You don’t need an Advent calendar to know that Christmas is coming, but opening a little numbered door to reveal a prize is an idea that everyone – religious or not – can get behind. Here’s a brief history of Advent calendars.

WHAT IS ADVENT?

Advent is the four-week period beginning on the Sunday nearest the feast day of St. Andrew the Apostle (November 30) through the following three Sundays. Historians estimate that Advent, which derives from the Latin word for coming, has been celebrated since the 4th century. Originally, the period was a time for converts to Christianity to prepare for baptism, but it’s now more commonly associated with the anticipation of the anniversary of Christ’s birth on December 25.

ADVENT CALENDAR ORIGINS

Advent calendars typically don’t follow the period of Advent described above. Instead, they begin on December 1 and mark the 24 days before Christmas. Today, most Advent calendars include paper doors that open to reveal an image, Bible verse, or piece of chocolate. The tradition dates to the mid-19th century, when German Protestants made chalk marks on doors or lit candles to count the days leading up to Christmas. The first known Advent Calendar which is from 1851. Other early styles were the Advent clock or the Advent candle – a candle for each of the 24 days until Christmas, like today’s Advent wreath. In religious families little pictures were hung up on the wall – one for each day in December. Another tradition was to paint chalk strokes on the door, one per day until Christmas Eve.

THE FIRST PRINTED ADVENT CALENDARS

The German Gerhard Lang is widely considered the producer of the first printed Advent calendar in the early 1900s.

Around the same time, a German newspaper  the “Neues Tagblatt Stuttgart” included an Advent calendar insert as a gift to its readers. Lang’s calendar was inspired by one that his mother had made for him and featured 24 colored pictures that attached to a piece of cardboard. Lang modified his calendars to include the little doors that are a staple of most Advent calendars today and they became a commercial success in Germany. Production stopped due to a cardboard shortage during World War II, but resumed soon after, with Richard Sellmer emerging as the leading producer of commercial Advent calendars.

Dwight D. Eisenhower is often credited for the proliferation of the Advent calendar tradition in the United States. During his presidency, Eisenhower was photographed opening an Advent calendar with his grandchildren and the photo ran in several national newspapers.

THE $50,000 ADVENT CALENDAR

One of the most expensive Advent calendars to ever hit the shelves was a 4-foot, Christmas-tree shaped structure carved from burrelm and walnut wood available through Harrods in 2007. Each of the $50,000 calendar’s 24 compartments housed a piece of organic chocolate from Green & Black, with proceeds going to support cocoa farmers in Belize.

THE WORLD’S LARGEST ADVENT CALENDAR

According to Guinness World Records, the world’s largest advent calendar was built in 2007 at the St. Pancras train station in London. The massive calendar, which measured 232 feet and 11 inches tall, and 75 feet and 5 inches wide, celebrated the reopening of the station following a renovation.

THE LEGO ADVENT CALENDAR

For several years, LEGO has produced an Advent calendar set, featuring figures or constructible accessories behind every numbered door.

source: sellmer-verlag.de, mentalfloss

And now that you are familiar with the history of the advent calendars watch the video and fill in the gaps in the script.

Advent is the start of the Christmas season in Britain, it begins four …… (1) before Christmas. Advent calendars are a …… (2) to Christmas Day, they start on the 1st December. The windows of the calendar are opened every day leading up to Christmas where you can see a pretty picture or find some chocolate inside.

The very first advent calendars were produced in the early 1800’s in …… (3) although not the cardboard type we get these days. Christians thought of different ways of counting down the days from the start of Advent to Christmas Day. At first Christians kept track of the days by making …… (4) on their door, which were rubbed off one by one as Christmas got closer. Advent Candles and putting up a small religious picture to mark each day were other ways of counting down the days.

The first actual advent calendar which we still buy today was produced in the early 1900’s, although first mass-produced in 1908 by Gerhard Lang who worked at the Reichhold & Lang printing office in Munich, Germany. The business produced over thirty different calendar patterns until the 1930’s. These calendars had 24 …… (5) and were a lot better decorated than the advent calendars we have these days.

Before long, advent calendars had doors which when opened contained religious pictures, and some had chocolate in to keep the children’s attention. This was proving to be popular over the years but had to be put on hold when World War Two started, because paper, …… (6) and chocolate were limited. However, once the war was over the production of advent calendars soon picked back up in 1946, not containing chocolates though.

Towards the end of the 1950’s, chocolate advent calendars re-appeared and started to spread across the world. Ten years later, many countries were using the advent calendar to count the days to …… (7).

Advent calendars are still very popular all across the world and now come in thousands of different varieties, some with just pictures in, others with just chocolate. The religious meaning of the advent calendars has been lost though. Also they don’t stop on Christmas Eve, normally they have a bigger door for Christmas Day.

Just remember, you’re never too old for an advent calendar, I got a Thorntons Advent Calendar this year, you can see it in the video above!

Key

1. Sundays 2. countdown 3. Germany 4. chalk marks 5. doors 6. cardboard 7. Christmas Day

to reveal – rivelare
religious – religioso
feast day – giorno di festa
to derive – derivare
convert – convertito
baptism – battesimo
anticipation – attesa
to include – includere
chalk – gesso
to light (lit, lit) a candle – accendere una candela
Advent wreath – corona d’Avvento
insert – inserto
cardboard – cartone
staple – elemento fondamentale
commercial success – successo commerciale
to resume – riprendere
proliferation – proliferazione
carved – scolpito
elm – olmo
walnut wood – legno di noce
proceeds – ricavi
constructible – costruibile

Walt Disney was a creative and imaginative man who brought joy to the world through his love for animation. He was born on December 5, 1901, in Hermosa, Illinois, USA. As a child, Walt showed an early interest in drawing and storytelling. In 1923, he co-founded the Disney Brothers Studio with his brother Roy. The studio later became known as The Walt Disney Company.

Walt Disney created the first synchronized sound and color cartoon, “Steamboat Willie,” featuring the iconic character Mickey Mouse. Mickey Mouse became a global sensation, and Walt’s creativity didn’t stop there. He introduced more beloved characters like Donald Duck, Goofy, and Pluto.

In 1937, Walt Disney produced the first full-length animated feature film, “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” a groundbreaking achievement in the world of animation. Over the years, he expanded his creativity into theme parks, with Disneyland opening in 1955 in California.

Walt Disney’s legacy continued to grow as he received numerous awards, including 22 Academy Awards. Despite facing challenges, he never stopped dreaming and creating, leaving behind a lasting impact on the entertainment industry.

These are best on the day they’re baked.

makes: 12
preparation time: 15 minutes
cooking time: 35 minutes
oven temperature: 180°C

Ingredients:

• 500ml cake flour
• 100ml self-raising flour
• 5ml bicarbonate of soda
• 2 eggs
• 250ml homemade vanilla sugar
• 150ml olive oil
• 250ml Greek yoghurt
• 250ml grated pear (1-2 pears)
• 250ml almonds, coarsely chopped

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven. Grease the muffin pan well and sprinkle flour on the bottom; shake out the excess.
2. Sift the flours and bicarbonate of soda together and set aside.
3. Beat the eggs and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the remaining ingredients and beat until just combined (don’t overwork the batter). Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin pan and top each one with an extra slice of pear. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until cooked or golden brown. Dust with icing.

a) slumber – If you sleep (especially) lightly
b) nap – If you sleep for a short time to rest, especially during the day
c) doze off – If you fall asleep without planning to
d) drowse – If you are sleepy or half-asleep
e) repose – If you lie or rest to relax
f) rest – If you refresh yourself by sleeping or lying down
g) snooze – If you take a brief light sleep
h) snore – If you breathe noisily while you sleep
i) dream – If you experience thoughts, images or emotions while you sleep
j) have a nightmare – If you have a bad and scary dream

Now use the expressions to fill in the gaps. You will not have to use all the expressions.

1) I really can’t sleep in the same room with you. You ………. very loudly.
2) Please wake me up at 7 if I ………. .
3) I didn’t want to ………. during the lecture but I could barely keep my eyes open.
4) Do your children still ………. in the afternoon?
5) Don’t watch that horror movie before going to bed. You will ………. .

Answers: 1) h, 2) c, 3) d, 4) b, 5) j

Fill in the gaps to find the meaning of the following ‘sleep’ idioms.

a) sleep something off
b) lose sleep over
c) not sleep a wink
d) sleep like a log
e) drift off to sleep
f) sleep in
g) sleep around the clock
h) sleep around
i) sleep over
j) sleep tight
k) sleep through
l) sleep (together) with
m) sleep on it
n) beauty sleep

1) When you worry too much about something you ………. it.
2) When you oversleep or stay in bed before getting up longer  ………. .
3) When you spend the night at a friend’s place you ………. .
4) When your sleep is warm and safe you ………. .
5) When you sleep for a very long time you ………. .
6) When you have an intimate relationship with someone you ………. someone.
7) When you fall asleep without planning to you ………. .
8) When you sleep very deeply you ………. .
9) When you sleep before deciding something you ………. .
10) When you do not wake up when something happens you ………. it.
11) When you have several partners at the same time you ………. .
12) When you sleep while the effects of alcohol pass away you ………. .
13) Whey you sleep to feel healthy and look attractive it is your ………. .

Answers: 1) b, 2) f, 3) i, 4) j, 5) g, 6) l, 7) e, 8) d, 9) m, 10) k, 11) h, 12) a, 13) n

Now match the two parts of a dialogue.

1) A: Nothing ever wakes me up.
2) A: I need your answer as soon as possible.
3) A: I’m so worried about tomorrow.
4) A: I came by your flat last night but you weren’t at home.
5) A: I was really excited about the wedding and I stayed up all night.
6) A: Have you met my new girlfriend?
7) A: I shouldn’t have drunk so much last night. I feel terrible.
8) A: It was a national holiday yesterday.

a) B: I slept over at my friend’s house.
b) B: I couldn’t sleep a wink either.
c) B: Just don’t lose any sleep over it.
d) B: You’ll sleep it off, don’t worry.
e) B: Just let me sleep on it.
f)  B: It was great that I could finally sleep in.
g) B: I just heard she used to sleep around a lot.
h) B: I know. You sleep like a log.

Answers: 1) h, 2) e, 3) c, 4) a, 5) b, 6) g, 7) d, 8) f

slumber – sonnecchiare / dormire leggero
nap – pisolino / sonnellino / riposino pomeridiano
doze off – appisolarsi / addormentarsi
drowse – assonnarsi / essere mezzo addormentato
repose – riposare / stare in quiete rest – riposare / fare una pausa
snooze – sonnecchiare / fare un pisolino
snore – russare dream – sognare
have a nightmare – fare un incubo
to sleep something off – smaltire dormendo / dormire per riprendersi
to lose sleep over something – perdere il sonno per qualcosa / stare sveglio per le preoccupazioni
to not sleep a wink – non chiudere occhio
to sleep like a log – dormire come un sasso / dormire profondamente
to drift off to sleep – addormentarsi / scivolare nel sonno
to sleep in – dormire fino a tardi / poltrire a letto
to sleep around the clock – dormire tutto il giorno / dormire ventiquattr’ore di fila
to sleep around – avere rapporti sessuali con molti / andare a letto con tutti
to sleep over – dormire da qualcuno / passare la notte da qualcuno
to sleep tight – dormire bene / dormire profondamente
to sleep through – dormire senza svegliarsi / dormire durante qualcosa
to sleep (together) with – fare l’amore con qualcuno / andare a letto con qualcuno
to sleep on it – dormirci sopra / pensarci dopo una notte di sonno
beauty sleep – sonno di bellezza

via GIPHY

“Vediamone alcuni! Ascoltali anche!”

• Ugh! – Uffa! / Che schifo!
• Excellent! – Eccellente! / Ottimo!
• What a shame! – Che peccato!
• Oh dear! – Oh cielo! / Povero me!
• Amazing! – Incredibile! / Straordinario!
• Eww! – Bleah! / Che schifo!
• Help! – Aiuto!
• Surprise! – Sorpresa!
• No way! – Impossibile! / Non ci credo!
• Psst! – Psst! / Zitto!
• Mmmm! – Mmm! (esprime piacere, gusto)
• Awesome! – Fantastico! / Stupendo!
• Finally! – Finalmente!
• Wow! – Wow! / Accidenti!
• Bummer! – Che sfortuna! / Che peccato!

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Words that matter

When someone experiences a significant event like the beginning or the end of life, it’s often difficult to find the right words to say. Birth and death are profound moments that deeply touch the human heart, and knowing how to respond with sensitivity and care is important.

In moments of grief, words often seem inadequate. When someone passes away, offering your condolences is a way to show support. You might say, “I’m so sorry for your loss,” or “I can’t imagine what you’re going through, but I’m here for you.”

Simple but heartfelt expressions acknowledge the pain the bereaved person is feeling. Be patient and listen if they need to talk about their loved one. Some people prefer sharing memories to keep the person’s spirit alive, while others might need time to process their emotions privately.

Respect their way of grieving and offer your support by being present and attentive. Celebrating a birth is filled with joy and excitement. Saying things like, “Congratulations on your new addition to the family!” or “Welcome to the world, little one!” can bring happiness to the new parents.

Adjusting to life with a newborn can be overwhelming, so offering help with meals or errands is a practical way to show your support. It’s important to be considerate and follow the family’s cues about visiting or offering help, as they might need rest and solitude in those first few weeks.

Whether it’s offering words of comfort in the face of death or conveying joy at a birth, your sincerity is what matters. Use this time to strengthen connections, as both events remind us of the fragility and beauty of life. It’s crucial to remember that everyone copes with these events differently, so being empathetic and flexible can guide you in providing the comfort or celebration that individuals might need during such significant times.

to experience – vivere
to find the right words – trovare le parole giuste
profound – profondo
grief – lutto
inadequate – inadeguato
to pass away – morire
to offer one’s condolences – porgere le condoglianze
support – sostegno
heartfelt – sentito
to acknowledge – riconoscere
bereaved – in lutto
spirit – spirito
to grieve – soffrire per una perdita
excitement – eccitazione
to adjust to – adattarsi a
overwhelming – travolgente
errands – commissioni
to be considerate – essere premuroso
cue – segnale
comfort – conforto
conveying – trasmettere
to strengthen – rafforzare
to remind somebody of – ricordare a qualcuno
fragility – fragilità
crucial to – cruciale per
to cope with – affrontare
to provide comfort – offrire conforto

Pop Mart shares rise 12% as Labubu maker announces stellar profits and new doll

The firm announced the launch of a new Labubu doll as the furry elf toys continue to take the world by storm. Shares in Pop Mart soared over 12.5% in daily trading in Hong Kong on Wednesday after the Chinese company released stellar earnings.

The creator of the Labubu doll saw its revenue jump 204% year-on-year in the first half of 2025, coming in at 13.88 billion yuan (€1.66bn). Net profit soared 386% to 4.68bn yuan (€559.39 million), beating forecasts. Around 40% of sales were made up by purchases outside of mainland China thanks to the international appeal of the firm’s Labubu brand, part of its “The Monsters” range.

“The Monsters” brought in 4.81bn yuan (€574.99mn) in the first half of the year, accounting for 34.7% of total revenue. The elf-like dolls have become a viral sensation, boosted by the endorsement of celebrities like Dua Lipa, Kim Kardashian and David Beckham. Part of the attraction is that the toys are sold in blind-box packaging. This means that customers don’t know what they have purchased until they open the product.

Although the firm was created back in 2010, Pop Mart launched its first blind-box series in 2016. The popularity of the range allowed the company to list in Hong Kong in December 2020, achieving a market capitalisation of around €6bn. Since the IPO, shares have risen by over 300%.

Pop Mart opened its first European store in London in January 2022, hoping to expand in overseas markets. Today, the company operates around 2,600 vending machines and almost 600 stores across the globe, meaning Labubu dolls can be bought in more than 30 countries.

Given the demand for dolls, Pop Mart is now considering expansion in the Middle East, Central Europe, and Central and South America. The firm operates around 40 stores in the US, with 10 more sites expected to open by the end of 2025.

In an earnings call on Wednesday, CEO Wang Ning also said that Pop Mart would this week launch a new, mini version of Labubu that can be attached to phones. Wang added that his firm was on track to meet its 2025 revenue goal of 20bn yuan (€2.39bn), noting that “30bn this year should also be quite easy”. Some analysts have nonetheless raised doubts over the sustainability of the company’s rise, driven by social media sites like TikTok.

“The craze for the elf-like Labubu dolls is translating into big profit and cash flow,” said AJ Bell head of financial analysis, Danni Hewson. ““Consumers can be capricious when it comes to this type of fad though and Pop Mart will have to work hard to build on this success if it is to avoid being a one-hit wonder.”

source: Euronews

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launch – lancio
furry – peloso
to take the world by storm – conquistare-il-mondo
stellar – stellare
revenue – entrate
to soar – salire-alle-stelle
forecast – previsione
endorsement – approvazione
blind-box packaging – confezione-a-sorpresa
to expand – espandersi
demand – domanda
nonetheless – tuttavia
to raise doubts – sollevare-dubbi
sustainability – sostenibilità
capricious – capriccioso
fad – moda-passeggera

Listen to the conversation and answer the questions in English.

1. What change takes place in David’s life?
2. How does his father feel about it and what does his mother think?
3. What change do they say is a whole new ballgame?
4. What does her mother hope for Laura?
5. What would her father like to provide for her?
6. What skills should she develop?
7. What would her parents like to check regularly?
8. What can they do to help their elder daughter?
9. What are they planning for the whole family?
10. How does the father praise his wife?

Testo dell’audio – B2 – livello intermedio superiore

A new school year

Father: Can you believe it’s already time for another school year to begin?
Mother: No, it’s unbelievable. It feels like summer just flew by. And the kids are growing up so fast.
F: Tell me about it. David is starting kindergarten this year. I’m excited for him, but also a bit nervous.
M: I remember feeling the same way when Laura and Kelly started kindergarten. It’s a big step for him, and for us too.
F: Absolutely. And speaking of the older ones, Laura is entering secondary school this year. That’s a whole new ballgame compared to primary.
M: Yes, sure. I can’t believe it’s secondary school already. Time really does fly. I’m hoping she will get used to her new environment soon. And I’m a bit worried about the increased amount of schoolwork she has to face.
F: She’ll do fine, I’m sure. But I think we should make sure she has a study space at home. Secondary school surely comes with more homework and projects.
M: Good idea. We could set up a quiet corner with all the necessary school supplies. And maybe we should encourage her to use a planner to stay organized.
F: Definitely. I don’t expect her to be very happy about it first but developing those organizational skills now will benefit her in the long run. I also think we should keep an eye on her social interactions. Secondary school can be socially challenging.
M: True. Maybe we can have regular check-ins to see how she’s feeling about her friends and classmates. Bullying and peer pressure can become stronger in secondary school.
F: On a positive note, I heard the school offers more extracurricular activities in secondary school. It might be a great opportunity for her to explore new interests.
M: That’s a silver lining, for sure. And hey, don’t forget about Kelly. She will be in for a whole different level of academics and responsibilities at university.
F: I’m both proud and anxious for her. She should make sure she has a good balance between her studies and any extracurricular commitments. But I don’t think we can do much about it except to gently give her some advice and hope that she’ll accept it.
M: Yes, she thinks she’s an adult now although she’s only 18. And let’s not forget about their well-being. School can be stressful. We should find ways to encourage open communication about their feelings.
F: You’re right. Maybe we can plan some family excursions and activities to help them relax and bond with us. It’s important they know we’re here to support them.
M: That sounds like a wonderful idea. All in all, a new school year means so many new challenges. I just hope we can guide them through these transitions successfully.
F: Well, you’ve done a really good job of parenting so far, and let’s just hope things will work out fine this year again!

key: 

1. He’s starting kindergarten.
2. He’s excited but a bit nervous. She thinks it’s a big step for him and them, too.
3. Their daughter, Laura starting secondary school.
4. She will get used to her new environment soon.
5. A study space at home.
6. Planning / organisational skills.
7. How she’s feeling about her friends and classmates.
8. Give her advice.
9. Excursions and activities
10. She has done a great job of parenting.

Don’t put all your eggs in one basket
definition: Don’t put all your hope/resources in one possibility, loose the basket and you’re left hopeless.
magyarul: Non riporre tutte le tue speranze o risorse in un’unica possibilità: se perdi quel “cesto”, resti senza nulla.
example: When planning your investments, remember: don’t put all your eggs in one basket. – Quando pianifichi i tuoi investimenti, ricorda: non puntare tutto su una sola carta.

Kill two birds with one stone
definition: When you accomplish two tasks in one go.
magyarul: portare a termine due compiti in una sola azione, due piccioni con una fava
example: By biking to work, I kill two birds with one stone: getting exercise and saving on gas. – Andando al lavoro in bici, prendo due piccioni con una fava: mi alleno e risparmio sulla benzina.

Hit the sack
definition: going to bed and sleep
magyarul: andare a dormire
example: After a long day of hiking and fresh air, I can’t wait to hit the sack. – Dopo una lunga giornata di escursioni e aria fresca, non vedo l’ora di andare a dormire.

Not playing with the full deck
definition: A saying to suggest someone/something lacks intelligence or common sense.  
magyarul: Espressione che suggerisce che qualcuno manca di intelligenza o buon senso.
example: I tried explaining the instructions five times, but judging by his response, he’s definitely not playing with the full deck. – Ho provato a spiegargli le istruzioni cinque volte, ma a giudicare dalla sua risposta, non ha tutte le rotelle a posto.

Steal someone’s thunder
definition: To take credit for someone else’s work or to take limelight where it’s not deserved. 
magyarul: Prendersi il merito del lavoro altrui o rubare la scena senza averne diritto.
example: She had been planning her big announcement for weeks, but her coworker stole her thunder by revealing the same idea during the meeting. – Stava pianificando il suo grande annuncio da settimane, ma il collega le ha rubato la scena presentando la stessa idea durante la riunione.

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Ain’t no sunshine when she’s gone 
It’s not warm when she’s away. 
Ain’t no sunshine when she’s gone 
And she’s always gone too long 
Anytime she goes away. 

Wonder this time where she’s gone 
Wonder if she’s gone to stay 
Ain’t no sunshine when she’s gone 
And this house just ain’t no home 
Anytime she goes away. 

And I know, I know, I know, I know, 
I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, 
I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, 
I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, 
I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, 
I know, I know, 
Hey, I oughtta leave young thing alone 
But ain’t no sunshine when she’s gone 

Ain’t no sunshine when she’s gone 
Only darkness every day. 
Ain’t no sunshine when she’s gone 
And this house just ain’t no home 
Anytime she goes away. 
Anytime she goes away. 
Anytime she goes away. 
Anytime she goes away.

to be gone – andato/a via
anytime – sempre
to wonder – vuole sapere qualcosa
this time – questa volta
oughtta = ought to = dovrebbe

AIN’T is a short form of ‘am not’, ‘is not’, ‘are not’, ‘has not’, or ‘have not’, that many people think is incorrect. 
Cioé … l’espressione AIN’T puó essere l’abbreviazione di ‘am not’, ‘is not’, ‘are not’, ‘has not’ oppure ‘have not’ e non é sbagliato!