An Advent calendar counts down the days until Christmas, starting on December 1. These whimsical calendars typically feature 24 or 25 small doors, drawers, or boxes—each one hiding a daily surprise as the holiday approaches.
Whether it’s a bite of chocolate, a small toy, or a thoughtful message, each discovery adds to the sense of anticipation and delight.
While Advent calendars are rooted in Christian tradition, they have become a joyful holiday ritual among families of many faiths and backgrounds. It’s all about savoring small moments, letting each day in December bring its own discovery.
Keep reading to explore the history of the Advent calendar—how this beloved holiday tradition began and how it continues to evolve.
2025 Vosges Haut-Chocolat Advent Calendar
As the days of December unfold, turn the drawers to reveal a wild assemblage of flora, fauna, and haut-chocolat. This is Advent reimagined—an edible journey through a dreamlike greenhouse where every bite is a passport to magic.
Shhh… we don’t want to spoil the surprise. This year, we’re keeping the details under wraps—but trust that the journey will be unforgettable.
The 2025 Vosges Advent Calendar is an exclusive tasting experience, unveiling 25 days of haut-chocolat enchantment. Behind each drawer awaits a rare delight—from spiced truffles and fruit-kissed caramels to whimsical forms inspired by forest lore and faraway lands.
Many confections were imagined solely for this limited edition and are unavailable anywhere else. Others are beloved classics, here to celebrate the season. Each day reveals a new story told through flavor, culminating in a lavish 25th-day finale to crown your winter ritual in decadence.
What Do Advent Calendars Symbolize?
A reference to the period leading up to Christmas, the word Advent comes from the Latin adventus, meaning “coming” or “arrival.”
Early Advent customs were humble and devotional. Families lit candles to mark the passing days or used chalk to draw tally marks on doors, each line a visible step closer to the celebration of Christ’s birth. These practices centered on reflection, anticipation, and preparation for the holy day.
Modern Advent calendars are often more secular, celebrating the magic of winter and the holiday season.
Who Invented the Advent Calendar?
The origins of the Advent calendar trace back to 19th-century Germany. As the traditional tale goes, a Munich housewife grew weary of her children asking endlessly when Christmas would arrive, so she created a handmade calendar to mark time until the arrival of Christmas. While this may be more legend than fact, it reflects the anticipation of Christmas and the inventive practices people came up with to measure the passage of time during the “season of waiting.”
The first commercially printed Advent calendars appeared in the very early 20th century. German publisher Gerhard Lang is widely credited with popularizing the format we recognize today. Inspired by his mother’s homemade version of cookies or pictures sewn to cardboard, Lang created calendars with little doors that opened to reveal small images or Bible verses.
How Does an Advent Calendar Work?
At its simplest, an Advent calendar is a countdown device, typically with 24 or 25 doors, drawers, or windows—one for each day of December leading up to Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.
You open a drawer, door, or window to discover a surprise: a chocolate, a trinket, or even a note. The act of opening the window or box transforms the passage of time into a ceremony, turning each day into an event. Instead of watching December slip by, you savor it day by day.
For many, Advent calendars are an indispensable part of the holiday season. An invitation to pause, engage the senses, and enjoy the anticipation of what’s to come.
The Evolution of Advent Calendars
The original Advent calendars featured devotional images tucked behind paper doors, but by the 1950s, chocolate began to appear behind those cardboard doors, sparking a new era for the calendar—one rooted in indulgence as much as devotion.
Since then, the Advent calendar has grown into an international phenomenon, expanding far beyond its religious roots. Regardless of what surprise awaits behind each window, each variation holds the same promise: a little delight waiting to be unveiled each day.
Of all the variations available today, the chocolate Advent calendar has become the most beloved. The marriage of sweetness and ritual makes chocolate the perfect choice for marking December’s days.
2025 Vosges Haut-Chocolat Advent Calendar: Le Jardin de Cacao
Vosges Haut-Chocolat has reimagined the chocolate Advent calendar into a work of art, transforming the simple ritual into an immersive experience.
Within each compartment you’ll discover exotic chocolate morsels infused with ingredients from around the world along with engaging storytelling—it’s an invitation to explore, taste, and enjoy each day of December, a magical and wonder-filled month.
The release of our Advent calendars is one of the most anticipated events of the year. Every winter season our customers return to discover the magical artwork and new and familiar flavor creations crafted by the talented team at Vosges Haut-Chocolat.
This holiday season, discover why ours is simply the best chocolate Advent calendar available today, and order our luxury chocolate Advent calendar for family and friends.
As featured in Food & Wine, House Beautiful, Glamour, and Harper’s Bazaar.
