Kathleen Long Bostrom - Waiting for Christmas: A Story about the Advent Calendar

ZONDERKIDZ

Waiting for Christmas
Copyright 2006 by Kathleen Long Bostrom Illustrations 2006 by Alexi Natchev Requests for information should be addressed to: Grand Rapids, Michigan 49530

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ePub Edition August 2009 ISBN: 978-0-310-86699-2

CIP Applied for

ISBN-13: 978-0-310-71015-8

All Scripture quotations unless otherwise noted are taken from the Holy Bible: New International Version. NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

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Editor: Amy De Vries

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Contents

In honor of Jan and Don Wolverton, and Dottie and Marshal Hill:You helped me find my way in life, and I will always be grateful. K.L.B.

Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you;
he rises to show you compassion.
For the LORD is a God of justice.
Blessed are all who wait for him!

(Isaiah 30:18)

Advent is the season before Christmas in which we prepare for the birth of Jesus Christ and for his coming again into the world. The celebration of Advent began as early as the fourth century. The word Advent comes from the Latin ad, which means toward, and vent, which means come.

Christians living in Germany often marked their doors with twenty-four lines at the beginning of Advent, and erased one line each day until Christmas. Some families hung twenty-four little pictures on their walls, while others placed one piece of straw in a manger each day for twenty-four days.

It wasnt until 1851 that the first Advent calendars came into being. Gerhard Lang, the son of a Protestant minister and his wife, is credited with making the Advent calendar available to the public. Gerhard had fond memories of the Advent calendars his mother made for him when he was young. She tied small Wibele, or traditional German cookies, onto a sheet of cardboardone cookie for each day of Advent.

When Gerhard became a partner in the Reichhold & Lang printing company, he began publishing miniature colored pictures on a sheet of cardboard. This first printed Advent calendar was published in 1908.

The Advent calendar spread throughout the world. During World War II, however, cardboard was rationed, and Advent calendars were not made commercially. Since then many varieties of Advent calendars have come into being, including calendars filled with chocolates.

This delightful worldwide tradition evolved from the creativity of a German mother seeking a way to help her young son count down the days until Christmas.

Mama, how many days ,til Christmas? Gerhard asked.

As soon as it is December, well start to count down the days. Good things are worth waiting for, Gerhard, replied Mama.

But it is hard to wait, Gerhard complained.

I know, his mother said, but if you keep busy, the time will pass more quickly. Now run and take this bread and cheese to your papa.

Gerhards father was the pastor of their church. He was starting to work longer hours to get everything ready for Christmas. Gerhard hurried across the town square with his fathers supper.

A shop window filled with amazing Christmas treats caught his eye. He had never seen such a fantastic display. Cakes, cookies, and candies of all shapes and sizes were laid out around a small Christmas tree.

He ran on and burst through the front door of the church.

Papa! Papa! Have you seen the shop full of Christmas sweets! I cant wait to see what special treats Oma and Opa will bring me this year.

Even baby Jesus had to wait for his first Christmas gifts, Papa said.

Gerhard suddenly stood still. Really? he asked.

Papa smiled. Oh, yes. Two or three years after Jesus was born, the wise men brought their gifts to him.

He waited two or three years? Gerhards eyes opened wide. I could never wait that long!

Advent begins this Sunday, he said. Then you may start counting down the days until Christmas. Until then, we have much to do to prepare for Jesus birth. Mama and I need your help if we are to be ready.

When Gerhard returned home, Mama was making

Lebkuchen, a special Christmas cookie. He helped measure the sugared fruits and added them to the dough. The colorful fruits made him think about the special treats his grandparents would be bringing for Christmas.

We have to let the dough set overnight before we can bake these, said his mother.

I have to wait for cookies too? Gerhard asked.

Mama kissed the top of Gerhards head. It takes a long time to make Lebkuchen before it is ready to be eaten.

The next day the dough was ready to be baked into delicious cookies.

Gerhard, I think Papa needs help decorating the church today.

But Mama, I want to help you bake cookies! said Gerhard.

Mama smiled, a twinkle in her eye. Not today, my little son. Today, you need to help your papa.