It’s that time of year again! Yes, it’s the first day of the Anne Boleyn Files Advent Calendar!
There are no chocolates behind these advent calendar doors – sorry! – but there are Tudor facts, recipes, videos, trivia, puzzles and more, so I do hope you’ll enjoy it all the same.
Do remember to check back every day to open the next door. Simply click on the image here or on the header of the Anne Boleyn Files website.
I’ve had a few people ask me what Advent is. Well, the word “advent” comes from the Latin “adventus”, meaning “coming”, and it’s the season in the Christian church where we celebrate and think about the coming of Christ, and count down to the celebration of his birth on Christmas Day. In Tudor times, Advent, or the four weeks leading up to Christmas, was a time of fasting, or abstaining from meat, which did not end until Christmas Day, or rather midnight mass on Christmas Eve. Christmas Eve was particularly strict, with eggs and cheese also being ruled out, but then it was followed by feasting on Christmas Day.
I love these calenders.I had one last year and I thought it was fun.I can’t wait to open them all again this year.Thanks,Claire!!
We had this performed at our wedding between readings!
How wonderful!
I always look forward to this, and thank you for the article on Advent. Do you have any idea how the custom of an Advent calendar with the days mixed up got started?
I know that the idea of advent calendars comes from 19th century Germany and it seems that the first printed one with doors/windows to open was published in 1908. I don’t know when it became popular to mix the days up though. There are images of historic advent calendars at http://www.sellmer-verlag.de/shop2/about-advent-calendars.php
What a lovely way to start the advent calendar off with a cheerful Tudor song written by the King himself….put me in the festive mood.
Really appreciate the hard work you put into these calendars, Cheers!!!
This is wonderful…..I enjoy it very much, and look forward to each new day on the calendar.
I am really enjoying the calendar look forward to it every day. About to watch the Haddon Hall Feast, loved that programme the 5 times I have watched it before, and will do again, lol.
I used to live close by to Haddon before I moved to Scotland it is a beautiful place to visit, which I did quite a few times, and Bakewell is a lovely old place too, Derbyshire is as a whole, plenty of history to see. Its where the Bakewell tart was created, mind you if you call it that you will be in trouble with the locals its should be Bakewell Pudding!!
I love this!! Very fun to get a new tidbit everyday. Better than a chocolate calendar and less fattening too 😀 The Anne Boleyn Files has quickly become one of my favorite sites
Hi Claire:
Thanks so much! I cheated and waited until the end so I could run through everything at once. I really liked how this was a glimpse into everyday Tudor life instead of focusing just on the historical people. I particularly liked the songs and especially the dancing! That must have been fun to do! Do you know how often they danced at court? Was it every night or only on special occasions?