Advent Calendar

Be Careful What You Ask For…. Is This Normal…

Advent Calendar

I’m pleased to participate in this year’s Advent Calendar, which Jae is sponsoring. No, I won’t tell you which books will be offered on which days (even if I knew the answers). Here’s the thing…I’m embarrassed to admit that I don’t really know much about an Advent Calendar other than it happens around Christmas. Since my father was a committed Atheist married to a good Catholic girl, my mother’s influence on our upbringing related to spirituality was hidden and limited. As an adult, I chose to become confirmed, mostly because I had a crush on a Catholic girl and probably wanted to impress her. But that is a whole other story. Anyway, I am now a reformed Catholic and would probably classify myself as an agnostic-leaning atheist. So…of course, I had to do some research on the whole Advent Calendar thingy!

According to the German company Sellmer Advents-Kallender, advent calendars date back to the 19th century. Apparently, German families would mark their doors or walls with a tally mark in chalk to count the days until Christmas.In the 1920s, the calendar evolved to include little cardboard doors that could be opened daily. The brainstorm for this was a German printer named Gerhard Lang.President Dwight D. Eisenhower is credited for bringing popularity to the USA when a photo of his grandchildren holding one appeared in Newsweek.My favorite evolution happened in 1958 when the Advent Calendar’s little doors began to have a small piece of chocolate, thanks to British chocolatier Cadbury. Now, how did I not know this? I love chocolate. I certainly would have paid more attention if I’d known chocolate was involved.Today, people can enjoy many different versions of an Advent Calendar, including: Alcoholic – 24 mini bottles of wine to enjoy (red, white, and rose). Beauty – Includes shea butter hand cream, hair care, and other favorites.Chocolate – Handcrafted using Colombia’s award-winning “Fino de Aroma” cocoa. Flavors include Golden Berries, Cookie Chunks, and Salted Caramel chocolates.Coffee – Nespresso offers coffee drinkers a mystery brew for the month and, on the last day, a limited-edition porcelain mug.Daily Devotions – An ebook by Charity Goodwin contains daily readings for Christians.For Pets – Dog treats by Wufers in fun, holiday-themed shapes.For Kids – A sensory experience with Thinking Putty to open each day.Jewelry – Kendra Scott offers 12 of the brand’s bestselling pieces in either silver or gold.Reusable – For the environmentally conscious sorts, you can fill the pockets with your own surprises and treats and reuse the calendar year after year.Toys – LEGO Friends has lots of fun builds for kids ages 6 and up. TUnique – Moon & Stone aims to “help protect your peace and manage stress” during the holiday season.Voice Calendar – FREE. Simply ask, “Alexa, Ask Advent Calendar what my surprise is for today” to hear a Christmas-themed joke.Jae’s Advent Calendar – From December 1 to 25, you’ll get to open a new door every day, revealing a free ebook, a book giveaway (ebook, paperback, or audiobook), or a book on sale. During the big finale on December 24 and 25, there will even be 30 amazing sapphic books waiting for you behind each door!

Here’s a link for all the details to sign up for the amazing Sapphic Advent Calendar: https://jae-fiction.com/sapphic-book-advent-calendar/ Don’t forget to check out the novella that Ali Spooner and I wrote just for the holiday season. It’s a fun little adaptation of the Dickens classic with a great ice queen. You can also check out my latest series, The Next Generation. I promise it’s a satisfying ride, especially now as we continue to lick our wounds after the election and brace for the next four years. Don’t forget the Lesbian Fiction Campfire readings tomorrow…I’ll read from the series!