In 19th century Germany, German Protestants would mark the days till Christmas using candles or chalk to serve as a countdown to the day of Jesus Christ’s birth in order to display their deep spiritual connection with the religious season. In the 21st century, people will spend anywhere from $10 to $300 for an “advent calendar” from their favorite brand, filled with small and unnecessary items, from things like chocolate to skincare. Originally advent calendars were created to serve as a meaningful way to appreciate the religious meaning of the season, now they are a way for businesses to capitalize on the holiday.
Advent calendars were originally intended as a custom to display spiritual preparation for the holidays and have now become another staple of consumerism culture which is increasingly present in society around the holidays. The modern idea of the advent calendar has overshadowed the original religious custom creating a far less meaningful tradition rooted in corporate greed. Not only do advent calendars put money in the pockets of these companies but also a way for them to slap their label on another thing and further commercialize the holiday season, camouflaging the reason of the season with their brand.
Not only do modern advent calendars give corporations another way to capitalize and commercialize the Christmas season but they also promote practices of temporary pleasure and false senses of joy. Often advent calendars consist of one small item a day, and although getting a new lotion or nail polish can be pleasing it’s never lasting joy. Originally advent calendars were rooted in deep spiritual connection and made to represent a lasting joy, now they have been replaced by temporary non-meaningful pleasures.
On top of modern advent calendars overshadowing the religious tradition they were intended to be, they are also unethical. The packaging used in modern advent calendars creates an unnecessarily high volume of waste. Additionally, brands sell the same advent calendar to everyone meaning that not every product in there is the right fit for you which generates product waste on top of the plastic waste that comes with buying one. The waste practices that come with advent calendars completely contradicts the values related to the religions that celebrate this season like stewardship and compassion.
Overall, these advent calendars do not at all reflect kindly on the name they claim. The tradition of modern advent calendars doesn’t necessarily need to stop altogether, but these tokens of consumerism, temporary pleasure, and waste should not be sold under the illusion of a religious custom.
