Why is there an Advent calendar? What is the meaning behind it, and what is the Nigerian-German Advent calendar all about? We'll explain that to you now.
Advent means arrival. It is the time of waiting for Jesus Christ.
In Germany, there are many church services, Christmas markets, and other Advent activities during the weeks of Advent. The time is supposed to be a time of reflection and preparation. Many lights are turned on to illuminate the darkness.
In the 19th century, this was not the case. In winter, the days in Germany are short. It gets dark around 4 p.m. (for comparison, just before the summer solstice, it doesn't get dark until 10 p.m.). People had even less light at that time. So it was a hopeless time for many. In an orphanage, a priest had an idea of how to shorten the children's wait for Christmas: on an old wagon wheel, he placed 24 small and 4 large candles. The children were allowed to light one more candle each night during devotions, and on Sundays, a large candle was lit. This is how the original idea of bringing light into the darkness and shortening the wait for Christmas was born. This idea developed steadily. Instead of candles, pictures were hung on the walls. Later, very small pictures were printed on paper and hidden behind so-called doors that means, behind another paper. Later, even sweets or toys were used instead of pictures. Today, Advent calendars are known throughout Germany and come in all colors, shapes, and sizes, not only for children. Sometimes friends or family make each other an Advent calendar and fill it with sweets, letters or small gifts.
With the German-Nigerian Advent Calendar, we want to resume the original idea of spreading hope and light. We want to present and deepen our partnership, and have collected different stories of hope for this purpose. We are looking forward to your active participation with news, thoughts, and pictures!
