This practical handbook for homes and church communities helps to enrich the Christian celebration of Advent through the creation and use of an Advent calendar. Written for people of all skill levels, Baumgarten provides instructions for a calendar made of paper or junk mail, a no-sew felt version, and a fabric version for more advanced sewers.

Teach Us To Number Our Days, however, is more than a simple crafts book. Baumgarten provides readers with a brief history of the development of Advent in the Christian calendar, as well as detailed explanations of the various Christian symbols that can be used during the season. Paying attention to both the Old and New Testament symbols, as well as the Sundays of Advent and the Great 'O' Antiphons from December 17-23, this book is a complete guide to Advent for individuals, families, and churches.

Barbara Dee Baumgarten seeks to understand the relationship between visual art and theology. She has a Ph. D. in Theology and the Arts from the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, California. She is also a quilter, and teaches quilting to others. Barbara lives with her family in Santa Paula, California.