Opening the window of an advent calendar for every day of December is one of my fondest holiday memories from childhood, but it’s a pastime that’s losing its charm in this digital age.  Fortunately for today’s mobile generation, advent calendars have gone digital! And these new-fangled advent calendars have some extra perks like Christmas stories or holiday recipes. (Because your digital advent calendar can’t give you chocolate.)

Check out these cool Advent calendar apps to get you excited for Christmas 2013:

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Binny’s Advent Calendar 2013 (iOS and Android)

 This Advent calendar features a wintery illustrated scene with a lot of fun surprises for users such as unique illustrations by award-winning artist Binny Talib, mini games for each day leading up to Christmas and secret drawings revealed by scratching. You also get Christmas tree decorating, snowmen singing and a lot more surprises that would get you giddy for Christmas morning.

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Christmas Advent Calendar – The Best 25 Free Apps (iOS)

Instead of getting chocolate, this Advent calendar delivers one free app a day. It may not be something for those craving a sweet nugget of goodness but it’s something, right? Plus, who says no to a free app?

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Nostalgic Advent Calendar 2013 (iOS)

This Advent calendar delivers short Christmas stories by the Brothers Grimm, Hans Christian Andersen, O. Henry, M. A. Haley, E. T. A. Hoffmann, Clement Clarke Moore and others, as well as holiday recipes, mini games and even teaches you how to make your own holiday gift box. Not only will you reminisce on your childhood with short stories, you’ll also learn some new crafts.

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Christmas Advent Calendar 2013 for Christian Kids and Schools by Children’s Bible (iOS)

This app teaches kids about Advent and the meaning of Christmas. It features 25 pictures and bible quotes, one for each day of the Advent.

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Advent Calendar 2013 (Android)

This app lets you decorate your own Christmas tree. Each day, ornaments will be available for you to hang on your tree. If you don’t like how the ornaments are placed, just move them around until it visually satisfies you. You can even use the widget so you can remember to decorate your tree every day.

photo credit: AForestFrolic via photopin cc