The History of the Advent Calendar – And Why It Makes a Perfect Gift

Whose not grown up with it? An Advent calendar with all sorts of tasty chocolates or little gifts. The irresistible feeling of opening all the boxes at once. Or could you resist? Not me, anyway. But where does the Advent calendar come from? And what makes such an Advent calendar such a nice gift to give (and receive)?

What is an Advent calendar?

Advent calendars have 24 boxes in the place of days, counting down to Christmas. Starting on the first of December and ending on Christmas eve. Usually and more traditionally they are filled with some festive chocolates, but in recent years you can find advent calendars filled with many different small gifts or yummy treats. There is a lot to choose from!

Advent calendars date back to the 19th century! The calendars are based on the Advent period – The time leading up to the Nativity of Christ at Christmas. During this period, Christians prepare for the commemoration of the birth of Jesus (christmas day). This tradition made families grow very close together. So it’s ideal if you want to stir up the Christmas spirit in the people around you!

The first printed Advent calendar is considered to have been created by Gerhard Lang. As a child, he had received 24 cookies sewn onto the lid of a box by his mother, in which he was allowed to eat one a day during Advent. In 1908 following a pilot project in 1904 he released the first printed Advent calendar.

What makes Advent calendars the perfect gift?

Personalised Advent calendars – a classic gift with an original twist. A surprise for every day, advent calendars shows the recipient receiving the calendar your gratitude. This can be for your colleagues, friends or even family.

A little tip: Buy your Advent calendars in time! Advent calendars are usually ordered in October or November, so that you can open the first box on 1 December.

The advent calendars from Helloprint can be fully personalised in two ways:

• Your own design, filled with delicious chocolate

• Your own design and fill the boxes of the calendar yourself!

What can you fill an Advent calendar with?

Do you choose to fill an Advent calendar yourself? That’s great! That way you can make your gift even more personal and give free rein to your creative spirit. But what do you fill the calendars with? Let’s look at some options.

Treats

The classic option is, of course, something sweet. Whether you choose the chocolates yourself or opt for a filled Advent calendar, you’re always on the right track with chocolate (just be careful of ingredients and possible allergies or tolerances). You can also choose different kinds of sweets, or combine different festive treats.

Miniature beauty products

You know them: the mini versions of, for example, shower gel, scrub, masks. Their size and variety make them the perfect option to fill your Advent calendar with. They are also easy to come by, for example at your local drugstore.

Promotional gifts with a logo

Looking for something more personal from your own brand or company? Our range of business gifts will help you. Are you looking for something that can be used every day? Then check out our USB sticks, markers or power banks. For a more original twist, check out our cords or sunglasses.

You can even choose to combine all the ideas above! The choice is yours to create the ultimate advent calendar.

I have no inspiration for a design! What to do next?

There are many ideas to choose from when it comes to design. Some people want to project a different image than others. Here’s a little tip: A festive design is always a good idea. But what else could you do?

• A photo with your colleagues
• A minimalistic design
• The classic Christmas colours – red and green
• A design full of illustration

Whatever you choose, an Advent calendar is a great gift that will certainly stay in your mind. Anyway, I hope this blog has given you more inspiration to put together the perfect advent calendar! Do you have any more ideas, or have you ever been given an Advent calendar as a gift? Let us know about it! We love to see our customers’ creations come to life. Order Advent calendars at Helloprint!