Advent on a tin

From the time it became customary to give children presents at Christmas, attempts were made at visualising the period of longing that had to be endured. From 1903, innumerable Advent calendar ideas were developed which live on today. In the 1950s, tins of the breakfast and energy drink HELIOMALT began to be covered with a “Christmas sleeve” for children to colour in. The next step was a sleeve with 24 little doors and a candleholder. From 1960 to 1994 these Advent lanterns were sold all over Switzerland and designed by renowned illustrators and artists. The exhibits are all from the collection of Alfred Dünnenberger-Hager from Baar. He has been collecting objects associated with Christmas for over 40 years. His collection is of unique ethnological importance and the Museum Burg Zug is the first museum to exhibit his Advent lanterns.