Advent calendars are a beloved tradition for many families leading up to Christmas. These decorative calendars serve as a countdown to the holiday, with each of the days in December leading up to Christmas Day represented by a little numbered door or box. Part of the fun is opening each door to find a small treat, toy, or piece of holiday chocolate inside.
But if you’re new to the tradition of advent calendars, you may be wondering—how many slots or doors should your advent calendar actually have?
That’s an excellent question. And the short answer is that most advent calendars have 24 slots or doors to represent each day from December 1st through Christmas Eve (December 24th).
However, advent calendars can and do vary when it comes to the number of slots. So as a professional custom advent calendar printing manufacturer, let’s take a more in-depth look at the history of advent calendars, the meaning behind the 24 days, and some variations you may come across.
A Brief History of Advent Calendars
To understand why the standard advent calendar contains 24 slots, it helps to know a little history behind these festive holiday countdowns.
The first known advent calendars appeared in 19th century Germany among Protestant Christian families. Back then, they would use chalk to mark 24 lines on doors or walls, then erase one line each day leading up to Christmas.
Some families also lit a candle each day or hung 24 small pictures on their walls as part of their Advent countdown and celebration in anticipation of Christmas Day.
So right from the early days of advent calendars, the tradition was to mark 24 days from December 1st to Christmas Eve on December 24th. The 24 slots or doors represent a literal “counting down” of the days remaining until the holiday arrives.
Over time, Germans began making more decorative advent calendars featuring little doors that opened. And by the early 20th century, commercially printed advent calendar cards started appearing featuring lovely Christmas imagery that children could open each day.
Within a few decades, ingenious manufacturers were mass producing decorative advent calendar boxes and holders with little doors, drawers, or pouches to hide candy or treats inside.
Why Are There 24 Days in Most Advent Calendars?
The choice of 24 days or slots in a traditional advent calendar is therefore directly related to the history and religious significance of the Advent season itself.
You see, Advent marks the roughly four weeks leading up to Christmas Day. And since most months have either 30 or 31 days, 24 days fits perfectly with counting down each day from December 1st through Christmas Eve on the 24th.
During the Advent season, Christian churches light candles, display wreaths with four candles, or mark the 24 days all to anticipate and prepare for celebrating Jesus Christ’s birth on December 25th.
So the 24 little doors of the typical advent calendar are designed as a fun, family-friendly way to mark the same 24 days of Advent.
Behind each tiny door is a space to hide a piece of chocolate, a Bible verse, or a Christmastime image for kids to discover on their countdown to the 25th. It injects some fun and surprise into this historic season of patience, preparation, and anticipation.
Now, all that said…not every advent calendar you’ll find today has 24 slots. Let’s look at some of the most common variations.
Advent Calendar Variations to Know About
While 24 slots from December 1st through 24th is definitely the standard, some modern advent calendars feature creative variations. Here are a few to be aware of:
25 Slot Advent Calendars
Some advent calendars add an extra slot for Christmas Day itself. So instead of ending the countdown on the 24th, these calendars provide one more day of anticipation followed by a special Christmas Day reveal.
A 25-day advent calendar can be perfect for extended families who gather on Christmas Eve and then celebrate all together again on the holiday itself.
18 and 15 Slot Advent Calendars
Interestingly enough, some budget-friendly Advent calendars aimed at families and children have fewer than 24 slots.
For example, many 18 and 15-slot advent calendars appear on retailers’ shelves as a more affordable alternative. These tend to start on December 6th or later and count down each day from there.
While they don’t align with the traditional Advent calendar norms, these abbreviated versions allow families on a budget to join in the fun. Plus, they help parents avoid those fraught days leading up December 6th when kids insist on opening every slot at once!
Non-Consecutive Advent Calendars
Another modern variation is the non-consecutive advent calendar featuring slots scattered all over in no numerical order. Part of the fun is searching day-by-day for each door’s location.
For instance, LEGO has released some creative advent calendars full of bricks where kids have to hunt around opening flaps and doors anywhere on the packaging to reveal each day’s toys.
Chocolate makers and even online retailers get in on the scattered advent calendar game too releasing unique themed calendars each year to surprise and delight fans.
Making Your Own DIY Advent Calendar
With so many advent calendar options now available, you may be inspired to make your own. This allows you complete freedom when it comes to themes as well as number of slots.
You can keep it traditional with 24 numbered slots…or customize it based on your family’s own unique Advent and Christmas Eve traditions.
For instance, if you also celebrate St. Nicholas Day early in December, you could add a bonus slot on December 5th.
Or if Christmas Day and Boxing Day on the 26th tend to bleed together in a whirl of family chaos, consider adding slots for both days onto your advent calendar before ending with the big 25th.
When preparing for crafting a homemade advent calendar, lay out a plan in advance so you know precisely how many slots to cut out or prepare based on your own family’s seasonal calendar and traditions.
Here are some more handy tips for DIY advent calendar success:
- Make templates first – This ensures evenly sized slots, neatly spaced out and aligned.
- Involve the kiddos – Have young ones color templates or pictures to hide behind each number.
- Use sturdy backings – Cardstock, wood, and even felt boards make great bases for sturdy, reusable advent calendars.
- Add hooks or ribbons – This allows hanging your calendar just like a Christmas countdown wreath!
- Fill slots ahead of time – If using food or candy, having the goodies prepared and packaged in advance prevents December 1st chaos.
- Go all out on theming – From forest critters to Christmas movies, customize themes based on your child’s current interests.
The sky’s the limit when it comes to infusing creativity into DIY advent calendars! The main thing, no matter what materials or number of slots you choose, is to have fun coming together as a family all season long.
The Magic of the Advent Calendar Tradition
No matter which style of advent calendar your family goes with—whether a vintage one passed down through generations or a snazzy new LEGO one straight from the toy shop—this simple holiday tradition inspires true magic.
The eager anticipation of little ones waiting to peek behind tiny doors; the joyful surprises awaiting behind each slot; the gathering together to open the calendar every morning accompanied by laughter, stories, and togetherness…it’s no wonder advent calendars have become so intrinsically tied to the Christmas season for over a century now.
So although most standard advent calendars feature 24 slots in anticipation of Christmas Eve on December 24th, there’s certainly no “wrong” number when it comes to keeping this tradition special in your family’s home.
Let your customs, budget, and creativity guide you in discovering or even handmaking the perfect advent countdown calendar for the little ones you love. The sweet memories it sparks will soon become some of your very favorite holiday traditions that you look forward to unwrapping year after year.
In Summary
I hope this guide provides helpful insight into the interesting history surrounding advent calendars, what the typical 24 slots represent, as well as the creative variations you may encounter—especially if crafting a custom advent calendar for your family this Christmas season.
Whatever style you choose, may your advent calendar become a beloved way to usher in 31 magical days of Christmas preparation, anticipation, and ultimate celebration this December…and for many holiday seasons to come!