What’s Behind the Door?

Season of Advent

by Claire Law

Suitable for Whole School (Sec)

Aims

To consider the origin and history of Advent Calendars and the concept of a reverse advent calendar.

Preparation and materials

• You will need the details of a local food bank or charity accepting donations of non-perishable food items.
• You will need a cardboard box marked with a sign naming the local charity or food bank.
• You will need 7 non-perishable food items, such as tins of beans or packet sof soup, and 7 students, primed to bring the items to the front and place them in the box.

Assembly

1. Welcome to our assembly.
2. Put your hand up if you have an advent calendar this year?
   Invite 3 or 4 students to name the type of advent calendar they have.
3. There are all sorts of advent calendars available to purchase this year. Whereas once upon a time, an advent calendar simply had a picture behind each door, nowadays we can purchase advent calendars with all sorts of things to enjoy in the lead up to Christmas. This years’ more unusual advent calendars for include a Chilli Hot Sauce Advent Calendar, a Crystal Advent Calendar, a Pork Crackling Advent Calendar, and a Book Lovers Advent Calendar.
   You can even get Advent calendars for your pets!
4. So, what are Advent calendars and who invented them?
5. Advent is the period leading up to Christmas. We call it the Season of Advent – not a meteorological season like spring or summer, rather it is a liturgical season – a period that comes around each year within the Christian calendar. For Christians, the four-week season of Advent begins on the Sunday closest to the feast day of St. Andrew the Apostle, which is celebrated on 30th November, and lasts for the next three Sundays.
6. Advent calendars have their roots in the 19th century, when German Christians started taking creative steps to mark the days leading up to Christmas, like ticking off chalk marks on walls or doors, lighting candles and placing straws in a Nativity crib.
7. German publisher, Gerhard Lang, noted this trend and is credited as the inventor of the printed advent calendar. He was inspired by the childhood memory of his mum sewing 24 cookies into the lid of a box and allowing him to eat one each day of Advent.
8. This inspired him to produce the first printed and commercial Advent calendar in the early 1900s. By the 1920s, he created the first calendars with doors.
9. In time, this trend spread. In the 1950s, US President, Dwight was photographed opening an Advent calendar with his grandchildren, prompting a surge in popularity. And, in the 1970s, Cadbury began commercially producing the first chocolate-filled Advent calendars that we know and love today.

Time for reflection

We’ve all heard of chocolate advent calendars, and many of us will have known that we can get pet advent calendars. But has anyone ever heard of a Reverse Advent Calendar?

A reverse advent calendar draws upon an important principle at the heart of advent for Christians; the idea that acts of kindness, compassion and care for others are a way we can prepare our hearts and minds to celebrate Christmas, and to welcome Jesus into our lives.

Whilst people of other or no religions may not celebrate Christmas, a belief in the importance of kindness and care for others is at the heart of most religions.
In Judaism, the concept of Tikkun Olam involves a willingness to make the world a better place by engaging in acts of kindness. Within Islam, charity and care for the poor is one of the 5 Pillars of Islam.

A reverse advent calendar involves thinking of others. For each day of Advent, rather than eating a piece of chocolate, the focus is on giving something to someone in need. Instead of receiving a gift, those taking part in a reverse calendar donate an item each day. That can take the form of a donation of food, or of money, or giving your time to someone in need each day. At the end of advent, the calendar will result in a collection of 24 goods that can be dropped off at a local food bank, shelter or other good cause in time for Christmas.

Let’s see what that can look like in action. Locally, we have the charity/food bank XXXXX. Here we have a box set aside to receive donations for this charity. Today is the (inset date) of December. So, a reverse advent calendar can look like this:

On the (insert current date), I donated a can of X (invite first student to the front to place item in box.

On the (insert tomorrow’s date), I will donate a can of X (invite second student to the front to place item in box.

On the (insert subsequent date), I will donate a can of X (invite third student to the front to place item in box.

Repeat this process until all 7 items are in the box.

A reverse advent calendar is as simple as that – a decision to give to those in need, and to take time to reflect on others. This simple act can build our compassion and generosity and can also help our own wellbeing, as it feels good to be a part of making a difference and helping to make the world a better place.

Let’s take a moment to consider what actions we can take over this season of advent to help others and to make the world a better place.
• Perhaps as a form, we might want to continue to collect food items for XXXX.
• Maybe we could make a special effort to be friendly and welcoming to people who look left out, or isolated in some way.
• Perhaps we could donate some time to helping a friend or a family member who could do with a bit of help.
• Maybe we could think of new ideas inspired by the Reverse Advent Calendar.

Prayer
In this season of Advent, please help us to find ways to think about others.
Please cultivate a spirit of generosity within us.
Please help us to open our eyes to others’ needs and to see the ways we can make a difference in our world.
Help us to be kind, compassionate and thoughtful in our thoughts, our words and our actions.
Amen.