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Imogene's Cat Advent Calendar
Imogene's Cat Advent Calendar
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Imogene's Cat Advent Calendar
Imogene’s Cat Advent Calendar – 24 doors, 24 little cats, one for every morning until Christmas
Behind every door sits a tiny cat figurine that Imogene Haugland sculpted, finished and painted in the old barn behind her farmhouse. Every single one is modeled on a real cat she took in over the last 48 years. When the morning comes, it goes straight onto the tree.
“Open one door a day, and by Christmas Eve you’ve met my whole family.” – Imogene
“People think I make Christmas decorations. I don’t. I make little portraits of cats who deserved to be remembered.”
– Imogene Haugland (74), retired art teacher, Decorah, Iowa
What arrives at your door
The calendar box
A sturdy cream keepsake box, about 10.2 × 7.1 × 1.2 in, with the painted Snowball cover on the front and 24 numbered doors on the back.
24 cat figurines
Three-dimensional, hand-painted resin cats, each around 1½ inches tall, one behind every door – no two alike.
A gold hanging loop on each
A small gold loop on every head or hat, so each cat can go on the tree with a ribbon or an ornament hook.
90-day returns
If it doesn’t win you over, send it back within 90 days and get your money back.
Made by hand in Decorah
Imogene Haugland taught art to the children of Decorah, Iowa, for thirty-four years. In the winter of 1978, a half-frozen white kitten turned up on her porch. She called her Snowball – and Snowball is the cat on the front of every calendar. Since then, more than 300 strays, barn cats and leftovers from the county shelter have passed through her farmhouse.
When her granddaughter Kelsey was seven, Imogene sculpted 24 of those cats in clay and hid them behind little paper doors. Neighbors saw it and wanted one. Fifteen winters and close to 1,900 calendars later, she still sculpts every original by hand, casts the cats in her own molds and paints every face, every whisker and every tiny bell herself.
This is her last winter at the table. The arthritis in her hands has made the fine brushwork too painful, and she refuses to hand her cats to a factory. The final 240 calendars are on the shelf in the barn. Kelsey, now 22, is selling them here – and when they are gone, there will be no more.
– Imogene
Six things a factory calendar doesn’t have
Real cats, real names
Every figurine is a portrait of a cat that once lived with Imogene – the Persian with the crown, the tuxedo in the cape, the old grey tom with the beard.
Real little sculptures
Each cat is fully three-dimensional – round head, sculpted fur, tiny paws – not a flat cut-out with a picture printed on it.
Faces painted by hand
Eyes, noses and whiskers are brushed in one at a time. Look closely and you’ll see that no two cats wear quite the same expression.
Made to hang
The gold loop is set into the figurine itself, so the cats become ornaments – the calendar keeps going long after December 24.
Nothing to throw away
No chocolate, no plastic trinkets, no filler. Every door holds something you keep for the next twenty Christmases.
A box worth keeping
The cream-and-gold box with the Snowball painting looks lovely on a mantel or shelf all season, and gives the cats a home to go back to every January.
Imogene’s calendar vs. a store calendar
| Imogene’s calendar | Typical store calendar | |
|---|---|---|
| Behind the doors | 24 hand-painted cat figurines | Chocolates or plastic trinkets |
| After Christmas | 24 ornaments for the tree, every year | Empty cardboard for the recycling |
| The painting | Every face brushed by hand | Machine-printed or none |
| The story | 24 real rescue cats | None |
| Who made it | Imogene, in Decorah | An assembly line |
Meet a few of the 24
The calendar in three steps
Open a door
Each morning, open the next number and meet the cat behind it.
Hang it up
Thread a ribbon through the gold loop and give it a spot on the tree.
Keep them all
In January, the 24 cats go back into their box until next Christmas.
What a collector sees in it
“Most advent calendars are designed to be thrown away on December 26. Imogene’s is the opposite. Each figurine is fully sculpted and individually painted, and together they form a small collection with a real story behind it. Pieces like these are what families end up fighting over when they divide the Christmas boxes.”
Lorraine Wedeking, folk-art collector and holiday ornament appraiser, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Quality you can check yourself
- The side test: turn a cat sideways – it is sculpted all the way round, not a flat printed shape.
- The face test: put two cats side by side – the eyes and whiskers are painted differently on each.
- The loop test: give the gold loop a gentle tug – it sits firmly in the figurine.
- The door test: every door opens at the little half-moon notch – one tiny cat behind each.
- The count test: 24 doors, 24 different cats – no doubles, no fillers.
Imogene’s 90-day money-back guarantee
“My cats should only go to homes where they’ll be loved.” Open the doors, hang the cats, enjoy the whole season. If you don’t love it, send it back within 90 days and get your money back. No questions asked.
Ships within 1–2 business days · Final run, no reorders
A note on care and size
Every cat is painted by hand, so colors and expressions vary slightly from figurine to figurine – that is part of what makes your set yours. The figurines are small decorative pieces, not toys: please keep them away from small children and pets that like to chew. Dust with a soft, dry brush and store them in the box after the holidays. All measurements are approximate.
Product details
| Product | Imogene’s Cat Advent Calendar |
| Made by | Imogene Haugland, Decorah, Iowa |
| Contents | 1 calendar box with 24 doors, 24 cat figurines |
| Figurines | Three-dimensional resin, hand-painted, each with a gold hanging loop |
| Figurine size | Approx. 1½ in tall |
| Box size | Approx. 10.2 × 7.1 × 1.2 in (26 × 18 × 3 cm) |
| Care | Dust with a soft dry brush, keep out of reach of small children |
| Shipping | Ships within 1–2 business days |
| Guarantee | 90-day money-back guarantee |
The Final Sale
The Final Sale
A message from Imogene:
For fifteen winters I sculpted and painted every one of these little cats myself, out in the barn behind our farmhouse. My hands won't let me do the fine brushwork anymore, so these 240 calendars are the very last. Every cat was cast, painted and checked by hand. Nothing rushed. Nothing sent to a factory.
I hope they find homes where somebody hangs them on the tree every year.
When they're gone, they're gone.
Free Shipping
Free Shipping
Free shipping across the US
- Ships within 1–2 business days
- Delivery time: 7–14 business days
- Insured: Every package is fully insured
🌳 Carbon-neutral shipping
Frequently Asked Questions
Got a question? Here's how to reach us.
Got a question? Here's how to reach us.
We personally respond to every single email — as fast as we possibly can. Whether you have a question about your order or just want to talk craft, we're here.
You can reach us:
- Mon – Fri: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM (CT)
- Saturday: 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM (CT)
Email: info@cedarandtinco.com
Can I return my order if I don't like it?
Can I return my order if I don't like it?
Of course. We stand behind everything on Cedar & Tin Co. 100%. If you're not happy, neither are we. Just shoot us an email within 90 days and we'll make it right — no hassle, no headaches.
How are your products made?
How are your products made?
Every single product on Cedar & Tin is 100% handmade — crafted by hand, using only premium quality materials. We're proud to carry on a tradition of craftsmanship that has been passed down through generations.