Medium Traditional German Advent Calendars - Old World Villages & Nature8" x 12" Old World Advent Calendars on paper with festive silver glitter accents. HISTORY OF THE ADVENT CALENDAR Advent Calendar Origins Advent calendars typically dont follow the full 4 week period of Advent. Instead, they begin on December 1 and mark the 24 days leading up to Christmas. Today, most Advent calendars include paper doors that open to reveal an image, Bible verse, or piece of chocolate. The tradition dates to the mid 19th century, when