Chicago, IL – For millions of families, December means opening a tiny door each morning to reveal a chocolate, toy, or message — but few realize this festive countdown began nearly a millennium ago.
According to historians, the Advent calendar traces its roots to Germany around the 12th century, when early Christians marked the days leading up to Christmas as part of the Advent season — a time of reflection and preparation for Christ’s birth. Families would draw chalk lines on doors or light a candle each day to track the approach of December 25.
By the 19th century, German Protestants popularized the idea of handmade paper calendars, and by the early 1900s, the first printed Advent calendars appeared. Some included small devotional pictures or Bible verses; later versions added doors with hidden treats, a tradition that quickly delighted children and spread across Europe.
Commercial versions gained massive popularity in the United States after World War II, evolving into today’s collectible and themed calendars — offering everything from gourmet chocolates to mini perfumes, toys, or teas.
Though modern versions are more about fun than fasting, the spirit of anticipation remains the same — a joyful countdown that connects today’s holiday excitement with a centuries-old Christian tradition of waiting for light to come into the world.
