...almost more than Christmas itself! It can be tricky to find good ones. I HATE brash, Disney-themed, chocolate calendars and spend much time sourcing the proper traditional types with wintery scenes and glitter. The Germans do it best. One year I imported, at great expense, a selection of Richard Sellmer Verlag calendars, some of which are so charming. The other Aladdin's cave of calendars is the Medici shop in South Kensington. Every year I send card-sized ones to godchildren and no doubt get more pleasure out of the ritual than they do!
This year's selection for godchildren
My current favourite - reprinted from 1946, it was the first advent calendar available in America after the second world war, and was given to Eisenhower's family.