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An Advent calendar is a special calendar which is used to count or celebrate the days of Advent in anticipation of Christmas, the Christian festival which celebrates the birth of Jesus.
Most Advent calendars begin on December 1, regardless of when Advent begins, which can be as early as November 27 and as late as December 3.
Some calendars have a Christian theme, whereas others are secular and feature non-religious content.
Printed Advent calendars often take the form of a large rectangular card with a window for each day of December leading up to Christmas Day. In many of these calendars, each window opens to reveal an image, a poem, or a portion of a story such as the Nativity, which tells the story of the birth of Jesus. More elaborate Advent calendars have a small gift concealed in each window, such as a toy or a chocolate item. A new window is opened every day during Advent.
Some calendars have a Christian theme, whereas others are secular and feature non-religious content.
Printed Advent calendars often take the form of a large rectangular card with a window for each day of December leading up to Christmas Day. In many of these calendars, each window opens to reveal an image, a poem, or a portion of a story such as the Nativity, which tells the story of the birth of Jesus. More elaborate Advent calendars have a small gift concealed in each window, such as a toy or a chocolate item. A new window is opened every day during Advent.
Today (December 1) is the first day of our 2011 Advent Calendar for English students, and we will be featuring a new Christmas-themed activity for English learners every day until Christmas Eve. Click on the link below to see today's activity, and have fun!
ESOL Courses - 2011 Advent Calendar for English Learners >>
Related Activities:
Christmas Quizzes & Games for English Students & Kids >>
Christmas Shopping - Online ESL Activities and Quizzes >>
Learn English With Christmas Songs >>
Christmas Lesson Resources for English Language Teachers >>
Adapted from content on Wikipedia image credit: Stefan Flöper
