Growing up, Milly Rawlings awakened every December morning to open a square door on her Advent calendar, anticipating what wonders lay behind each door. She still remembers the scenes – a snowy night in Germany, a sled, a Christmas tree in the Bavarian woods, a nutcracker, lighted windows, a lighted wreath – a different one for each day.
Rawlings says her grandparents brought the calendar back from Germany, where this ritual of the season – counting down 24 days to Christmas – originated in the 19th century.
“It was a multiple-panel calendar of a mountain village at Christmas, and I remember they’d spread it out across the sideboard in their dining room,” she recalls. “We had Advent calendars every year and loved opening the daily window.”
According to GermanSteins.com, which sells German beers and gifts, the earliest Advent calendars consisted of 24 candles, 24 small pictures hung up on the wall, 24 painted chalk strokes on the door or wreaths with 24 decorated boxes or bags hanging from them, used to count down the days until Christmas.
Rawlings says her childhood calendars are such fond memories that she has continued the tradition with her children and grandchildren.