In Europe they started the whole idea of making an Advent Calendar to mark the days until Christmas. The original idea came from German Lutherans who, as early as the beginning 19th century, would count down the 24 days of Advent physically. That often meant drawing a chalk line on the door each day, beginning on December 1st. Other families used different ways of marking the days, such as lighting a new candle or hanging a religious picture up each day. The first known Advent calendar was handmade in 1851.
Nowadays the most traditional calendar consists of 2 pieces of cardboard on top of each other with 24 small windows. The top cardboard has a design on top that usually tells a story. Each day you open one window and an image will appear that fit into the story line. You start this tradition on December 1st until Christmas Eve, December 24th.
But Europeans have brought this Advent Calendar one step further and instead of offering a cardboard calendar with only pictures, they have actually created calendars with some stockings or pouches with a little gift in each bag. This makes the Christmas period even more exciting for small children, because they actually receive 24 small gifts before Santa Clause even comes down the chimney.
With the goal of bringing this great European tradition into the States, the company Petit Bliss has created their own 'Creative Advent Calendar'. Please come and check it out here: http://www.petitbliss.com/
Trying to make the days a little shorter by giving your child some activity was of utmost importance to them, which is why the calendar was made with a no-junk rule in mind. Researching, finding and purchasing one gift per day takes a lot of time and effort. This is why their Creative Advent Calendar comes with 24 great gifts. It was designed with their own children in mind. Hence, each gift is of high quality and allows children to express their creativity. Of course there are also a few candy treats since it is December after all.
You can either order one of the Filled Advent Calendars, where you receive the 24 small bags or pouches (or a Personalized Stocking) and you don't have to go out and spend a lot of time finding 24 gifts to add into the stocking. But if you already have an idea of what to buy for the calendar, you can order the empty Advent Calendar and fill it up with your own presents.
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If you would like more information about this topic, contact Petit Bliss' excellent customer service at 877-582-5477 or e-mail customerservice@
