The surprising theology inside today’s Advent calendars

Although Advent calendars have become hot-ticket items, they still reflect their ancient Christian meaning, writes Matthew Robert Anderson

It would be easy to conclude that Advent calendars − usually with 25 compartments that reveal a treat, image or scripture, used to count down the days from December 1 to Christmas Eve − represent just another way Christmas is ruined by commercialisation. They’ve strayed far from their beginnings as devotional aids for 19th-century German Lutheran families.

Far from only featuring little numbered flaps to open on each December day, these calendars are now hot-ticket items. They highlight everything from beer to beard oil, and Lego to luxury silk.

But have they completely lost their way?

Read the full story on Times2.

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