'It's greed' Church leader accuses businesses of trampling over Advent
CHURCH leaders are warning Advent is being trampled over by greed and consumerism as sales of expensive speciality calendars go through the roof.
Many of the new breed of “luxury” Advent calendars are designed for adults and contain alcohol or perfume with shoppers splashing out hundreds of pounds on the decadent treats.
But there are concerns the ramped-up consumerism of Advent calendars is at odds with the Christian celebration of Jesus's birth.
Ian Paul of the Archbishop's Council described their popularity as "deeply ironic".
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It is doubly ironic that people are using Advent to celebrate greed and wealth
He said: "Christians use Advent as a time to remember two things. The first is Jesus’s own coming to us in poverty from the riches of his glory at the Father’s right hand.
“The second is God’s promised future coming in judgement - when he will hold all people to account for their greed and selfishness.
"So it is doubly ironic that people are using Advent to celebrate greed and wealth.
"The adaption of religious symbols for such secular ends appears to demonstrate the absolute power of consumerism. It appears that there is no limit to the ideas that can be trampled on and colonised."
JO MALONE
Advent calendars are a relatively recent addition to Christmas and are thought to have originated in 19th-century Germany, where families marked off the days until Christmas Eve.
Mass-produced cardboard calendars seem to have been driven by families creating their own traditions rather than being part of a religious ritual.
Chocolate advent calendars are also a modern addition the festive season and did not become a mainstay of Christmas until the early 1990s.
Today shoppers have a wide selection of luxury calendars to choose from.
HARRODS
A Harrods Advent calendar featuring 24 porcelain Christmas tree baubles is on sale for £12,000 at the excuslive Knightsbridge department store.
An old and rare whisky calendar from Master of Malt is priced at £999.95 while the company’s very old and rare version is an eyewatering £9,999.95.
The Advent offering from scent producer Jo Malone is £300 while Molton and Brown’s Advent cabinet of scented luxuries retails at £165.
Posh grocer Fortnum & Mason is selling a wooden calendar filled with sweets and chocolates for £125, The Pip Stop has a calendar containing 20cl bottles of wine at £125 and Edinburgh Gin has one with 25 miniatures for £100.
Debenhams has launched a pork scratchings advent calendar and Asda has a cheese one.
