I don't like chocolate Advent calendars...

[MorticiaAnnSpookington]

it just seems wrong somehow, give me a proper Nativity scene with just windows to open..but daresay I'm in the minority here !

[TheFallenMadonna]

I get the DC a picture one. Because I have such fond memories from my childhood. Ironically, my mum buys them a chocolate one

[LadyOfWaffleIsScaryEnough]

I hate them. I can never find any 'normal' ones, except at garden centres sometimes.

[Quadrophenia]

can't stand them never have anywqhere to put them either and the chocolates always fall down to the bottom

[MorticiaAnnSpookington]

yes, think it must be that partly with me...ds sometimes gets given a chocolate one by friends but I always get a trad. one (with glitter)...it just seems right

[BetteNoire]

Me neither.
Don't see the point of rewarding someone with chocolate simply for opening a paper window.

[MorticiaAnnSpookington]

ah, am not alone...agree with you there BetteNoir...

[PhantomOfTheChocolateCake]

I have one with little draws underneith, you pull them out and put a tiny decoration on the wooden tree above. It's really sweet. I hate the chocolate ones. The chocolate always tastes like plastic.

[Quadrophenia]

I actually like the chocolate

[LynetteScavo]

I odn't like chocolate ones, although last year the only one left in the whole of our town was a Lint chocolate one. (OK, so maybe I shouldn't have left it 'till the 2nd Dec)
But anyway I bought this £5 advent calender, and because it was so expensive told the DC's they has to share it. I was so proud that they did share it, and took turns each day.

[crokky]

I absolutely ADORE chocolate advent calendars. I loved having them as a child and I have bought my 2.7 year old a lovely chocolate Thomas one! I used to love the countdown to Christmas that you get by opening the windows and I was thrilled with the chocolate.

[Tidey]

I like them if they're nice chocolate, but the cheap ones are revolting.

[Olihan]

We have one of those fabric ones, with all the people from the Nativity scane, plus a few trees and animals and you add one figure a day to the scene so by Christmas Eve you have the whole nativity. It's lovely and will last for ever, I hope.

They do tend to be bought the chocolate ones by relatives but I am a bit of a weirdy mum who thinks Christmas should have something to do with Jesus, without whom there would be no Christmas. I'm not particularly religious but I don't want my kids growing up to think Christmas is just about presents and chocolates and food.

[TheFallenMadonna]

I reward myself with chocolate for a lot less on too frequent a basis

[BetteNoire]

We make Advent paper chains.
The children remove one link each day, and it has a message that they wrote when they made them eg: make Christmas cards, or do something kind for my brother.
I write the link for Christmas Eve and cover the writing up with paper. It has the hiding place of a little gift for each of them, usually a christmas tree bauble with their name on, or a christmas candle.

[PhantomOfTheChocolateCake]

Ahh, that's sweet. Do you mind if I do this Bette?

[LynetteScavo]

Bette is teh only person in the whole world who is alowed to do that!

[PhantomOfTheChocolateCake]

Pleeeeaaaaassssseeeee?

[BetteNoire]

Ah... I'll think about it.

[MrsWeasley]

perhaps you would like this?

We don't do the chocolate ones, we have a reusable advent calendar and in each pouch is a special (to us) decoration for the tree.

Last year we also had one from Phoenix cards where each window revealed a tradition from another country.

[EachPeachPearMum]

olihan - where is yours from? GLTC?

[witcheseve]

My SIL always sent DD an advent calender without the chocs. The look of disapointment in her face was classic. Of course I explained that we never had chocs and the significance etc!

Its only middle of October, lets not stress about Christmas yet.

You can always lentil weave your own advent calender, then you can bring it out every year. We did this with tree decs, they mean so much, you know the stupid crap ones that dont colour co-ordinate but you love so much.

[Olihan]

Letterbox, I think, EPPM. My mum bought it for ds1 for his first Christmas. It's the old version of this one. Ours is landscape and slightly darker blue and green but the figures are the same.

[EachPeachPearMum]

Thanks!