The tradition of the advent calendar is one of waiting, ritual, and the daily reveal of a tiny treat. This concept is the perfect foundation for my serialisation of Much Ado About Stuffing, which will give you a new chapter of mystery every day until December 25th!
From Chalk Lines to Chocolate: The History of the Wait
The original traditions of advent were not about chocolate, but about counting down the days until Christmas with daily rituals that built anticipation.
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German Origins: While the printed calendar was invented in Germany in the early 20th century, the concept of counting down was started much earlier by German Protestants. They often drew chalk lines on a door and rubbed one off each day, or lit a new candle daily (the foundation of the Advent wreath).
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The Daily Door: When the first commercial calendars were printed, their small paper doors revealed a meaningful image. The genius of the door is the irresistible anticipation—a guaranteed reveal that satisfies the desire for progress but maintains mystery about the final reward. The opening of the door became even more tempting in the 1950s, when small pieces of chocolate were hidden behind them.
The Mystery Connection: The Power of the Daily Dose
The structure of the advent calendar is fundamentally the same as a classic daily mystery serial: controlled, sequential, and building to a final climax.
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The Daily Clue: Every episode of a classic television serial or every chapter of a novel serialised in a magazine is essentially a new door opening. The daily release forces the reader (or viewer) to focus on the limited information revealed that day.
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The Sherlock Holmes Format: The original Holmes stories in The Strand Magazine relied entirely on this concept. Fans didn’t get the whole picture; they got the facts for the day, forcing them to engage in the deduction, just as you will with Much Ado About Stuffing.
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Serialised Spies and Detectives: Later, this technique was used brilliantly in television. Think of the structure of classic series like Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy or even the daily mystery of a soap opera cliffhanger—the regular, short dose is engineered to be instantly addictive and leave you in suspense for the next instalment.
With the daily chapter release of Much Ado About Stuffing, I’m bringing back this thrilling tradition. Open a new door of the mystery every morning and piece together the puzzle before Christmas Day!