In today’s throwback podcast, Father Dave answers a caller’s question about Advent calendars: “Why are Advent calendars that are sold in stores always dated December 1-24, instead of the actual period of Advent?”
Father Dave responds: “He’s correct that almost any standard Advent calendar you find in a store is going to be the standard December 1-24. … So, I’m going to guess that it’s the most practical and obvious answer of all: that they make a bunch of calendars and they sell them every year.”
RELATED: Busted Halo’s 2022 Advent Surprise Calendar
“Advent also goes across different traditions,” Father Dave explains. “We in the Catholic Church have the [First] Sunday of Advent that rotates … Most other churches that mark the season of Advent would do something like that and would begin it on a Sunday, but there are some people — some traditions and cultures — that might just have the days of December that lead up to the 24th.”
So, the actual period of Advent that we celebrate in the Catholic Church, and other Christian traditions, is based on the liturgical calendar, which is why the dates of Advent change each year. If you’re looking for an Advent calendar to help you mark the days until Christmas, check out Busted Halo’s digital version here. Happy Advent! (Original Air 11-28-16)