Here in Poland advent calendars are everywhere. I mean, everywhere.

The stores all sell cheap ones like this - they cost less than $2 each -

When our kids were all home used to buy each of them one. They would then open one window every day until the 24th. There is no window for the 25th - as it’s a countdown thing.

Inside each window is a piece of chocolate - in a special shape. Usually the shape is related to a Christmas motif - a bell, or a snowflake or something like that. With these cheap ones, the chocolate isn’t all that great.

A couple of weeks ago I was in a local store and I saw an advent calendar that was of a higher quality.

My son and his wife are here, and i had to think hard and fast about getting it. I thought to myself, “He’s 28 years old - not a kid - he doesn’t need one of these!”

“But it looks so nice - and the chocolate looks much better than I have ever bought in an advent calendar!”

I struggled in the shop. I really did!

I thought that I should get one for his wife, too, but then I compromised on getting one for the both of them -figuring they could share the chocolate inside. I mean…they are health conscious - maybe they didn’t even WANT one of these!

But I did. Just like that fabric jumps into your cart in the store, this advent calendar found its way into my cart.

My son took it home. Maybe they will have fun opening it even if they don’t like the goodies found inside!

Well, he sent me this picture today - so I guess he opened it! Should you happen to read this - Thanks, TIM!

Many years back I came across a really fun one in a garden shop and I bought it.

It’s a snowman. I put in a special place so I can pull it out quickly on the 1st of December and hang it up. (We don’t decorate this early - no one does here!)

We move the little snowman daily into its new pocket.

It’s amazing how fast the days fly by and Christmas is here! I wish they’d slow down just a tad bit!

I’ve seen advent calendars that you can make - a sort of mat with little pockets in it so you can put little presents in it every day. I’ve never done that - it seems like a lot of work to me - plus I was all for letting it be candy. Having to come up with 24 little prizes (x5) would have been more work than I would have wanted to do for such a tradition.

I know that advent calendars are very popular in certain segments of society. I didn’t grow up with them - not at all.

But my children did. I heard last year or the year before my daughter found some inexpensive ones at Aldi in the states and she bought one for each of her siblings that were in the area. I guess they liked the tradition! :)

So now you know! Advent Calendars, while not exclusively Polish, are widespread here - they are literally everywhere at this time of the year.

If you do happen to be reading this and wonder, “What in the world are we talking about”, to be brief, The “Advent” (in reference to the Christmas holiday) refers to when The Son of God, Jesus, became flesh and came into this world as a baby. It is the first official season of the Christian Church’s calendar year. Officially it is the four Sundays before Christmas which is December 25 - though here in Poland, they celebrate on the evening of the 24th - as a “Vigil” - thus the world “Wigilia” - or waiting for the birth - but more on that at another time..

While it may be more celebrated in liturgical churches, such as Roman Catholic or Orthodox churches, the idea behind it is to focus on the meaning of Christmas - that is, the birth of Christ.

And now you know.

Be sure to check out what my sis has for you in the store! She’s working hard daily to get fabrics up on the site!

Don’t forget to check out what my sis has for you in the store! It’s a great time to sew!

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