Can’t believe I’m posting a Holiday thread because I refuse to do any holiday shopping until November!
My kids grew up with advent calendars and still enjoy if I get them one. We’ve had felt type advent calendars that I filled each year with treats, we recycled a Starbucks one (actually found out about this one on CC!) for years and it went off to college with all 3 kids for a good run, we’ve done a cheese one from Aldi, one from Trader Joe’s, cheapo chocolate ones when that was all we could find!
If you aren’t aware, an Advent Calendar is a count down to Christmas/Christmas Eve starting December 1st with a daily opening, with the last one open on December 24.
Thought it might be fun to hear about your past Advent calendars, where you like to get them, how you stuff homemade ones - any stories or traditions.
I’m eyeing up this one for one of my daughter’s this year - she/we adore this brand of jam and how fun would this be to open each morning!
I get them for my kids every year, after one year of a mistake (bought them on Amazon, didn’t realize they just had pictures in them my kids are young adults), I started looking well ahead of time, and would order the ones with the good chocolate (Cadbury, Lindt). I just checked and they are so expensive! I’d love to see new ideas that take zero effort.
We’ve always had multiple advent calendars. Last year W came across liquor based calendars for adults with entire calendars using gin, bourbon, scotch etc. kind of pricey but a big hit ( from drinks by the dram).
We always make our own advent calendar for D. Last year it was alcohol themed (cheaper for us to do it ourselves than to buy pre-packaged). The year before it was dorm room themed - everything from small dorm decorations to snacks to those single use face masks.
I will admit that it was easier when she was little and we could do hair accessories, inexpensive jewelry, etc…
I got that one for my Spouse last year and she loved it.
For the past 10 years or so it’s been Lego ones for my S23 and Harry Potter themed ones for D17. I usually also find the Lindt one for $8 at CVS but you got to go right when they first put them out as they sell quickly. Last year I also got an expensive Whisky one for me. I’ll probably just stick with the chocolate one this year. I did get the L’Occitane one for D17 this year. Trying to find a good one for S23 now that Legos don’t hold the same excitement. I think I’ll get him a dice one as he plays a lot of D&D.
Home Goods usually has some of the “homemade” advent calendars - a wall hanging with pockets that you fill yourself each year. When we’ve done those I just buy various candy (often the big bags of Lindt that Costco has on sale with various flavors) and stuff with those and then maybe once a week put in a $5 bill for coffee/hot chocolate - this was a hit when my kids were in college.
I have a wooden advent calendar with small ornaments to be hung for each day. Both grown children would like to have it (and there isn’t much from my house that they both want). Kids would take turns picking the ornaments and placing them and still do if I send them a text with a picture of the bare wooden tree. They know the options by heart. I may give it to D for her little girl next year because I bought this one from Melissa & Doug for S’s house last year. His then 3 year old absolutely loved it.
We have never purchased an advent calendar before last year (not something either my or my husband’s family did). We bought the bonne maman one @abasket mentioned in her post. My daughter is not home for the entire month of December so we just gave it to her as a Christmas gift and we opened them all at one time. The jams were a big hit and I have purchased this year’s edition. (The only holiday gift I rushed to get very early.)
I just get the cheap and cheerful ones from Trader Joe’s. I think they are $2 each? My kids know they are silly but, hey, a piece of chocolate is a piece of chocolate.
When my eldest was 2, I got a Playmobil advent calendar. The kids used to argue over who got to open the little boxes each day. Last year, I said I didn’t think I needed to bring it out anymore and they both protested. But I had to ask them everyday to do it. No chocolate, lol.
Well, now my 3 daughters are getting it as well (2 are away at college and 1 is living elsewhere). Maybe I’ll do a DIY for my sons which will be cheaper.
I bought the Bonne Mamam one last year and it was a bit hit. I ordered it from Amazon last month before the price shot up. Looks like Amazon has them back in stock so I would order ASAP if you are interested in them.
I also bought Lindt advent calendars at Costco. I think they were around $17.
@Lindagaf has TJ received their advent calendars yet? I got my daughter the 12 Days of Beauty a couple of years ago and am looking for it again.
We never used an advent calendar…but we had 24 Holiday books. We put them on a bookshelf in our family room…in the right order…land read one each night…then the book was removed from that shelf. The Night Before Christmas was read on December 24.
There is a FB thing circulating about putting a different canned food in a bag (or more than one bag) each day in December…then donating to the local food bank after the holidays (when their donations seem to slack off).
I hear Trader Joe’s has a good advent calendar with chocolates!
