[Magdalen] Advent co-opted

[Jay Weigel]

My aunt and uncle (the aunt was my mom's older sister) who lived in France
for many years introduced us to Advent calendars when I was about 8. Every
year until I was about 14 or so, a large envelope would arrive with an
Advent calendar for each of us, and we would make a great ceremony of
opening the little doors after supper every night. They became available in
the US when my children were small, so I bought them each one every year
until they were in middle school to continue the tradition. Some of my
friends had reusable ones with little stockings for each day in which they
tucked a piece of candy. Two friends who each married Germans and whose
children are much younger than mine spoke of receiving Advent calendars
each year from grandparents in Germany.

On Fri, Nov 21, 2014 at 8:05 AM, Grace Cangialosi <gracecan at gmail.com>
wrote:

> At my physical therapy appointment yesterday I was absolutely floored as I
> heard the young therapists discussing a novel marketing ploy.
>
>  You can now get a Beer Advent Calendar! Yes indeed! A case with dated
> compartments for December, each holding a bottle of artisanal beer.  I
> couldn't think of a single comment in the moment, but there does seem to be
> some sermon fodder there!
>
> I couldn't help flashing back to the December in Germany when, as a
> 5-year-old girl, I received my first Advent calendar from our housekeeper.
> A real German one with a snowy scene and a hint of glitter and, of course,
> those magical little doors!
>
> And every year after we moved back to the States,  a calendar would arrive
> in the mail--all the way from Germany!  For me, those simple German
> calendars are still the only authentic ones!
>
> Beer Advent Calendar...faughh!