FAUNA Advent

Advent – these are the 24 days leading up to Christmas. In Austria, we celebrate it in many ways. Why Austria? FAUNA is based in Austria, more exactly, in Graz.

One of the most important traditions in Austria during the time before Christmas is the Advent calendar. The history of this timekeeper started as an Advent wreath:

In Hamburg in 1839, the theologist Johann Hinrich Wichern put four big white candles and 19 small red candles on a cartwheel. The white candles symbolized the Advent Sundays. The wreath was to shorten the wait for Christmas for children in an orphanage.

The first private Advent calendar probably delighted children in 1851, when families hung a picture on the wall every day. Other variations included 24 chalk lines that children could erase one by one, or a crib into which a straw was placed each day. The classic Advent calendar with doors appeared in 1920 and was filled with chocolate from 1958.

But adults can also get in on the action: Check out our Instagram Story Advent calendar, where you can find a super discount on four days, making our audio glasses available at a sensational and exclusive price. 💓

Last, but not least, a typically Austrian recipe for the holidays: Vanillekipferl.

300 g wheat flour 

100 g ground almonds

120 g powdered sugar

1 vanilla pod

1 pinch of salt

225 g cold butter

3 egg yolks

Powdered sugar for rolling

Mix the flour with the almonds and powdered sugar. Slice the vanilla pod lengthways and scrape out the seeds. Add the salt, butter (cold) and egg yolks. Knead everything quickly with your hands to form a dough. Wrap in cling film and place in the fridge for 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees top/bottom heat (fan oven: 160 degrees).

Remove the dough from the fridge, shape into finger-thick crescents and place on a baking tray.

Bake the „Vanillekipferl“ in the preheated oven for approx. 8 minutes. Leave the crescents to cool slightly after baking and then roll in powdered sugar.