to give up putting new things in those bloody pockets

[methsdrinker]

Right, i have a lovely felt hanging advent thing with 24 pockets. I have put
a poem,
a small toy,
a tiny letter from the elves,
a small smiley badge
a shiney button (didn't go down to well)
a shell
a small chocolate
in each pocket so the kids wake up and find it in the morning.

I have now realised I have made a rod to beat myself with. Shall I just give up and fill it with chocolate coins or has anyone got any other healthy suggestions.

I was thinking of dropping it in the fire
I will never do this ever again the stress of having to think of something and then get it in the pocket ARRGGG stupid women that I am.
Any suggestions would be warmly welcomed.
ps I amy be some time as I am going down stairs to fill a pocket

[Doyouthinktheysaurus]

The ds's have stocking advents with pockets. On 31st November we get out the tins of christmas sweets, they put one in each pocket, job done

Your's sound lovely but far too much like hardwork for me

[YulenoYurbubson]

How old are the children?

[onceamai]

Have you put all of that in each pocket? If so you really have made rod for your own back; if not, how about tiny bunches of grapes and a trip to Poundland!

[SuchProspects]

That sounds absolutely lovely and v.v. hard work!

Some ideas:

A joke
One of those origami fortune teller things
A cartoon
Stickers
A riddle
The bits to make a bracelet (one piece a day for a week)
The URL to a website with something they'd like
A balloon

[cairnterrier]

Is there a website where you can buy toys to fit inside homemade crackers? I was thinking about those fortune telling fish. Or some dice, a balloon, box of raisins, a tiny book, a tiny pack of pencils. Not sure if any of those would be a choking hazard though depending on your DC's ages.

[Berk]

You can buy that crap in the party section at tesco

[BubsMaw]

How about a chewable toothbrush ?

You could always put it in along with chocolate, then you needn't worry about the DC's teeth?!

Otherwise I don't know. I think I'd just do the mini chocolates, one a day is not so bad.

[LutyensInTinsel]

Ah, you see I have never even thought of attempting this because, lovely though the idea is, it is very hard to achieve in practice! I still shudder at the memory of the Christmas when my aunt tried it with her 5 year old...after day 7, the boy became increasingly sniffy about her increasingly desperate ideas...leading to a "noone appreciates my hard work" meltdown a week before Christmas. Strangely the calender never made an appearance in following years

OK, some ideas for you may be
A balloon
A pair of dice
Novelty eraser
A small notebook

A trip to Poundland may be on the cards

[thumbplumpuddingwitch]

Or you could be really evil and put words in each day - either building up to a clue to their present, or something lovely to say about what great children they are - I don't know.
I wouldn't have one for exactly the situation you are now in!

[Indith]

Bloody hell one of mine has a chocolate and the other a couple of hulahoops (doesn't like chocolate) and I slip them in when I get up in the morning else they would raid the other pockets.

[MumsieNonna]

I am very impressed with this company Toyday. Look in the party bag toys section. There are also some lovely non-crap toys and traditional wooden things to buy. You can also get the red fortune telling fish (20p) on this site. Lots of stuff at less than 50p.
Have bought some wooden 'Clanger' whistles and one of those plastic bird whistles that you fill with water and it trills like the dawn chorus for GC.

[ApocalypseCheeseToastie]

How about some of those light up balloons you can get these days ??

You're quite mad btw

[DarklyDreaming]

I stash away all the annoying little plastic things they've got in party bags all year, and they make an appearance again in the advent calendar pockets

[ApocalypseCheeseToastie]

Football or disney cards/stickers ?

[SpikyBinkle]

I just put a note from the Advent fairy in each day, which is usually an activity to do and sometimes the stuff they will need to make it. For example 'Make paper chains to decorate the room.' with some strips of paper. The activities include things like making cards, decorations, baking, going for a winter walk, watching a Christmas DVD (my personal favourite) etc

[loveulotslikejellytots]

How about putting clues in each pocket, which then get put together for a boxing day or new years day treasure hunt or something?

[ShrinkingViolet]

I have three of these, made by my mum - she does half of the parcels though (except this year Royal Mail haven't managed to deliver her contribution so I spent two hours on 30th November wrapping up bloody Celebrations for the other pockets). Hawkins Bazaar is your friend for this, as well as Wilkos, Poundland and Tescos. We get little notebooks, pencils, rubbers, hair clips, fans, those things which shoot out paper, and mini slinkies. Oh, and little soaps, bath bombs, bubble bath.

It seemed like a nice idea when DD1 got her first dolls house (each bag had one piece of furniture, then Santa brought the house to put it in) but two more children later it's harder work.....

[ShrinkingViolet]

oh, and buy the stuff all year round when you see it, otherwise you have a mad panic at the end of November.

Or don't have one of these in the first place and just buy a chocolate advent calendar each year .

[methsdrinker]

Wow thank you so much.
Definitely a lesson in life never ever to
start this again.

Kids are 4 and 7 so I can get away with all sorts of old tat.

I think recycling the party bag stuff that is scattered to the 4 winds may be a good start before a trip to tesco and quality save.
I knew i should have said no when this was begged for.
I was hoping to be a good mother and not put chocolate in every pocket so thanks very much for the ideas.

[Alouiseg]

Paint eyes on a nice smooth pebble, stick on a little square of Fymo. Write a message on the Fymo.

[TinselinaBumSquash]

I go to the local post office and really annoy the lady behind the counter by asking for 50 seperate bags with 5 penny sweets in each, then i pay my £2.50 and pop the bags strieght in the stockings. At the weekends i add a card in saying 'make mince pies' 'watch chiristmas film' 'go for nature walk' ect.

[DastardlyandSmugly]

I have a mini Christmas tree in the DC's playroom and their calendar is filled with small decorations to add to the tree. I got a lot of them from Paperchase

[bilblio]

I had a advent calendar as a kid that had a poem going through it. A few more words every day. I loved it!
So much so that it got ironed and reused for several years.

Or maybe my Mum was just "thrifty"... like me.
This also may be why I loath chocolate advent calendars.

DD has a tree with lots of drawers. She's getting chocolate coins from the Christmas Fairy every day.
She's also spending most of the day playing with the flipping drawers. Tonight I am missing 1 drawer and the fairy will have to glue another one back together.
Next year the fairy might leave bits of a poem and DD won't spend all day checking for more coins.

[HippyChristmaspotamus]

oh i'm loving the ideas on here! i didn't even get as far as making the calendar for my dc
next year, there's always next year....

[WhatFreshHellIsThis]

I have one of these, first time using it this year. Tried something other than chocolate on Day 5. DS2 was so outraged at being given a small plastic monster that he hurled it to the ground, stamped his feet and screamed.

We went back to chocolate.