A small town in Germany turns its town hall into the "world's largest" Advent calendar each December. It started as a way to boost businesses in the winter, but it's grown to mean much more.

The Town Hall Advent calendar has made Gengenbach even busier in December than in June. Between 100,000 and 220,000 people visit to see this calendar and patronize the Christmas market in the town ...

Advent calendars have become big business in the U.S. these days. Shoppers can easily spend upwards of $200 for calendars with samples of makeup and skincare products, or even gourmet cooking ...