I love Christmas but Advent is pissing me off.

[MistsAndMellow]

A lady I know has three children and she is now shopping for tat things to put in the pockets of the calendars that her three children have. The youngest has severe developmental delay (my son is autistic and I know he couldn't give a fuck either) and "won't notice" and the older two are well, much older. And presumably could wait until Christmas.

She tells me that she has to shop from September almost every day to buy 3 X 24 little presents mainly from the 99p shop / Primark in addition to the rest of it.

I was a bit aghast at the buying of crap just because you can, not because you need to. I've been in the position of having to buy main presents from the cheaper shops so I do understand.

But then I am a total Grinch and hate chocolate advent calendars with Disney / Ben 10 themes because when the chocolate is gone there isn't a lovely picture to see, not properly.

What do you think about all this new fuss about Advent? When I were a lass Christmas started on the first of December. Is it a retailing thing?

This is the book we use for our advent readings (along with a Children's Bible).

My mum buys my DD a nativity scene one (no chocolate) which when opened shows pictures of angels and shepherds etc.It's the same one from last year and year before. I do a cloth one with a little star that moves every day towards 24. Last year i put a tiny choc snowman in each one (she was 5)and will prob do same this year. I do have a candle that you burn every day but i always always forget to light it.
This year on Xmas eve we are going to do a cryptic crossword treasure hunt for our DD who is 6 (obviously simpler for her) as both DH and I love to do them and DD sees us enjoying them. i will do DH clues and he for me and we will both do one for DD and the prize will only be a large choc santa or similar but it's the excitement that counts. We love Christmas and anything that adds to the excitement is part of that.
I also save any Christmas themed books to bring out every year - The night before Christmas, and Mr Mens Christmas etc. Will have a look at the Waiting for Noel book weegiemum too as def need some new ones.

I love Advent and have a selection of Christmas books and films that only come out once Advent has begun. We have the picture only Advent calendar with a nativity scene(Oxfam do some lovely ones and the profit goes to a good cause!). I loathe the commercial "countdown" calendars with a vengeance!

OP - YANBU.

And your point is?
Who cares. Why do you? It's utter shite, but so what?

Can't believe you are thinking about this a) NOW and b) so much!

I will most likely get my two (4 and 2) chocolate ones with a Christmassy scene on (Christmas Barbie/whatever). Is this another thing that you can't admit to on MN?!!

Well I grew up with advent calenders in Denmark and I loved them My children have had them a few times we usually go with a larger thing like a playmobile set a train set or similar and split it into 24 small packages..

Now they are older I do what my mother did and give Advent Sunday gifts they are a bit bigger for the older girls I will do cds for the 2 younger ones it will be dvds or games..

I have to say YABU it is her choice to do what she wants. personally I wouldnt go to the pound shop but then i rarely go anyway.. but her choice

theer's a lovely article on advent here

We have four calendars amd a candle each year, for the six of us. Two chocolate calendars, one regular 'Nativity scene' picture calendar, one that comes out from the attic every year (lots of little books in a frame which reveal a picture and tell a story, and an advent (daily) candle which one person gets to light and blow out. We swap over who opens what each day, so only one person doesn't get a turn each day, and everyone gets a chance to have a chocolate every few days.

We also have an Advent wreath which I make each year as a centrepiece for the table, with four red candles for the four Sundays of Advent, and a white/gold one for Christmas Day. We light it when we're having Sunday dinner together.