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Original poster

To want to throw the advent calendars in the bin?

109 replies

Pregnantthenfkd · 07/12/2022 08:43

I want to preface this with - I am not actually going to throw my child's advent calendars away. But my god are they grating my cheese.

Does anyone else find advent calendars incredibly irritating? My 3yo has 3 this year (toy one from us, chocolate one and book one from grandparents).

All day long the asking about them, can she open another window? is it the next day yet? Today she was up at 4am asking to open them!! I thought the novelty would wear off by now but we're 1 week in and it's still all day long.

Is this obsession normal? Please tell me they grow out of this!

OP posts:
Notanotherone6 · 07/12/2022 09:21

She'll understand soon enough. My 3 year old asked if she could open another door for the first couple of days but she's now grasped that it's one every day. She has older sisters who have set an example for her to follow though.

ITSSSSCHRISTMASSS · 07/12/2022 09:23

When one my DDs was 3 she opened all her peppa pig toy ones in one hit, it was just easy to leave it, especially as it was my fault for leaving it within reach of a 3yo. She would play with the toys then put them back in the box. She also scoffed loads of the chocolates too. I did have some extra calendars I’d bought for 29p after the 1st so just took one out each morning so she had something to open with her sisters.

I also remember my middle child scoffing her sisters chocolate and standing there trying to look all innocent with chocolate drool running down her chin.

starfishmummy · 07/12/2022 09:25

Maybe we were just lucky but my son knew it was a treat after dinner and didn't pester!

We had a reusable one (bought by grandparents) and my issue was finding enough non edible things to put in it! (Son was tube fed)

Givemeallthegin8 · 07/12/2022 09:25

Just let her open Them all and be done with it! 3 is very small to understand the concept .
dd4 is able to wait this year but last year there was no hope!

W0tnow · 07/12/2022 09:26

I’m pretty cool with most things but I’ve never allowed them 😁

my 15 year old asked for one last week. I said no.

SkylightSkylight · 07/12/2022 09:27

W0tnow · 07/12/2022 09:26

I’m pretty cool with most things but I’ve never allowed them 😁

my 15 year old asked for one last week. I said no.

Why haven't you let them?

Alaimo · 07/12/2022 09:28

@goldierocks that's really lovely!

Bettyboop3 · 07/12/2022 09:30

My kids are grown up but my dogs love theirs 😁

Hungrycaterpillarsmummy · 07/12/2022 09:30

W0tnow · 07/12/2022 09:26

I’m pretty cool with most things but I’ve never allowed them 😁

my 15 year old asked for one last week. I said no.

Yeh of all things to say no to...why would this be the thing?!

CherryLongIsland · 07/12/2022 09:31

Maybe they're too exciting, mine just had the Melissa and Doug magnetic one until they were about 5.
Having said that I can remember bursting with excitement over picture ones when I was little.

Mariposista · 07/12/2022 09:33

Spliffle · 07/12/2022 08:45

Advent calendars should be pictures only. I hate all the others.

totally agree. And 1 is enough! 3 is ridiculous.

Y7drama · 07/12/2022 09:34

W0tnow · 07/12/2022 09:26

I’m pretty cool with most things but I’ve never allowed them 😁

my 15 year old asked for one last week. I said no.

Why would you say no?

Axolotlquestions · 07/12/2022 09:38

Saying no makes perfect sense when they become a source of aggravation.

TheYummyPatler · 07/12/2022 09:40

My toddler has a Thomas the tank engine one. He asked a few times for ‘more more trains’ on the first day but he’s very quickly accepted that he just opens a door after breakfast each morning.

How are you responding to your 3 year old when she is asking about it? Could you make it clearer that advent calendar opening happens after one of the standard events of the day (so she can anticipate it)?

Next year, it’s probably best to have just one calendar. Three is a lot for anyone and probably overwhelming at 3.

rainingcats · 07/12/2022 09:41

I have only this year (aged 5) reintroduced advent calendars back into our home. DS seems to ‘get it’ this year and we have had minimal fuss over it.

stuntbubbles · 07/12/2022 09:41

My 3.5yo is fine with hers and delightfully has already forgotten it once, so had two doors the next day which helpfully coincided with needing cheering up after a vaccination. (She’s got a chocolate one – I prefer a picture one but felt we needed some bribery this year with various life stuff going on.)

She didn’t open it this morning either, because she wanted to skip today and do two tomorrow. She’s also picking the numbers at random, which drives me bananas but I’m trying to remember: she’s three, it’s all overwhelming, the concept is tricky, who really cares?

I think your issue probably stems from having too many calendars! Grandparents buying them too is a bit annoying – I’d have given those to a food bank or charity instead.

TheYummyPatler · 07/12/2022 09:42

13 year old DS has a chocolate calendar. He loves it. It causes no problems at all.

I’ve got a wine one. Which I need to remember to open today. 🤣

ISaidDontLickTheBin · 07/12/2022 09:42

Obviously difficult when grandparents etc want to be involved, but 3 is too many advent calendars! By the time they get to actual Christmas they'll have had shedloads of presents already.

Shelby2010 · 07/12/2022 09:43

In our house they were only opened in the morning if they were ready for school/nursery early enough. Otherwise they had to wait until we got home again.

We had a WHOLE month of no one moaning about ‘the wrong socks’ or suddenly being unable to put their shoes on by themselves!

MillyMollyManky · 07/12/2022 09:46

Three is a lot. Might be easier with one.

It might also help to link it to something that's already part of her routine- every day we open a window after breakfast, say- so she knows that it happens then and not at any other time. That might help her grasp that it's once a day and not more. Contrary to PP I would do them all together for this reason, or if you want to spread them out then again link them to set parts of her day- one after breakfast, one after lunch, one after dinner (or whatever). But it's quite a complicated idea for a little one.

Justdoit4 · 07/12/2022 09:47

@goldierocks that looks amazing, is it bucilla? (Sorry to derail thread)

fwiw i agree it’s helpful for teaching time! My 3yo keeps eyeing his 3 up but knows today is number 7 and tomorrow is number 8

lookersnoopy · 07/12/2022 09:49

Do you put them out of sight during the day? I had to do this for one of mine as she never stopped talking about it and having them on display was a constant reminder!

Welshwabbit · 07/12/2022 09:50

We have a fabric one with pockets which my Mum made for the boys. I put something in the relevant pocket each night. My children are 10 and 7 now but we have done this since they were quite little. Avoids the opening everything at once problem. They do also have a chocolate advent calendar from their other grandparents which they are now old enough to do properly!

VeganGordie · 07/12/2022 09:51

advent calendars are part of the fun of christmas for kids, i say dont throw them away!

BumFluffBumFluff · 07/12/2022 09:51

My DH bought me a M&S biscuit one.
l’ve eaten all the contents up until the 10th.
I’m 49

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