Lego calendar - any way of buying them without wincing?

[UntamedShrew]

We usually just get chocolate ones but one of my DSs has recently been diagnosed as dairy intolerant and while he's been really good about avoiding dairy I know he finds chocolate the hardest. So, I wanted to get him a 'better than chocolate' advent calendar, and when you're a 7 year old boy that means Lego. But oh my, the price of the things! £35 for the star wars one?! Am I missing an obvious trick to find a bargain..?

Thanks in advance for any tips.

[frikadela01]

I've seen the star wars one for £25 in Smyth's, toys r us, Amazon, the Lego shop. Where have you seen it for £35?

I'm getting one for dp.

[frikadela01]

direct.asda.com/george/kids/lego-toys/lego-star-wars-advent-calendar-75146/000723987,default,pd.html?cmpid=ppc--george--ggle-pla--OD07TOYS_HOBBIES---_-dskwid-s92700014242725398_dm&gclid=CjwKEAjw-abABRDquOTJi8qdojwSJABt1S1O298lAeQytCGpAsCyArMjqIariEjYf0WbvYtqViRShBoCElzw_wcB

[frikadela01]

Sorry for long link. £19.97 from asda

[SoupDragon]

It's £24.99 on the lego.com site.

[BabyGanoush]

Just do it

My kids loved theirs. And they are not 7 for long

[Mantis1975]

We got one from Jadlem. It was £21 but they are more now.

[PandasRock]

I've done Lego advent calendars for the last few years, but not the official ones. It takes effort, but is worth it (and you get better Lego at the end of it!)

I buy a seasonal set (usually around £10-15) and then divide it up into 1 or 2 steps of the instructions per day (photocopy and cut it up). Wrap up the corresponding bricks in tissue paper along with the instructions.

Alternatively, you can get dairy free chocolate advent calendars - montezumas often have one, or any of the free from ranges - I expect moo free will have one. Check on Goodness Direct (I've not used hem for a couple of years, but they used to be a good place for a selection of dietary issues)

[UntamedShrew]

It was on Amazon, the £35 one.

Thank you for the asda link **frika
and the incentive to do it **BabyG
And **pandas for the longer way round if I just can't pay that!

All brilliant, thanks so much for speedy replies.

[UntamedShrew]

So that bold thing works brilliantly then eh?

[purpleladybird]

Currently out of stock but Wilko have one which is £5 (called blocks) and to me looks better than the Lego one - more to put together, some of the Lego days are just a minifigure with something in its hand which I don't get but then I am no Lego fan. I planned to get it for OH but ended up getting Lego City for £20 in a real shop (can't remember the last time I shopped in the flesh) because I was worried about not getting one and ruining advent

I am going to start dropping hints about that Virgin wine advent calendar. 3 x Lego = 1 x wine, yes?

[JustWantToBeDorisAgain]

get a moo free advent calendar! much cheaper and dairy free chocolate aimed at kids.

[daisydalrymple]

Not at all what you're asking, but if you also want an edible calendar, I've managed to get a haribo one off Amazon, £7, looks like it has a 10g mini bag each day ( #teethbatteringdecember ???)

[cheapandcheerful]

To do the bold type you have to put the text between the stars!

Like this... easy (but without the space)

[ImprovingMyMH]

Lego City ones end to be a bit cheaper (and better) than Lego Star Wars ones. DS loves them.

[supercaliforniasurfer]

I bought a Lego Star Wars one on Amazon a couple of weeks ago for £22

[Curious541]

I do something similar to Panda - I buy a nice set (with plenty of bits) and split it into 24 separate piles, wrap up each pile and they get one each day until xmas. No instructions - they get them in box wrapped up in empty box on xmas day *box not always empty - some leftover bits

I also pick a set I know they want but split it so they can't tell what it's going to be - they spend 24 days re-arranging trying to guess - the leftover bits are usually bits that would reveal what the set is don't want them to get a piece that says 'police'. Or give them all the white bits first so they think it's the police set then give them the red (firemen set)

The 3-in-1 creator sets are great (could be car,truck,helicopter and turns out to be all!)

BTW - no kids (yet!) I do this for my hubby (34) and best friend (32female)

I love that they get a decent set at the end - not just some figures and a tiny bit of something to build x

[BabyGanoush]

Yes, but the fun for kids is that there is something they can play with every day.

Something tiny but fun

Not having to wait, and just getting 4 random bricks that only make sense as part of a whole.

But that is just speaking for my own kids. Others might love ending up with a proper set a lot more!

[snowplop]

Thanks Frika for the asda link - that's the best price I've seen for the Star Wars ones.

[Curious541]

Babyg you're right the first couple of days there's very few bits but after that every time they get a new bit it's the fun of taking apart, rebuilding and trying to work out what it might be

(Taking to bits and rebuilding - isn't that the point of lego? )

[PandasRock]

I can see that ds would quite like your method in a few years time, Curious. He's only 4, and so if i tried that now all he bits would be lost by the time he got his instructions

My dc enjoy guessing what they are trying to build - even with the more obvious models, it takes a good 2 weeks of building before they are even close to guessing. I don't give the instructions as a whole, just the relevant steps for that day, so they don't have an image to work towards. They enjoy the anticipation and guessing of what it might be (dc are 12 (with SN and learning g difficulties), 9 and 4)

This year, instead of three small models, they will be building the holiday train to run around the dining table . They'll guess that pretty quickly, but the novelty of the train at table will keep the enjoyment. They're only getting a set that big because I have enough reward points to get it free! I usually get the seasonal sets, but I don't like the look of this year's offerings (apart from the snow globe coming later this year)

[Mrs5boys]

When argos do the 3 for 2 this includes lego advent calenders,, so I got something for my toddler for £25 and 2 lego advents ,,,£50 for all ,,,, you can then either sell one advent calender for £20 so someone gets £5 off and yours then cost only £5 or if you know someone else who wants to get one you could split the cost so they work out half price

[SymphonyofShadows]

I usually manage to find the Lego SW one for about £20. They are usually not bad value once you break it down. You get 6 minifigures which would be £2.50 each if sold and the other bits. Last year's was good, it had the Sarlacc pit, Lin droid and sandcruiser over 3 days, so it was well themed (geek!). I don't think there is a Santa character this year though, which is annoying. It might not be as good now that Disney have the rights.

[IncapabilityBrown]

If you're still looking to buy a Lego advent calendar, Tesco are including them in their current 3 for 2 toy offer. Just combined forces with my neighbour to get the three we wanted between us. Lego City was £19.99 and Star Wars about £24.

[HighDataUsage]

John Lewis has Lego city advent calendars for 19.99 & a similarly reasonably priced Lego star wars calendar.

[Shemozzle]

Wilkos do a fake Lego version for far cheaper. Had lots in my local store.

Or fill pockets yourself with these toy fillers, you can get felt ones from poundshops. m.ebay.co.uk/itm/142165146224?_mwBanner=1