Korsch Verlag & Richard Sellmer Verlag
The origin of the German Advent Calendar can be traced back to the 19th Century, 
used by German Lutherans to count or celebrate the 24 days leading up to Christmas.
 
The first printed calendar was made by Gerhard Lang.  During his childhood, his 
mother attached small candles to a chalkboard and Gerhard would take one off each 
day for the countdown leading up to Christmas Day.  These early German calendars were 
sold for many years up until World War II, when war shortages curtailed production.
Richard Selmer resumed the production of the calendars in 1946, and some credit 
goes to President Eisenhower for making the Advent calendars popular in America. 

These first advent calendar with little doors printed in the early 1900's continue 
today.  The calendar windows or doors open to reveal an image, a poem, 
or a portion of a story - typically the story of the Nativity of Jesus.