Gemma, Tti School’s Principal, writes below about the Christmas tradition of Advent Calendars.
I grew up on the south coast of England in the Brighton area. As a child, each year I would be given an advent calendar and it was the most exciting thing! The countdown to Christmas!
They have been part of my family’s Christmas tradition (and most families in the UK) for as long as I can remember. We wanted to bring this tradition to Tti for December 2014. In preparation for this, I’ve done some research and here are some facts I’ve found out:
What is Advent?
Advent is the start of the New Christian year . Originally it was a time when new converts to Christianity prepared for their baptism, but has become the period of time when they await the arrival of Jesus (his birth). Advent starts on the Sunday closest to November 30th and counts down to the 25th December. It has been celebrated since the 4th Century.