Advent Calendars: virtual and otherwise

My father was Catholic, and my mother was Southern Baptist. We kids were raised Baptist, so we never knew about the Church Year, but I do recall a couple of times when we had Advent Calendars. Momma taped them in the window of the back door to the porch, which faced east. Each morning before school we kids would take turns opening the tiny glittered calendar window, and the image within would glow with the morning sunshine.

Of course, we had no idea what Advent was, but we DID know and love Christmas, so the calendars functioned as countdowns for Santa. Now looking back, its sad that we didn't understand their true meaning, but it did give me the subliminal message that the Light was coming.

NOw, there are all kind of virtual calendars online. Check them out at the Yahoo Directory , and Anglicans Online.

Beliefnet has one that is more spiritually-focused.

Here are some other good ones:
The Ivory Jesse Tree Calendar, c. 1200

The BBC Bach Advent Calendar plays a musical extract for each day

The St. Margaret Mary, Naperville IL calendar allows no peeking!

The 2007 Episcopal Diocese of Washington calendar offers daily meditations and pictures from the creche display at the National Cathedral.

OT Messianic Prophesies are arrayed in this Jesse Tree Advent Calendar

Finally, there are the Lego City and Littlest Pet Shop toy advent calendars available at your favorite store, but I shudder to think what they have in mind for the 24th.