A festive Advent calendar variant, typically structured around the twelve days leading up to Christmas (December 25th to January 5th), offers a daily activity or small gift. These calendars can range from simple cardboard constructions with small doors to elaborate handcrafted or purchased items. They often incorporate imagery related to the traditional “Twelve Days of Christmas” carol, such as partridges, pear trees, and drummers drumming.
Such calendars serve to heighten the anticipation of Christmastide and provide a structured way to celebrate the extended holiday season. They offer opportunities for family engagement, promoting shared experiences and creating lasting memories. The act of opening a numbered door or compartment each day builds excitement and adds a ritualistic element to the Christmas season, echoing older traditions of Advent calendars that mark the days leading up to Christmas Day itself. This type of calendar provides a festive activity for the often-overlooked period between Christmas Day and the New Year.