Bloody advent calendars

[Silverswirl]

When I was little we had card advent calendars that had a picture from the nativity under each door or maybe angels, Holly, a bell, xmas tree etc.
Then when my kids first got advent calendars it was the chocolate ones where a small piece of chocolate was moulded into something. Fine. Cost around £1 Its something they really enjoy each morning and builds the excitement to Christmas Day.
For the last few years it’s been the hero / celebration ones as they saw them in the shop and really wanted one. Ok.. I was a bit 🤨 as they cost £5 each and I have 3 kids but knowing how much they enjoy them we’ve had those for the past few years.
I usually ask the kids if they have a preference on which one they like (ie heroes/ Reece’s / Malteasers etc) or if they want a surprise.
This year I asked my DD age 12. She said that 2 of her friends (I know one is wealthy) are getting the body shop one for £50! WTH? I said no, it’s a chocolate one as usual and does she have a preference and she said Heroes then but sounded disappointed.
So now the large chocolate ones are not good enough?
Why must things just get bigger and bigger all the time? I mean come on, who needs 24 tubes of plastic filled with a tiny bit of cream or similar. Really? Do we need to be having 24 samples of stuff?l and spending £50+ on an advent calendar?
Consumerism is on a runaway train and I just don’t think anything will stop it ever?

I totally agree with you it just becoming a other thing that's all about the "stuff".

I made a felt advent calendar which was obviously a bit of a faff although didn't cost me anything as I received a kit for it as a gift. So now it's cheaper for me to give the kids a sweet each day because I can go to the sweet shop and get pick n mix, helps avoid packaging too.

How about you tell the kids if they make an advent calendar (doesn't have to be sewing, could be a little string washing line, pegs to hang up the gifts and brown paper to wrap the gifts in. You could probably get all the sweets for about £4 and then they could each have something worth about £1 say on Fridays like a face mask from the supermarket, lib balm, etc.

I remember in the 90s when I was small, the chocolate advent calendars would have nice pictures / traditional scenes on the front in proper classic styles, rather than the basic cartoons they have now.

The chocolates were different every day - snowflakes, angels, logs, robins, stars, Christmas puddings, presents, baubles, bows, candles, holly... Now the cadburys ones are the same cartoon characters repeated multiple times.

You used to get a nice picture both on the door and behind the chocolate, again all different every day. Again, they're now just the same (crappy, generic) cartoon characters on repeat.

Surely it wouldn't be so expensive to print them with nice traditional scenes and pictures and dust off some of the old chocolate moulds? I'd love that!

Yeah, I agree. It doesn’t feel very Christmassy.

My kids used to get chocolate calendars and once, a Lego one which was a gift from a family member - but they found that a bit much as they had to build each day’s thing, and there wasn’t always time.

A few years ago we reinstated the fabric one DH had growing up. All kind of things go in there- 50p pieces, chocolate coins, candy canes, Christmas jokes, recipes that we bake together that day, tickets to activities for the day….I really enjoy thinking of things to put in it and they love the surprise. I have ordered myself a picture one this year though out of nostalgia. It was £3 from eBay.

@BlameItOnTheBlackStar if you think watching a film, seeing Christmas lights and singing a Christmas carol is a chore then you're a bigger Bah! Humbug than I am.

Agree completely OP, and yes to the taking turns.

I did however buy a story book one broken and bashed and reduced on Boxing Day a few years back and I haul it out with the decorations every year. It's a sort of family tradition and the kids love the silly Christmas story every night. I think I paid a pound so I'm ok with that.

Belladonna12 - in lots of countries Christmas day isn't about gifts at all.

Santa and the Christmas day gifts are mostly British/American and hard to know how the 24th became the 'main day' here.

I believe in many more countries Christmas is about Mass and feasting and they do actual gifts on Epiphany (such as Befana or Magi) than on Christmas (Epiphany is when Jesus was given gifts because it took the kings, wise men and everyone else 12 days to travel there).

@mam0918

Belladonna12 - in lots of countries Christmas day isn't about gifts at all.

Santa and the Christmas day gifts are mostly British/American and hard to know how the 24th became the 'main day' here.

I believe in many more countries Christmas is about Mass and feasting and they do actual gifts on Epiphany (such as Befana or Magi) than on Christmas (Epiphany is when Jesus was given gifts because it took the kings, wise men and everyone else 12 days to travel there).

25th sorry

I buy my two older teens a make up one, but... its in instead of any make up at Xmas and the amount spent comes off their overall Christmas budget. This year with offers they were £28

Yeah but you're mandating on which day she has to do these things! Sometimes you get home from work and all you want to do is collapse on the couch...but the advent calendar says write your Christmas cards abs the kids are desperate to do it now they've seen it...

Like I say, nice idea but my heart would sink a bit

YANBU but my kids have absolutely loved the Playmobil ones. Part of their Christmas has been setting up the old ones from previous years and adding new bits to them. I see as one less present.

This year is the first year they're a bit too old for them but I found a cheap jewellery one for DD1 who's 12 which I think she'll like.

@Lockheart

I remember in the 90s when I was small, the chocolate advent calendars would have nice pictures / traditional scenes on the front in proper classic styles, rather than the basic cartoons they have now.

The chocolates were different every day - snowflakes, angels, logs, robins, stars, Christmas puddings, presents, baubles, bows, candles, holly... Now the cadburys ones are the same cartoon characters repeated multiple times.

You used to get a nice picture both on the door and behind the chocolate, again all different every day. Again, they're now just the same (crappy, generic) cartoon characters on repeat.

Surely it wouldn't be so expensive to print them with nice traditional scenes and pictures and dust off some of the old chocolate moulds? I'd love that!

I said this but you’ve said it better!

Also, why does any child feel 24 Hero’s or Celebrations is Christmasy when every birthday present, shop or occasion have these?
Christmas chocolates are supposed to be unique to Christmas surely.

Toot toot want £40... no way

A money making racket to be sure. but lots of people still buy into it. Much the same, as people buying Christmas eve presents, when they have loads for Christmas day.. This was never a thing years ago..

never had them when I was young nor my kids, have bought some for my grandkids over the years but only a £1 chocolate one. the expensive ones are a rip-off and going too far, people have forgotten the real meaning of them, I bought an advent candle today. often used to have one and I am thrilled to have found another one as its been years since I had one

Dd9 has a Lego friends one and a chocolate one
Ds13 has a lynx one and a chocolate one
I just have a haribo one and I brought my mum a Yankee candle one.
So the most I’ve spent on one is the Yankee candle which was £35.
I wouldn’t spend more.
I think it’s okay if people are actually using them.

I’ve purchased my teen a candle or wax melt one for the past few years. She really enjoys it, and it’s part of her Xmas present.
We aren’t religious so advent is not a religious period for us: it’s simply the countdown to Xmas.
We spend about £30-£50 which we can afford. So why not? It’s a lovely treat for her.

Yes me too I had a card one with glitter on it was magical. I saw an enormous book one in lidls yesterday and don't get me started on fidget advent calendars !!

The most beautiful card advent calendars are available here

www.medici.co.uk/c/1056/Advent-Calendars

They also do chocolate ones.

@Frankzappa22

Where did you get that? It’s lovely!

I got it from Lakeland. I don't think they seem to have it this year- couldn't see it on their website anyway- it does sell out though I think- I've had it about 8 years now.

I don't really 'get' the beauty ones. Even if the sample items represent value for money (I have no idea, but let's say they do) in the scheme of things it's unlikely 24 different products are all going to be of use to you. Take lipstick - I only wear quite a narrow range of shades - others would be useless.

There was a hilarious thread about one of them that had particularly rubbish products a few years ago: 'Sharing the Shitness' - think it ended up in Classics.

Found it:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/mumsnet_classics/3102388-Sharing-the-Shitness-HOF-Advent-Calendar-SPOILERS

We have a reusable one with little drawers and I buy a tin of chocs each year to fill it with.
We do have a playmobil one this year because it was half price and I wanted to get them playmobil horses anyway, so it worked out better value. But that will be a one off.

Hmmm for me, it doesn’t matter if it’s advent calendars or Christmas Eve boxes - I draw the line at things that just get thrown away each year.

I’m happy to spend money on extra special consumables (chocolates/ treats, kids pyjamas/ socks that they’ll outgrow but need anyway). I’m also happy to spend money on things we’ll use year after year (fancy Christmas Eve boxes/ refillable advent calendars/ decorations/ elves).

However, I just can’t bear to spend money on stuff I know they’ll just throw away very quickly - such as fidget calendars or any calendars filled with small plastic toys.

I do have a set of wooden santa and reindeer figurines that don’t serve much more purpose than the other tat in calendars, but they’re kept and brought out every year so that seems ok

Yes me and DSis had to take it in turns to open the door and see the picture behind.

Still magical tho!

YANBU!! However I am guilty for falling for it though!!

I don’t spend more than £10 on one though and get something my DD can actually play with like Lego etc but I know I’m a fool and could spend that £10 in so many better ways.