Those of you that aren't keen on edible advent calendars ....

[nappyaddict]

What do you think to the Playmobil ones that build up a Christmas scene?

I personally don't like the ones with food or little presents in them cos I think Christmas day should be about the feasting and the presents and having a small one every day sort of dilutes this.

But the Playmobil ones build up a Christmas play scene gradually and then you could reuse it year after year so after the first year it's used it doesn't really count as a present every day, it would be similar to those nativity scene ones.

I object to the waste of card and plastic in the choc calendars, when DC could have a sweet in much less wrapping in the reusable fabric pocket calendar, particularly as choc calendars were completely out of the question when I was a child!

Awitch How religious are you? For example, do you go to church every week, do you go every so often, do you go just for occasions like christmas, easter etc or you don't go to church but you still believe in god (or some other alternative I haven't thought of lol)

Ooh nappyaddict that Eric Carle one looks LOVELY. I've been drooling over all sorts of reuseable ones, but none of them have quite hit the spot.

I'm possibly thinking about this one, because it has all the little objects already included so I can avoid chocolate/plastic tat. Really love the idea I came across on MN of putting a little favour or promise in each pocket i.e. a slip of paper with 'Daddy will read a story' or 'bake biscuits with Mummy' etc. No doubt a few chocolate coins will creep in though .

I'm tempted to get the Eric Carle one now (too!)

i don't go to church other than to please my mother, tbh, but i am still a catholic, iykwim? old habits die hard, for which i am glad, actually, because i think it's good to have roots in a religion, even if you don't observe every element.

plus, what's teh alternative. christmas without religion is just a confusing present-fest, unless you are conciously celebrating it as a midwinter festival.

We have a fabric advent calendar with cloth pieces you hang up, like this one.

Awitch So presumably you went to church regularly when you were a child?

I think you can get them cheaper than this though.

Also Awitch do you object to advent calendars with christmas trees or snowmen on or just Santa?

LOL MrsThePoint (great name), loving the x-post. Where can I get them cheaper? And what is the quality like, will they last do you think??

oh yes, very much so. and yes, for me and my family i wouldn't consider a snowman scene as an advent calendar. it's the advent of the living christ that is being anticipated, not father christmas.

couldn't much care what anyone else does, though...

LionOnTheFloorInAPoolOfBlood I?ve used mine for the past 3 years and its quality is good. It was a gift, so I don?t know how much it was or where to get them, sorry! Not much use, am I?

x-post conversation was a bit odd!

what was odd about it?

Aitch, not the cross-posting with your convo - just the fact the MrsThePoint and I happened to mention the same calendar within seconds!

We're not all out to get you

Thanks MrsThePoint!

righto, i was wondering...

nappy- we have the playmobil woodland scene/santa one- it was £11 from woollies 3 years ago. We re-use it every year. It's great.

We have a nativity scene to remember the birth of Christ (not that anyone in our house is Christian, but I don't like to lose sight of the actual point of Christmas)

I like the ones with just pictures in too... IMO children don't need to have chocolate before school [cats bum face] ... but then my 2 are both under 5.

Wider i wasn't having a go at you, so no need for all the ing. I just meant that the choc ones didn't exist when I was young, and it's funny that people now think that they are the 'old-fashioned' ones.

I would have died for a choc advent calendar when i was a child.

Have just ordered this blackboard thing - has anyone seen it in real life?

we get nativity scene one's from local churchy tea shop thing. they have some amazing glittery 70's style ones, and a box of celebrations. everyones happy.

BlackBag I've bought that too.

Hello Nappyaddict,

We're athiests here but still want to celebrate the midwinter with a special family day with feasting etc.

I think Advent is important for all groups as a way of looking forward to a 'big prize' at the end. I dislike the seemingly endless celebrations before the big 'event' eg, Father xmas turning up at shopping centres, secret santa, play group, school etc. and last year really clamped down on it with the result that we enjoyed the preparation before hand and the big day its' self much more.

The endless whinging over the GP's chocolate calenders caused completely unnecessary stress so one morning I ripped open all the calenders and made them eat the lot

So this year it's the blackboard and some wooden trees from Muji that have a decoration added every morning. Bah Humbug to you all

So don't you take your DC to visit Santa then?

Nappy

After a thread on here about 3 years ago I made my own for my teenagers in the guise of a Christmas quiz and bring it out every year now. Each day number is a question. Get it wrong or refuse to do any actions required then you have to do a forfeit - dishwasher loading, take rubbish out, make mum a cup of tea etc. Questions include things like - sing the first verse of O Come All Ye Faithful, walk like a turkey, name 3 reindeer. God, how my dds HATE it!

hocus sounds brilliant - contact the patent office!