Marking the 24 days before Christmas is a tradition we know of today as the Advent calendar.

We've come to expect a printed calendar that includes paper doors for each day that open to reveal an image, a Bible verse, or a piece of chocolate.

It's a custom that actually 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 popularity of the Advent calendar tradition in the United States is often attributed

to President Dwight D. Eisenhower. Newsweek magazine published a photograph of the then-president,

opening an Advent calendar with his three adorable grandchildren. These days, you can find Advent

calendars hiding a variety of alternative goodies for each day. Some go way beyond

a wee bit of chocolate and serve up daily treats from rare teas, whiskeys, gins, wines, and beers,

to socks, jewelry, porcelain toys, and ornaments. They also come in all shapes and sizes. The largest Advent calendar at 232 feet 11 inches high and 75 feet 5 inches wide was built in London

at St. Pancras Station to commemorate the station's refurbishment in 2007.

The smallest ever Advent calendar also made in 2007 was created by a group of nanotech specialists in Germany.

It would take about 5 million of the miniature calendars to cover a postage stamp.

Well, our own creepy version of the Advent calendar is the following story, The 24th Door.

It's one of this season's spooky series of Holiday Haunts, taped live in New York City on November 25th, 2018.

Welcome, happy, happy, and merry, merry, my Yuletide companions.

Good evening.

Oh, look, what's this?

Why, thank you.

Oh, would you look at that?

A large hairy hand has come out from behind the curtain to present me with a sprig of Holly.

Oh, well, aren't you a treasure?

Oh, yes, yes, I noticed. You trimmed your palms.

...