The World's First Printed
Advent Calendar
Since 1945, Richard Sellmer Verlag has been creating the magic of Christmas — one tiny door at a time.
A Tradition Born from Hope
In the winter of 1945, Germany lay in ruins. Cities were destroyed, families were separated, and the spirit of Christmas felt impossibly distant. In Stuttgart, a young publisher named Richard Sellmer had an idea: he would print advent calendars — simple sheets of paper with 24 tiny die-cut doors, each revealing a hidden Christmas scene.
It was a modest beginning. The first calendars were printed on whatever paper could be found, with hand-drawn illustrations by local artists. But the response was extraordinary. Families across Germany embraced the calendars as a way to count down to Christmas together, to give children something to look forward to each morning.
By the 1950s, Sellmer calendars had crossed the Atlantic. American families discovered them in import shops, and soon they became a beloved part of Christmas traditions worldwide. Presidents Eisenhower and Nixon were among the early American admirers, and the tradition spread from there.
Open a Little Door Each Morning
The ritual is simple and timeless: each morning from December 1st to Christmas Eve, you open one small die-cut door on your calendar. Behind each door is a hand-illustrated Christmas scene — a decorated tree, children playing in the snow, the nativity, Santa in his workshop.
Unlike modern chocolate-filled calendars or novelty advent boxes, Sellmer calendars are purely about the art and the anticipation. No candy, no toys, no gimmicks. Just the quiet delight of a new scene revealed, and the growing excitement as Christmas approaches.
This is what makes them special: they slow you down. In a season that can feel overwhelming, opening a tiny paper door is a two-second moment of wonder that connects you to generations of families who did the very same thing.
130+ Designs, One Family
Today, nearly 80 years later, the Sellmer family — now led by grandsons Frank and Oliver Sellmer — continues the tradition their grandfather started. The company still operates from Stuttgart, and every calendar is still printed with the care and craftsmanship that defined the very first one.
The collection has grown to over 130 designs: classic winter village scenes, ornate Victorian shopfronts, playful children's themes, reverent nativity scenes, and grand panorama formats. There is a Sellmer calendar for every family, every tradition, every Christmas.