Merry Christmas from the Mountains: The Happy Ski Trip Advent Calendar

Alpine winter sports and Christmas have been cozily intertwined ever since the first ski resorts began popping up across the Swiss and Austrian mountains in the late 1800s, turning snowy peaks into playgrounds rather than just obstacles to be crossed. This lively advent calendar captures that spirit in full swing, with a chalet-topped mountainside crowded with skiers of every skill level, a cheerful little cable car gondola gliding overhead, and a tiny biplane trailing a "Merry Christmas" banner across the sky, as if the whole scene has been caught mid-celebration.

Illustrator Barbara Behr fills the slopes with charming detail worth lingering over — deer picking their way along the tree line, chalet windows glowing with warm light, and skiers in bright old-fashioned snowsuits weaving down the hill. Tucked behind the calendar's twenty-four numbered doors are more delightful winter vignettes, including two bundled-up children gliding along on skis and a devoted St. Bernard rescue dog, its little barrel at the ready, a nod to the alpine rescue dogs whose legendary reputation for saving snowbound travelers dates back centuries to the hospice at the Great St. Bernard Pass.

A crimson ribbon at the top makes hanging this calendar effortless, and a scattering of iridescent glitter across the snowy peaks gives the whole scene a frosty sparkle straight out of a vintage travel poster. It's a joyful pick for anyone who considers a mountain lodge and a mug of cocoa the height of Christmas cheer.

• Format: single wall-hanging advent calendar with 24 numbered doors revealing illustrated scenes
• Dimensions: 45.7 x 40.6 cm / 18 x 16 inches
• Design: hand-illustrated alpine ski village scene with skiers, cable cars, and mountain chalets, artwork by Barbara Behr
• Accents: iridescent glitter throughout the snowy landscape, with a ribbon at the top for hanging
• Weight: approximately 140 g / 4.94 oz