Page 23 - Journal of Antiques and Collectibles December 2019
P. 23
ANTIQUES PEEK by Jessica Kosinski
ANTIQUES PEEK
The Countdown Starts Here
T he Holiday Season is full of many traditions. The Earliest Advent Calendars How the Advent Calendar Tradition was Almost
Lost, Saved, and Americanized
Although the period of four Sundays leading up
Some are familial, some are cultural, and
some are based on specific religious beliefs. to Christmas is considered “Advent,” the Advent Advent calendars today are often made of card-
calendar as we know it today typically starts
board. The same was true of earlier calendars – they
Many of us have specific holiday traditions, but we
do not necessarily understand the origins of those on December 1, no matter when Advent Sunday typically required paper or cardboard for production.
traditions. For example, you may have frequently actually falls in any particular year. Today, most That is why the use of Advent calendars almost
enjoyed popping open an Advent calendar window Advent calendars we know and love feature windows ceased during World War II. Paper and cardboard
and seeing a fun winter scene or a chocolate behind we can open and chocolates we can eat, but that shortages made them impossible to mass-produce. In
it, yet you may not fully understand the history of it. has not always been the case. Many early advent 1946 Richard Sellmer produced the first post-World
Let’s take a peek at how it all started and why Advent calendars simply featured winter scenes. War II Advent calendar.
calendars are integral parts of holiday traditions still The earliest Advent calendars as we know them Here in the United States, Advent calendars
in many homes today. today were produced in Germany in the early 20th have not enjoyed the same long history they have
century. A printing company called St. Johannis in Germany. It was not until Dwight D. Eisenhower
The Meaning of “Advent” published one of the earliest mass-printed Advent became President that Americans were really
The word “advent” is derived from the Latin calendars in 1922. Although, the first creation of introduced to them. During his term in office,
language. It translates to “coming.” In the Christian what we know now as an Advent calendar is com- which lasted from 1953 to 1961, he was caught on
religion, that “coming” can refer to the birth of Jesus, monly credited to another German source, a man camera opening an Advent calendar with members
how Jesus is said to presently influence people, or named Gerhard Lang, who produced one in 1908. of his family. The tradition soon took off across
the eventual return of Jesus in the future. However, the country.
the Advent calendar is essentially a four-Sunday
countdown to Christmas. Some of the Most Unusual Advent Calendars
Four Sundays before Christmas is called “Advent Today, you can buy a cardboard, candy-filled
Sunday.” It can fall as early as November 27 or as Advent calendar in almost any department store
late as December 3. From that date forward, one come December. They are quite inexpensive and
window on the calendar is opened each day. There fun. However, it might interest you to know not
are also some variations. For example, Advent begins all Advent calendars are as inexpensive, traditional
annually on November 15 for Celtic Christians. or disposable. Some are quite unusual and occasion-
ally expensive.
Early Advent Observances and Methods The most expensive American Advent calendar
There is no known concrete date on which ever made was sold by Harrod’s in 2007. It was made
Advent was first observed. However, there are several of wood and stood approximately four feet tall.
early records of similar observances. One of the Several were made, and each had a price tag of
earliest was in 567 when monks fasted for Advent. Advent Billboard Calendar $50,000. The proceeds from their sales were used to
Today, some Christians still fast for Advent. assist cocoa farmers based in Belize.
Another type of Advent observance Another Advent calendar also produced in
occurred in 1800s Germany. German 2007 is also among the most unusual.
Protestant Christians used chalk to mark It was created in London for display at
the days of Advent. On the first day, St. Pancras train station. It stood nearly 233
they drew multiple chalk lines on their feet tall and over 75 feet wide.
doors. Each day they erased one line If you are interested in finding unusual
until Christmas finally arrived and all lines Advent calendars you can purchase and use,
were gone. you do not have to look very far either.
Many families also observed Advent in Traditional Advent calendars all featured
other ways. One popular method was the winter scenes, but now they come in all
use of candles, somewhat like the Jewish styles and themes. Some feature favorite
Hanukkah celebration. When celebrating movie characters or quotes. Others are
Advent using candles, they are usually based on pop culture, such as LEGO
arranged in a wreath. The first Advent Advent calendars. You can even find an
wreath/candle combination was created Advent calendar with a theme based on
in 1839 in Germany. Smaller candles your favorite animal or hobby. With all
were used to represent weekdays leading of those choices, you can keep the Advent
up to Christmas, while larger candles were calendar tradition alive in your family for
lit on Sundays. many years to come.
Vintage hand-made Polish wooden house 1953 German Advent Calendar with
Advent Calendar bright illustrations
Richard Sellmer Verlag Little Town Advent Calendar
Victorian style Advent Calendar The first Advent Calendar created following World War II Richard Ernst Kepler Calendar
Jessica Kosinski has been a freelance writer specializing in writing short articles for 15 years. She is also an avid collector of both antique books and Star Wars memorabilia. Although she is not in the antiques
industry professionally, she has learned a lot about antiques over the years by periodically helping out at her mom’s antiques shop in Greenville, NH. She currently balances maintaining the antiques shop’s
Facebook page, www.facebook.com/MallofNE, and working on various freelance writing assignments. She can be reached at dementorskiss77@yahoo.com.
December 2019 21
ANTIQUES PEEK
The Countdown Starts Here
T he Holiday Season is full of many traditions. The Earliest Advent Calendars How the Advent Calendar Tradition was Almost
Lost, Saved, and Americanized
Although the period of four Sundays leading up
Some are familial, some are cultural, and
some are based on specific religious beliefs. to Christmas is considered “Advent,” the Advent Advent calendars today are often made of card-
calendar as we know it today typically starts
board. The same was true of earlier calendars – they
Many of us have specific holiday traditions, but we
do not necessarily understand the origins of those on December 1, no matter when Advent Sunday typically required paper or cardboard for production.
traditions. For example, you may have frequently actually falls in any particular year. Today, most That is why the use of Advent calendars almost
enjoyed popping open an Advent calendar window Advent calendars we know and love feature windows ceased during World War II. Paper and cardboard
and seeing a fun winter scene or a chocolate behind we can open and chocolates we can eat, but that shortages made them impossible to mass-produce. In
it, yet you may not fully understand the history of it. has not always been the case. Many early advent 1946 Richard Sellmer produced the first post-World
Let’s take a peek at how it all started and why Advent calendars simply featured winter scenes. War II Advent calendar.
calendars are integral parts of holiday traditions still The earliest Advent calendars as we know them Here in the United States, Advent calendars
in many homes today. today were produced in Germany in the early 20th have not enjoyed the same long history they have
century. A printing company called St. Johannis in Germany. It was not until Dwight D. Eisenhower
The Meaning of “Advent” published one of the earliest mass-printed Advent became President that Americans were really
The word “advent” is derived from the Latin calendars in 1922. Although, the first creation of introduced to them. During his term in office,
language. It translates to “coming.” In the Christian what we know now as an Advent calendar is com- which lasted from 1953 to 1961, he was caught on
religion, that “coming” can refer to the birth of Jesus, monly credited to another German source, a man camera opening an Advent calendar with members
how Jesus is said to presently influence people, or named Gerhard Lang, who produced one in 1908. of his family. The tradition soon took off across
the eventual return of Jesus in the future. However, the country.
the Advent calendar is essentially a four-Sunday
countdown to Christmas. Some of the Most Unusual Advent Calendars
Four Sundays before Christmas is called “Advent Today, you can buy a cardboard, candy-filled
Sunday.” It can fall as early as November 27 or as Advent calendar in almost any department store
late as December 3. From that date forward, one come December. They are quite inexpensive and
window on the calendar is opened each day. There fun. However, it might interest you to know not
are also some variations. For example, Advent begins all Advent calendars are as inexpensive, traditional
annually on November 15 for Celtic Christians. or disposable. Some are quite unusual and occasion-
ally expensive.
Early Advent Observances and Methods The most expensive American Advent calendar
There is no known concrete date on which ever made was sold by Harrod’s in 2007. It was made
Advent was first observed. However, there are several of wood and stood approximately four feet tall.
early records of similar observances. One of the Several were made, and each had a price tag of
earliest was in 567 when monks fasted for Advent. Advent Billboard Calendar $50,000. The proceeds from their sales were used to
Today, some Christians still fast for Advent. assist cocoa farmers based in Belize.
Another type of Advent observance Another Advent calendar also produced in
occurred in 1800s Germany. German 2007 is also among the most unusual.
Protestant Christians used chalk to mark It was created in London for display at
the days of Advent. On the first day, St. Pancras train station. It stood nearly 233
they drew multiple chalk lines on their feet tall and over 75 feet wide.
doors. Each day they erased one line If you are interested in finding unusual
until Christmas finally arrived and all lines Advent calendars you can purchase and use,
were gone. you do not have to look very far either.
Many families also observed Advent in Traditional Advent calendars all featured
other ways. One popular method was the winter scenes, but now they come in all
use of candles, somewhat like the Jewish styles and themes. Some feature favorite
Hanukkah celebration. When celebrating movie characters or quotes. Others are
Advent using candles, they are usually based on pop culture, such as LEGO
arranged in a wreath. The first Advent Advent calendars. You can even find an
wreath/candle combination was created Advent calendar with a theme based on
in 1839 in Germany. Smaller candles your favorite animal or hobby. With all
were used to represent weekdays leading of those choices, you can keep the Advent
up to Christmas, while larger candles were calendar tradition alive in your family for
lit on Sundays. many years to come.
Vintage hand-made Polish wooden house 1953 German Advent Calendar with
Advent Calendar bright illustrations
Richard Sellmer Verlag Little Town Advent Calendar
Victorian style Advent Calendar The first Advent Calendar created following World War II Richard Ernst Kepler Calendar
Jessica Kosinski has been a freelance writer specializing in writing short articles for 15 years. She is also an avid collector of both antique books and Star Wars memorabilia. Although she is not in the antiques
industry professionally, she has learned a lot about antiques over the years by periodically helping out at her mom’s antiques shop in Greenville, NH. She currently balances maintaining the antiques shop’s
Facebook page, www.facebook.com/MallofNE, and working on various freelance writing assignments. She can be reached at dementorskiss77@yahoo.com.
December 2019 21
