if u celebrate Christmas-have u always had an advent calendar

[Aino]

I think it is more a European and possibly a Scandinavian tradition more than a case of which church you belong to...

My mom would always make a calender for me when I was growing up... we had one she had quilted of a jolly santa claus holding 24 small presents... Oh joy!!

Later came the chocolate ones but they were pretty lame compared to the one my mom made...

[Gabi]

My sister and I had always those chocolate calendars as kids. Now my children have them too every year and they are so excited to open next window in the morning and eat that little chocolate square.
We also have a felt tree where we put an ornament on the button with a number of a certain day. We made these two things our Christmas traditions every year.

[whatnext]

i never heard of an Advent calendar (or wreath) either, until i married a Roman Catholic. in Byzantine Catholic Land, where I grew up, there was no such thing as an Advent anything. Only ADVENT! we had a Roman priest take over our parish because of the shortage of Byzantines in general a few years ago, and when he cracked out the Advent wreath at mass, we all just looked at each other and said "WHA? "(under our breath, of course.... :-D)

[Netleigh]

Oh, this is interesting that they seem to have been mainly European!
As a child in 1960's UK we had paper calendars with doors to open and a wreath with four sunday candles. I think calendars with chocolate arrived in the 1970s. When I had a home of my own I sewed a Scandinavian cross stitch one which we hang presents on, usually chocolate and I switched to a day by day advent candle that we got from a Danish shop.

[anke]

Oh my gosh, we always had one while growing up and I am making sure I have one for the kids every year. I just spent a fortune getting them online (the chocolate ones), because our stores ran out. It just makes the whole season a little more special and I hope my kids will some day remember them the way I do. I just love it!

[kikimama]

Wow, I love the things you learn here.

We always had them, never occurred to me that it wouldn't be a universal thing. When I was young they just had pictures behind the doors, but now they're mostly chocolate on each day. My mum still buys one for each of us, though Amy's having a really hard time accepting that she can only open one door each day.

I keep meaning to make one to hold treats instead of a bought one, but like so much else, it never gets done. Maybe next year!

[esther_a]

I remember them from my childhood (40+ years ago), but they weren't entrenched in the Christmas ritual, just something we did a couple of times.

[tdavenport]

Never had them as a kid. i think i only heard of them as an adult though paper crafting publications.

[ValerieP]

I didnt know about them and I am 51-but I learned about them when I studied German and my boys were young so they had one every year after-they loved them!

[maureenreynolds]

I grew up Catholic and I don't think I saw the Advent calendars till I was about 10. Mine were the German imports, flat with lots of glitter and the nativity scene on the 25th. We used to paste it on the living room window so the light would shine through. I'm thinking the advent wreaths only hit the Catholic church with Vatican II because I don't think I saw them till the 60s. I got them for my children in some of the countries we lived if available which wasn't always the case.

We have an advent wreath in our home now, but as usual I forgot to get the purple and pink candles in the fall...so it's a candleless wreath.

[LisaD]

No idea as a kid. But with my kids, we buy the chocolate filled ones every year. I also have one from church with a book to read about the coming to Jesus birth. I have big hopes of making my own crafty one, but let's face it: the kids like the candy ones best; I like the Jesus one best.

[readstoomuch]

We had a glittery advent calendar when I was a small child in the 1950's . . . I think that an aunt in the military in Germany sent it to me. The doors opened and I remember loving to open them. We reused the same one forever I think. I had them for my children too. We have the advent wreath in our church (Methodist), but I don't remember having one in the Presbyterian church when I was younger . . . but, I probably wasn't listening or looking then! LOL

[Kristin K]

Since I am from Norway too, I can more or less say the same thing as Blossom - yes, we always, had advent candles and advent calender.

The first sunday in Advent is the start of the new Church year, so advent is a big thing over here. I got those with plastic things too - I actually prefered those with pictures or plastic toys, as the chocolate ones tasted really awful!

I make calenders for my boys now, and I just love it! I try to stay between $1-2 max per day, but sometimes you just have to buy something fun and somwhat more expencive. So I look forward to the day they are old enough to have fun with getting a few puzzle pieces each day to add to a large puzzle, or some lego each day. Something a bit more useful than plastic toys.

I get a advent calender myself as well. We are five girls that make cards together. Yes, with real paper and real bling So we exchange gifts: Each one buys 6 gifts to each of the other girls, and then we make a advent calender to each one. This is a lot of fun, and I cant wait to open the gifts!! Fun to be a child once in a while, and Advent calender really allowes you to do that.