I DON’T GET IT: Where did advent calendars come from?

DECEMBER is here, which means we can finally crack open our advent calendars! But where did the tradition of advent calendars come from? Advent is the season leading up to Christmas. In the Christian faith, it represents a time of preparation for the celebration of Jesus’s birth. Did you know the word advent actually means ’arrival’ or ‘coming’ in Latin? Unlike some of our calendars, which start on 1 December, advent actually begins four Sundays before Christmas and ends on Christmas Eve. Yep, technically that means Advent starts in November. The tradition of advent calendars is believed to date back to the 19th century (that’s 1800s). German Protestants made chalk marks on doors or lit candles to count down the days until Christmas. In the 1900s, a man called Gerhard Lang started mass-producing cardboard calendars. Initially they just had pictures on them, and then later little doors were added. As calendars developed, people began to add Bible readings and religious figures behind each door, too. Unfortunately, Lang had to close his calendar company in the thirties. World War Two then halted production as cardboard was rationed and the Nazis put a ban on calendars with images. It wasn’t until 1946 that a man called Richard Sellmer from Stuttgart in Germany started printing advent calendars again. Actually, his company is still running today! Religious calendars continue to be produced in many countries, but it’s often chocolate ones that we see more of in the shops. These started being sold in the 50s as calendars became more commercial. Today, advent calendars feature everything from chocolate, to cheese, to beauty products and even LEGO! There are even online advent calendars. Speaking of which, First News is running its own online advent calendar throughout December – up until Christmas Day, of course – on First News Live! Each day, you’ll be treated to a different festive surprise in the form of a celebrity shout out, a Christmassy video or gallery or a sneak peak at some of the festive fun going on inside the First News office. Visit to see what’s behind our digital doors so far! About First News First News is a newspaper and website written especially for 7-14 year olds. Visit for everything you need to know about today’s main news stories. Try 3 issues of the newspaper for £1: First News is read by over 2 million young people in the UK every week. Each issue is packed with a great mix of: • News stories from around the world • Animals and the environment, sports, health and fitness • Celebrities, films and books • Puzzles and competitions • Crazy But True stories Like us on Facebook: Follow us on Twitter: Follow us on Instagram: Add us on Snapchat: First_News Follow us on PopJam: FirstNews And don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel! Thanks! First News