I’m 23, and my mum gets me and my husband an advent calender every year. Any excuse for some chocolate. 
We have a “permanent” one with little drawers topped by a Nativity scene. There are little hooks scattered around the scene on which you hang the little wooden ornaments hidden in the drawers. My kids put theirs together yesterday.
We have a cloth one, with little stuffed cloth people of different countries and a few doves and angels to round it out that you velcro on to a tree. The tree is surrounded by the tiny pockets where the people are stored, but you can put any of the people anywhere. I don’t remember where I got it from, but the kids have enjoyed it for years. It hangs on the wall.
This year I bought my daughter and my niece cheap paper ones with chocolates in them. The Princess just opened it and ate the first of the chocolates today. The Diva, on the other hand, is an impatient girl and opened and ate five of the chocolates within 10 minutes of receiving hers. I would’ve thought she’d have more self-discipline, being older. Then again, she does take after auntie Lucky that way.
The Advent Calendar of my childhood, I actually recall being made. Grandma embroidered boxes with a calendar at the bottom, and the word December on top, Mom sewed a felt Christmas Tree on and added some garlands, and my brother and I took turns moving an ornament to the top. Baby Jesus was the last one.
When Mom and Grandma made a second one, so that brother and I could each have one to share with our (theoretical at that point) children, they left off the days of the week, which were usually inaccurate.
Anyone know where to get the one from “Christmas Vacation”? The windows seem to be translucent, and it looks to be lit…
I get the Lego advent calendar. I get it on my birthday (dec 9th) and open the first 9 days for a birthday treat.
My parents have the one my godmother made for our family years ago. The red burlap and felt tree are a clue toward the 70s vintage. Each day has a felt ornament to snap onto the tree, with the star of course in the 24 pocket. Each family member has a tiny stocking with their hame embroidered on it and these get saved for the top area of the tree.
I am a 41 year old Jew. This is the first I have ever heard of an advent calendar.
We have a fabric one similar to the others described, but it’s a cheapy commercial one and I don’t like it, so I didn’t get it out this year. I’m going to look for a better quality one. My dad sent us one from the Metropolitan Museum this year. Behind each window is a little fragment from an artwork in their collection with either a religious Christmas or Santa Claus/toy motif. It’s nice. My 15-month-old has already opened some of the biggest windows, though, including the 24th. Oh well!
My older sister and I shared an advent calendar every Christmas. It was a hanging calendar – no chocolate, just a little cardboard door to be opened for each day. We alternated, and it was HELL watching her open when it wasn’t my turn!
When my son was really little, I bought an advent calendar that folds out to make a triptych. Think of a miniature stage set: A scene of a night sky is the backdrop formed by the triptych, and the stage floor is desert scene with a 3-D stable and desert plants. (Hard to explain. I should take a picture.)
On the “backdrop” are 25 doors, and behind each door is a little wooden figurine that makes up part of a nativity scene.
My son’s now 13. He’s already set up the advent calendar, without any prompting from me.
For me, as a kid, advent calendars were all about the chocolate.
As soon as i was old enough to earn money and buy chocolate whenever i wanted it, any need for an advent calendar disappeared altogether.
My son-in-law loves Legos, so we give him one. This year we gave another to our daughter - they said they’ll open them simultaneously in separate rooms.
I read this as Gentleman’s Club, and immediately thought of a porno advent calendar. That would be awesome. 