The story of Advent calendars

As we near Advent calendar season we delve into the history of this festive tradition, that brings so much joy and excitement in the month of Christmas!

The 24 day lead up to Christmas is filled with a delightful countdown to the big day. Whilst adults are busy preparing, decorating, and cooking away, little ones are whispering amongst themselves ‘how many sleeps are left’ until Santa visits.

That’s not to say adults are left out of the fun! This tradition has become so wide spread that we now enjoy an assortment of wines, jewellery, skin care, and even pet treats, amongst much more!

But where did it start? The season of Advent dates back to the fourth century. The four week period begins on the Sunday closest to St. Andrew’s Day, and lasts for the next three Sundays.
‘Advent’ derives from the Latin word for ‘arrival’, and over the centuries has gradually become associated with the coming of Christ, and thereby Christmas.
Nowadays, Advent calendars actually start on December 1st, to run through December until Christmas Eve. Advent calendars started in the 19th century, where German Protestants started marking the days leading up to Christmas using creative means such as lighting candles and ticking chalk marks on walls.

Gerhard Lang produced the first printed and commercial advent calendar in the early 1900s, after his mother made him an ‘Advent calendar’ as a child, with 24 confections stuck on a piece of cardboard, allowing him to eat one sweet a day.

And most importantly, the first chocolate filled Advent calendar was reportedly sold in the 1950s … and the rest is history!

We are very taken by the story and creativity of Gerhard Lang’s mother – and decided to offer an Advent calendar with similar sentiment. 24 delicious chocolate pieces, with edible festive illustrations and colours, and the perfect treat to build excitement up to a very magical day!

We hope you love them as much as we do! X