Advent is related to the celebration of Christmas every December 25, and is a term that derives from “adventus.” They began to practice it in northern Italy in the 5th century AD, believers prepared themselves through fasting, reflections and prayers, honoring Christian values.
Advent: Going through its history
Starting in the 6th century, with Christianity already consolidated, the first preparations for Christmas began, and thus Advent was born. In France, parishioners celebrated St. Martin’s Lent, which for a period of five weeks included sexual abstentions, prayers, and fasting.
Currently, it is the first season of the liturgical year. It is considered a period of preparation before receiving Christ. It is celebrated for four Sundays before December 24. Each of those Sundays before Christmas have a different meaning. They represent Christian virtues and have their order in that representation. Love, joy, hope and peace.
In the church, Advent is symbolized by an evergreen wreath that is illuminated with candles. It was started by Johann Wichern in 1838. He was a Lutheran pastor who wanted to help his parishioners count the days until Christmas.
Today, the crown is also used and has four candles. Three of those candles are purple, it is the traditional color of Advent. The fourth candle is pink. A fifth candle is placed in the center and lit on Christmas Eve.
The Advent calendar
Likewise, another tradition began that was born in Germany and spread throughout the world, the Advent calendars. Families with children in the 19th century looked for a way for their children to learn to count the days until Christmas. The German Lutherans began by marking the doors with chalk. Other parents anticipated the birth of Christ by reading verses from the Bible every day.
Until 1908, a German printer had the idea of printing an Advent calendar and it was the first in history. Gerard Lang, the printer, remembered that in his childhood, his mother made a calendar with small cardboard doors that represented each day. Behind each one of them, she hid a candy. Once older, Lang adapted his mother’s idea and popularized it throughout Germany.
Printed Advent calendars hit a snag during World War II. However, when it finished, in 1946, another printer, Richard Sellmer obtained permission from the occupation forces to print Advent calendars. Americans took the tradition to the other side of the Atlantic.
In 1953, President Dwight Eisenhower was photographed with his grandson opening an Advent calendar and the custom became even more popular. In this type of calendar, the days start counting from December 1st. Nowadays, they are very colorful, have countless shapes and are built with diverse and attractive materials, but their meaning remains the same.
