While the lead-up to Christmas seems to get longer and longer for mostly commercial reasons, with the right attitude the anticipation and preparation can be just as fun as the 25th itself. One way to enjoy each of the days is with an Advent calendar.
Typically with a new picture or small gift revealed each day from December 1 to 24, Advent calendars are a way to reward patience and make it kind of fun. The only one I ever saw as a kid in Catholic school was a paper version that predated me by at least a few decades and had concealed pictures of Mary and Joseph but no treats, and I appreciate The Marion House Book's advent calendar's good looks, practicality, and spirit.
The objects she's included are cute but appropriately simple — although the first photo here would spoil the surprise for the opener! The backdrop, a cork-covered canvas covered again by linen, could hold other things during the rest of the year, and the little bags could be reused each December.
Images: The Marion House Book
Tina Wilson's Striking Style 
30 DIY Projects for the 3-Day Weekend
Good Food to Share 
The Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces 
Apartment Therapy Presents 
The Eight-Step Home Cure 
Hose Jockey Wall Mount
20 Scrumptious Brunch Recipes 
Magic One-Ingredient Ice Cream 5 Ways: Peanut Butter, Nutella, and More
Comments (5)
I agree, the objects are cute and simple. This is a lovely calendar.
If anyone is interested in a holy approach to Advent, find Anne Voskamp's instructions online for her beautiful 'Jesse Tree'.
four or so years ago i bought my husband a Christmas stocking and stitched 25 square pockets on the back (using scraps from an old pair of trousers). each year i make him a 25-piece puzzle to do over advent. it's a cheap and easy idea that's very personal and gets his brain ticking every morning!
I found the english "advent calender" very confusing the first time I heard it. Here in Denmark an advent calender consists of 4 gifts. 1 given each sunday the 1st 4 sundays of the advent calender (according to the christian calender. That's the 4 last sunday before Christmas) then we also have a gift calender (pakkekalender) which is 24 small gifts on for every day until Christmas (we celebrate Christmas Eve.) I got the 4 gifts when I was little. It was easier for my mom and I got bigger gifts than my classmates with the 24 gifts which usually is a small piece of chokolate or a flimsy toy (anything under $2 really.)
Then there's the most fantastic thing of all: the chocolate calender. It's an extended version of a Christmas calender which is 2 pieces of cardbord stuck together. The front has a big print on it and 24 small doors to open. You open one each day to reveal the small picture behind the door. The chocolate version has a piece of chocolate behind the door shaped in some sort of Christmas theme - but still chocolate everyday yum! These are of corse made for children so it's very sweet milk chocolate but in recent years they have started making them with luxory chocolates but they are a bit over the top and pricy ($55)for something that's meant to be a small everday treat. Hopefully they'll start making an in between one soon.
@sgy - I love your idea!
We use paper advent calendars from Germany - I still have the one I've used since I was a toddler. We also have bowls of ornaments scattered through the house, the ornaments have numbered tags on them with a Christmas-related quote on the back, so one each evening migrates to the tree.