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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:
girlmom21 · 07/12/2022 11:23

OP if she's got 3 can't you open them at 3 different times of the day?

Toy after breakfast, chocolate after lunch and book after tea and she can have it read to her that night. A routine might help.

Feelallright · 07/12/2022 11:25

girlmom21 · 07/12/2022 11:21

My 3yo has a chocolate one and inside they say how many days until Christmas which is perfect for her age.

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But they all say that, don’t they? They all have numbers on the the doors. Or am I missing something?

We also have an advent candle, which also works well. You burn down from one number to the next every day.

ImAvingOops · 07/12/2022 11:25

My 25 year old son opened his all in one go, so no, it doesn't get better Grin

MamaFirst · 07/12/2022 11:27

Just make it part of the bed time routine. She doesn't get to open it until she's had dinner and in her pj's or something. Or do it first thing in the morning if that works better. Just have a set routine so that she doesn't need to keep wondering and pestering.

girlmom21 · 07/12/2022 11:34

@Feelallright sorry, inside it says '19 more sleeps' or however many more sleeps until
Christmas

Goldenbear · 07/12/2022 11:39

The chocolate advent calendars have been around for ages haven't they? I'm early 40s and usually was given one by my Grandparents and one had Scandinavian heritage and advent was a particularly important time of year, it wasn't a commercial thing.

Buttons294749 · 07/12/2022 11:41

@goldierocks that is amazing!

Picture windows defo the way to go, if DC opens the wrong window simply close and open again on the correct day!

MarrymeKeanu · 07/12/2022 11:46

It’s normal. And 3 advent calendars including a toy one is a lot for a 3 year old.

Next year perhaps simplify it with just one calendar.

mondaytosunday · 07/12/2022 11:47

Well my in laws used to give the kids chocolate ones and of course most were eaten the first week. Couldn't care less - told them if they ate all of it that there wasn't any more. I had a picture one, and for a few years they had Lego ones, but they must have been old enough that they enjoyed the anticipation. Now back to picture ones.
Anyone who starts the elf thing needs to think twice. And thrice. And then put that idea away.

Passanotherjaffacake · 07/12/2022 12:28

My 3.5 year old is ok with one a day but which one remains a daily debate as she wants the big Santa. We tried to use it to teach her about recognising numbers but this morning she opened 15 instead of 7 and it had a Teddy on the wrapper so all hope was lost!

she was given a different choc one by a local car garage when I got my mot. Solid guys but now fighting on two fronts. I was too British to decline though.

Purplemagnolias · 07/12/2022 12:33

of course most were eaten the first week. Couldn't care less - told them if they ate all of it that there wasn't any more

Exactly this. When I was young I'd eat all the chocolates and re-close the doors. Then I obviously had none left... but that was MY problem. It was MY advent calendar.

Why are parents making it THEIR problem?

BertieBotts · 07/12/2022 12:38

3 year olds are too little and three is too many, IMO.

One advent calendar, from the age of 4, works well. We got DS2 (4) a toy one this year and I wasn't going to get chocolate ones at all but then DH in his wisdom for some reason (???) bought ME two chocolate ones. I don't want to set a bad example by opening them all ahead, but it means DS is now constantly clamouring at mine for chocolate, because "I" have one and I made the mistake of designating the second one a "shared" one.

I remember DS1 had one at about 2 and the entire day was just questions about when he could open the next door, aaaaaargh. It's an exercise in frustration before they understand the concept of waiting.

Mol1628 · 07/12/2022 12:43

Having three is definitely the problem. Needs to be simpler.

We have a refillable wooden one for the morning once ready for school, and then light the candle on the evening.

WHEREEL · 07/12/2022 12:44

I got two for my three year old. We’ve had the one to get over the mega excitement that we sat and binge ate on day two. She’s now content with opening the second one slowly and we’ve had days where she hasn’t asked about it.

Opening the advent calendar at the bottom and sneaking the chocolates outs is one of my fond childhood memories

riotlady · 07/12/2022 12:50

My DD has misunderstood her calendar and thinks that it’s the act of eating the chocolates that makes it Christmas Day- she doesn’t understand why I won’t let her eat them all at once so that it can be Christmas already! 😂

Feelallright · 07/12/2022 12:52

Purplemagnolias · 07/12/2022 12:33

of course most were eaten the first week. Couldn't care less - told them if they ate all of it that there wasn't any more

Exactly this. When I was young I'd eat all the chocolates and re-close the doors. Then I obviously had none left... but that was MY problem. It was MY advent calendar.

Why are parents making it THEIR problem?

My DC don’t have chocolate or gift ones, and neither did I. I think it’s important for children to understand the idea and concept of what advent is about. The idea of “my advent calendar” is very odd to me. Advent is for all people - it’s just a marking of time. You can’t make time go more quickly by opening the doors early. The days pass by in order and on a schedule. There’s no way my DC would open a calendar ahead of time -it’s just a pointless thing to do. If they had wanted to, I wouldn’t have let them.

Trollsintheforest · 07/12/2022 13:08

stuntbubbles · 07/12/2022 09:56

No it’s 24 small windows

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😂😂😂

Mulhollandmagoo · 07/12/2022 13:14

Caspianberg · 07/12/2022 08:46

No idea. My 2 year olds one is a fabric one. It’s his first year having one. I only put something in each evening for the next day this year, otherwise he would just want every pocket at once.

This is a cracking idea!!!

I'm the same OP, have a three year old and every day we have to have the conversation that we only open it once a day, so we've put it away now so she can't see it and take it out every night before we go to bed so it is there in the morning. Ot is definitely something they grow out of.

Mulhollandmagoo · 07/12/2022 13:22

goldierocks · 07/12/2022 09:18

I'm not sure if they grow out of them - my DS still enjoys his, and he’s in his (very) early twenties!

I made it for him when he was a toddler, so it's become a bit of a tradition.

@goldierocks this is beautiful!!!

ITSSSSCHRISTMASSS · 07/12/2022 13:25

I think just window ones are pointless. But, I never had advent calendars as a child so I probably don’t get the fuss about it.

My DDs have 3 this year, one chocolate one from Aldi that they got to choose and one toy one which is a surprise and tied into what they asked for for Christmas. One child asked for rubber ducks for Christmas so got a duck calendar, another makeup so got a make up calendar and the other wanted some polly pockets so got a polly pocket calendar, the calendar itself is a toy polly pocket house.

The 3rd calendar was out of our control, they all came running out of school with them on the 1st.

Just because they have chocolate and toy calendars dose not mean they don’t know about the true meaning of advent. They have lots of advent activities at school and attend advent services. One dd also brought him her class Posada home last night and all my DDs read the story book that came with it and lit the candle.

WhoHasMovedMyBrain · 07/12/2022 13:29

goldierocks · 07/12/2022 09:18

I'm not sure if they grow out of them - my DS still enjoys his, and he’s in his (very) early twenties!

I made it for him when he was a toddler, so it's become a bit of a tradition.

That's stunning. Really beautiful!!

What kind of stuff do you put into them for older kids?

essex42 · 07/12/2022 13:33

I am ancient enough to remember advent calendars as being just windows you open to see pictures and that is all my sons (now 32 and 30) ever got. I used to buy them a tub of Quality Street or whatever and they could eat one a day - or eat the lot at once. I do rather still wish that Advent was about just that - the actual Christmas story.

GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · 07/12/2022 13:35

My 8 yo has opened all his at once.

Im putting this down as his look out, that he doesn’t have anything left to open now.

mymeatballsmymeatballs · 07/12/2022 13:36

I think your 3 year old will probably deal with it better next year when they're abit older and probably best to stick to one calendar. My 4yo DS just has one chocolate one and he doesn't pester constantly. He loves chocolate too but he learnt straight away that he only has one a day. My mum always buys me one too (I'm 35Grin) and he hasn't even noticed that I've got it, I do eat it secretly though!

Respectfullydisagree · 07/12/2022 13:41

Lol yeh I feel your pain. My 18 month old ended up with two choc calendars… too young to understand the concept of one a day so I’ve put them away. Can enjoy advent calendars when she is old enough to understand! I don’t want pestered for chocolate all day. If they don’t see it they don’t want it, but if it’s literally hanging on the wall ffs 😭

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