (with daily readings to signify the coming of Christ)
2.15) Branded Advent calendar (with small bottles of wine to taste and oils to either smell or use. Mostly promoted by brands and perfect gift option)
2.16) Accessible Advent calendars (for the visually impaired to touch and feel the numbers or objects hanging from them)
2.17) Fairytales Advent calendar
2.18) Advent calendar with treats for pets
2.19) Games/Puzzles Advent calendar (with a riddle or a brain-teaser to solve every day)
2.20) Advent calendar with beauty products
2.21) Puzzle Advent calendar
2.22) Crochet Advent calendar
2.23) Candle Advent calendar
2.24) Reusable Advent calendar (classic)
2.25) Yule Advent calendar (with notes telling lovely exclamations, books to read, recipes to make or movies to watch. Preferably with the company)
2.26) Themed Advent calendar
Contrary to the original purpose of ‘Advent calendars’, the art structure can be of any visual design you choose. A commercial theme like that of ‘F.R.I.E.N.D.S‘ or ‘Harry Potter’; food items like seasonal chocolates and sweets; branded jewellery stuffed prettily inside the boxes; cards with themed activities like ‘Truth or Dare’ choices every day, or quotes from films and TV to abide and remember by for that day. This motivational technique lifts your mood and keeps you happy as you leave your house and enter the outside world. Ready to face and deal with any situation that comes your way.

The Pagan Advent calendar is an idea commercial brands adopt to promote their products. It has been effectively profitable, as it presents itself as a chance to allow small samples to be tried and tested by customers. As the receiver of such an Advent calendar, you accept and enjoy the unexpected, unknown gifts, unlike how you’d have reacted to them offered to you in stores. These calendars not only have the potential to sustain your enthusiasm but also to introduce you to new things (that is, increase sales for companies and brands).
DIY Advent calendars have a charm of their own. Just like the idea of counting down the days to Christmas by marking on walls with chalk travelled down in history to what it is today, your DIY Advent calendar shall live a longer life than just one Christmas (if you intend for it too). Yule Advent calendars come in various styles and sizes yet hold on to the original purpose of anticipation.

Advent Calendars For The Win!
Today, the Adventskalendar (German for Advent calendar) is used not just for counting down to Christmas and the winter solstice. It is also used to anticipate birthdays, anniversaries, festivals, important days in one’s life, and more. Modern-day Yule Advent calendars can be used for all occasions and shared on the internet or social media. Everyone likes a catchy DIY Advent calendar or an aesthetic one with your name and pockets.
Pagan and Yule Advent calendars have evolved to be more than the typical calendar, with physical objects to unwrap, unbox, or open.
Though the Yule Advent calendar will never dim its shine and will always be classic, it has paved the path for many fabulous creations to bring happiness to lives. Rekindle the joy of opening a new door/box every day, followed by the next, then the next, until the last date, and it’s the big day.
Advent calendars are the best family time activity to cherish the present, leading to an anticipated future. So, get yourself one and love every day until you’re at the receiving end.
Last Updated on by Anoushka