Ideas for advent calendar fillers??

[cordiality]

I have these fillable calendars from JoJo Maman Bebe - https://www.jojomamanbebe.co.uk/christmas-tree-advent-chest-e2002.html

My daughter had it last year and I bought one for my son in the sale after Christmas, so they'll both have one this year, and for the foreseeable future.

I bought them because I don't want to buy disposable ones every year, but am concerned I'll just end up filling them with crap anyway, which will defeat the purpose!!

Last year I put in

• little bits of cheap jewellery
• little stickers
• chocolates
• um, can't remember.

The boxes are TINY. Items need to be super small. I think a Lego mini figure would just fit in.

So, any ideas please for things to fill the drawers with??? Just 48 lovely, small, non-crap item to think of!!!

[RubaiyatOfAnyone]

Novelty rubbers? The Works often does enormous packs. Depending on age of child, charms for a bracelet? Buy a lego kit and break it up into a few pieces each day?

I have a 24 piece nativity so put one of those little figures in each pocket (reusable every christmas) along with an aldi christmassy-chocolate.

[DreamingofSunshine]

Can you write out clues or draw/print a little picture of the day's gift?

[NotMeNoNo]

A sweetie and a joke? If you buy those foil wrapped sweets /coins the packaging is recyclable. Maybe every 5 days a pin badge or small treat?

[CileyMayRhinovirus]

Get a couple of Lego sets with lots of Pieces and put a different one in each day? Then they can build as they go?

[Youseethethingis]

I do one for DSD each year and it’s getting harder as she gets older - but is secretly my favourite part of Christmas! Will be watching this thread for new inspiration! How old are your kids?
One year I did a dolls house theme and got lots of dolls house Christmas decorations off Amazon and split them across the calendar, with a few drawers with a chocolate or a pound coin in. We had lots of fun decorating the dolls house together
Other things I’ve added are clues or tickets for special trips ( Christmas light switch on, horse riding lesson, cinema)
This year so far she’s got a pack of 6 novelty erasers from smiggle, a pack of 4 teeny bath bombs I found in the Entertainer sale, an LOL magic cloth, a christmas charm for her Pandora bracelet. (£15 on sale so the most expensive filler and technically just one of her proper presents that’s small enough to fit) one of the tiny polly pockets (also on sale in the Entertainer- not 100% this will fit and if not I will hide it and put a clue in the drawer) Other bits I will pick up to finish it will be hair accessories or earrings from Claire’s most likely.
Considering if splitting new FIMO modelling clay and cutters across the calendar might be fun as a theme this year and the other bits get popped in her stocking.
I think she looks forward to her advent calendar more than her actual Christmas pile in some ways so I do spend a bit on it, but out of the overall budget for her IYSWIM. DH takes care of the main gifts, only Santa gets the credit for those - she knows her calendar is all me [santa]

[Youseethethingis]

Also, when she was younger set the calendar up with raffle tickets and she got one of the 10 for £10 Christmas books to read before bed. That went down a storm!

[Gazelda]

Love the sweetie and joke idea Notmenono.

My DD is crafty. Last year I got her some sets of beautiful wooden buttons. Sweets, erasers, bath bomb. Key ring. Thimble. Packets of seeds.

[Leeds2]

A 50p, £1, and £2 coin for three of the days.
Pencil sharpener.
Super ball.
Marbles.
Hair bobbles.
Hair band.
A badge.

[cordiality]

You guys are amazing! Some brilliant stuff I hadn't thought of here.
Kids are 7 (boy) and 8 (girl).
Def will do some coins, clues for larger gifts, craft/stationery, vouchers for experiences, getting excited about it all now!

[MustardScreams]

Tiger are usually quite good for tiny fun things.

You could also put in a little note with the item on it (doesn’t have to be expensive) if it doesn’t fit into the drawer.

[Barbarara]

For a few years I got bundles of the “in” collectibles on eBay - mini figures, Moshi, stickeez, etc

[CatsMother66]

How about a note with a riddle for them to solve and find a gift hidden somewhere in the house like a mini treasure hunt. Always a big hit in my house (when I put them in the crackers)

[Autumnfresh]

I've done small toys but really how many cars and rubbers do you need AND it ends up costing more than a Lego one anyway. So now I do jokes and things to do every day such as write cards, post cards, make cake, wrap presents, see santa etc.

This year I'm doing wordy riddles and a combination of things to do or a small chocolate.

[lotusbell]

I did this for years for my son and he did love it but he's now 12 and I didn't do it last year - it definitely gets harder as they get older and it's hard to find small enough toys/novelties for older kids.
Last year he had the Beanies coffee advent calendar but we shared that.
This year, I've bought paper bags with number stickers but I'm beginning to regret even considering it as I've no idea what I'm going to get to put in it!!

[Pointlessquestions]

I have bought a small Lego set and split it amongst the drawers so on the first day you get the first piece and the instructions and then build it every day until it's complete on the 24th- the 24th has the little man in it. I've also had to make a jar of little chocolate coins so there's not mutiny!

[cordiality]

Last year the one I did got knocked off the mantelpiece on day 4 and all the drawers fell out and she saw everything .
Def will be doing little notes, treasure hunt style, they'll love that. like there's not enough to do at Christmas. Do you hide everything right at the beginning and hope they don't come across it? Or try to remember to do it on the day?!
Both my kids are obsessed with buying little bits of stationery etc, but there is SO much stuff lying around I could start a party bag fillers shop, so hoping to curtail that somewhat...

[Bloodybridget]

Last year I did Advent calendars for a girl aged 7 and three boys aged 3, 13 and 14! It was really difficult, as OP said tiny compartments, things for the little one had to be safe, etc. Things I included (as appropriate for each child): jokes written on brightly coloured paper, rolled up like a scroll and tied with coloured yarn; riddles for the 7yo, ditto; balloons; dolls house dogs, chocolate, tiny candy canes, photo booth photos of me and DP, "framed" in glittery tape (three of the DCs are our DGCs and we have known the fourth since birth), tiny figures, novelty erasers, champagne bottle cake candles.

[ObtuseTriangle]

Last year I brought some crackers when they were reduced after Christmas and I plan to put numbers on them for each day and put them in their own little tree.
This thread has given me lots of ideas as to what I will put inside them. I was thinking of buying a 24 piece puzzle and putting one piece in each. I like the idea of riddles, I might do clues to little gift or something.

[CroissantsAtDawn]

Im just putting chocolate coins in and possibly some Christmas fun facts. We don't need any more bits of plastic here.

[TelephoneTree]

That's gorgeous! Ours have a wooden advent calendar, and we put a clue in each day for them to find that day's 'Elfie's Christmas Letters' - so each day they hear a bit more of what's going on in the North Pole. Lots of fun for all of us!