Here we go again, advent calenders!

[Heartmum2Jamie]

I know, I know, it's too early to be thinking about Christmas, but I know it will take a while to source an advent calender for ds2.

I have sent off an email to kinnerton, but does anyone else know of somewhere I can get an advent calender for a dairy, egg, nut & wheat allergic child?

I am thinking of just getting a nice re-useable calender and filling it of little treats for him instead, or getting him the lego city advent calender, but £12 is a little steep for a calender

Does it have to have things in it? We had a charlie and lola one last year with just pics and it was great.

just get a picture calendar. That's what we do.

blooming marvellous have a nice [expensive] one which has little pockets for each day with a felt tree decoration in it and a big felt tree. As the days go by, you take out the tree decoration and stick it to the tree. I may be naiive (my lo is under 1), but I thought that was a nice idea...

i remember when advent calendars used to come WITHOUT chocolate

they have got nice wooden ones with little drawers in john lewis for £15 . hey, it's an investment

I got a lovely fabric one with pockets from Netto for a fiver last year, and 2 packs of 12 tiny tree decorations from Tesco for £2 each. We then made a cardboard tree (two tree shapes cut out and slotted together at right angles and all painted green, about 1/2 foot high) and a decoration went on the tree each day. There was also a Quality Street in each pocket

said fabric calendar, tree decs and cardboard tree are obviously coming out every year for at least the next 10, so peanuts per year.

said fabric calendar, tree decs and cardboard tree are obviously coming out every year for at least the next 10, so peanuts per year.

I prefer the ones without chocs - as the choc is usually foul and there are no pictures (I like the doll's house feeling of little pics behind the doors) - Phoenix cards (scratch and a trader will appear) do some really lovely non food ones.

I think I may go down the pocket road this year, I can always put some little whizzer footballs in the pockets.

Califright, I LOVE the idea of a prezzie calender, could be a new tradition to start for next year

Lulu, I say one of those wooden calender type things with Urchin for £19

Well, a good advent calendar should last you for life, and doesn't need chocolates or sweets in it.

I just had a brochure from a company called TRIDIAS (www.tridias.co.uk), and they have two advent calendars that should last forever.

One is an international children's calendar (£29.99), and a traditional (but very gorgeous) Nativity Calendar (£29.99). In both cases, you slip different characters into the pockets from 1st December onwards. No sweets, no crap.

You can also slip 20p pieces, etc, into each pouch as an added source of enjoyment.

Christian book shops tend to have advent calendars that are dairy, egg, nut, and wheat-free

a few years ago, asda did ramadan advent calenders that were nut free. possibly dairy as well, i dont remember.