Check out this very cool video of British advent calendars
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When I got married, we asked that people not give us gifts because we already had everything we needed. Some people ignored that and gave us cards from charities, specifying that a donation had been made to them in our name. This was a wonderful gift! We were so happy that our special day ended up helping someone. So it just struck me that this kind of thing would make a terrific stocking stuffer, as long as I choose a charity that matches the stocking recipient’s interest.
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Not as a stocking stuffer, but a few years ago I started a tradition. Part of my Christmas gift to my children and their spouses is: Around Thanksgiving, I ask them to designate a charity that I can donate to in their honor. Some pick the same one each year, others do more research and/or pick timely needs. (I suspect I’ll get at least one Planned Parenthood request this year). It brings me joy to see the areas of their concern for others.
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Gave my husband his Bonne Maman advent calendar this morning - he made crepes for lunch to try today’s flavor!
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D1 sent a video opening her first one today!
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I bought colorful dinosaur hair-cutting capes for the kids. My kids now have kids, so there are many home haircuts in their future! I also bought colorful clips that help keep hair out of the way when cutting bangs or making layers.
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Lol the only home haircuts here were during Covid, just the guys, and alcohol was involved.
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Thanks to this thread, I bought everyone (including the dogs) advent calendars. (Bonne Maman for D & DIL.) All were here at Thanksgiving. They’re a big hit! I believe we have a new family tradition.
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Thought this was appropriate for this thread. I made an Advent calendar for my work cubicle. I pick an employee each day to open/be the day’s gift recipient. It was so fun putting it together.
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That’s a fun idea.
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I’m a bit behind on this thread but thanks Gatormama for posting about the Solmate socks!! Soooo beautiful and cool.
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Tavern girl, what kinds of gifts are in this advent calendar?
I’m done I am really truly done. All the big gifts were ordered online and sent. My cleaning woman looked at all the little gifts and questioned if I could get any clothes into the carry-on. So I wrapped all the stuffings, put in a large USPS box, and shipped it out. So, please, no more good ideas. No more craft shows. Just stop.
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Just a lot of $3-$5 items. Fun socks, Burt’s bees, lotion, nips, corkscrew, pocket flashlights, gourmet chocolates, mittens, mugs, etc.
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Trader Joes has their waxed amaryllis bulbs, and their boxed body scrub, hand creme, and candle sets available. Also homemade bars of soap, they were almost sold out of these. They are selling their live edge olive wood cutting boards and small olive wood bowls, great for charcuterie.They have balsam candles in a tin and 2 types of larger glass candles. The display had a crowd around it and had to wait my turn. One woman purchased 24 of their orange/chocolate candy! Another purchased every amaryllis bulb they had!
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Our Trader Joe’s is an hour away - no way would I expect any of these items to be still available! I’m surprised those hoarders didn’t get trampled - sounds pretty rude!
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It was a little surprising, shades of the old Black Friday sales! I’m recovering from surgery, so I just stood back until the crowd thinned out. I then went to Aldi and found some nice German chocolate candy for the stockings. I love some of these ideas for stocking stuffers but I’m afraid the stockings are going to be so heavy that they will fall to the floor, 
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So this thread is guilting me into making a plan to get into action. 
I usually just wing prepping stockings until last minute (2-3 days before) .
But maybe this will be my year to be more timely.
(I think the chocolate orange reminder is what prompted me the most! Those are SO good. I bought one last year - only one S eats milk chocolate- he didn’t want it so I enjoyed it!)
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We hang out stocking empty Christmas Eve. When I fill them at night, they are not hung, I lay them at the fireplace base. No way am I trusting the stocking hangers to hold them up!
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There are dark chocolate Terrys Chocolate Oranges, just so you know 
I also usually end up having to lay the stockings on the hearth by the time I’m done
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