Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Christmas

From present ideas to party food, find all your Christmas inspiration here.

Original poster

If you do a fabric/wooden advent calendar with gifts each day, what do you put in it?

36 replies

PontyMython · 27/11/2011 07:55

Just sweets and chocolate, or other stuff? And can I be reeeeeally nosy and ask roughly how much you spend on filling it (if you don't mind saying)

I've always wanted to do this - we aren't this year but might do in the future, not got the time or money this year but I thought I'd ask so I know next time :)

OP posts:
MrsPresley · 27/11/2011 08:07

I used spend maybe 5 pounds on small things like pencils, rubbers, bubbles etc usually party bag type stuff that I've bought form Toys R Us or similar.

Each day I put in a different thing or sometimes wee sweetie (the 10p sort). Halfway through I'll put in a pound coin and Christmas eve it's a 2 pound coin.

My eldest DD has 4 children so she bought a tin of Roses for 5 pounds and will be using that.

CrotchFlakes · 27/11/2011 08:08

I go to Aldi or Poundland for sweets, toy cars, Tickseed or the like for their smallest stocking/party bag stuff. The cheapest the better! So there will be a few 30-50p items but the rest as cheap as chips, balked out by Celebrations. This year there's a couple of bags of Lego mini figures when they were half price in the Sainsburys toy sale for the 24th.

brawhen · 27/11/2011 08:09

Chocolate coins - one each day - I'm afraid I take the very easy route.

Choccycakeisace · 27/11/2011 08:53

I used to put hair slides and hair bobbles in it but then worked out it was costing me a fortune so now dds have a chocolate one

lemonandhoney · 27/11/2011 14:49

Chocolate alternated with tiny gifts from Tickseed (the 20-30p ones). Half way through they get £1 and on the day the tree goes up they get a decoration. The boxes in ours are tiny so I have to write a note telling them where to look...

roundthehouses · 27/11/2011 14:53

my mum half filled ours with pound coins last year! the rest I put chocolate coins and a few small toys like playmobil, toy cars, which i wrapped and put in a pillow case with a number on, number in the drawer. ds loved it but will be getting more chocolate and less coins this year!

bigbadbarry · 27/11/2011 14:54

We've got small wooden tree decorations, which they hang on twigs in a vase every day. Is that really poncy?!

ChunkyMonkeyMother · 27/11/2011 15:06

I buy a bag of whitee + milk chocolate coins and a little tree dec with the year on for the 13th and then a small toy - usually one of asdas £1 toy car things to put in ours - he also has a chocolate Thomas the Tank one but he'll have that in the evenings I think, like as a pudd?

Probably cost £5 for the fillers + the TT calendar - the fabric one was a gift from my Nan with his name on, one of the only gifts he got that doesn't say baby's first Christmas ha ha

Last year my DS was more upset about the calendar being finished than he was excited about the presents ha ha

ChunkyMonkeyMother · 27/11/2011 15:09

I meant to say the little gift is for Christmas eve - he then plays with it whilst mummy plays father christmas and delivers all the lazy fuckers all the families presents

ChablisLover · 27/11/2011 15:16

Choc Santas from marks this year. £2.00. Two Santas for Xmas eve.

Original poster
PontyMython · 27/11/2011 15:27

Thanks for the replies :)

I will have a look at tickseed as I'd never heard of it.

TBH I do want the things in there to be useful (if they aren't edible) - I may be a snob but I don't really like most party bag stuff as it tends to break within a day. DD would like it though.

OP posts:
BehindLockNumberNine · 27/11/2011 15:34

Our wooden advent calendar came with little wooden tree ornaments (to be hung on the wooden tree which is part of the calander) so there is not a lot of space left in the little compartments for other stuff (we have two children, one calendar).
So we buy a big tub of celebrations and add two chocolates to each drawer. The dc take it in turns to open the drawer and hang the ornament up.

Works well :-) In fact, we have just bought the tub of celebrations with our grocery shop this morning and have spent a happy 10 minutes filling the calendar. The left over celebrations get eaten by me put in a bowl to be snacked on over Christmas and Boxing day.

MamaPizza · 27/11/2011 15:46

I used party bag stuff last year, and to be honest it is quite a lot of tat.

This year DS is getting one that is filled with Duplo pieces making up a full set in the end. Basically, one like the overpriced Lego or Playmobil ones but with Duplo as this is more his age range. He will get more Duplo for Christmas, so hopefully it will build up the excitement and he has something useful.

Original poster
PontyMython · 27/11/2011 16:15

That's a great idea - they have lots of duplo but I'll bear it in mind for when they move on to Lego or playmobil or something.

OP posts:
Original poster
PontyMython · 27/11/2011 16:17

Basically I'd only really want to do it if I could get stuff I knew would be useful in some way, as we don't have a lot of money. I do like the pound coin idea too though!

OP posts:
MamaPizza · 27/11/2011 16:18

Glad you like it. It was much cheaper than Lego or playmobil, but just as exciting.

Oh, and we haven't used a wooden one, but built our own Christmas train. Will put a pic on my profile later so you can have a look if you like.

Catsmamma · 27/11/2011 16:18

Choc pennies and bonios this year, they are sharing with the dogs! Three children, three dogs!

I have used roses/QS in the past

onefatcat · 27/11/2011 16:21

I bought a box of celebrations choccies- put one in each day- also a £1 for christmas eve!

MamaPizza · 27/11/2011 16:27

Pic on my profile.

Original poster
PontyMython · 27/11/2011 16:28

I did actually cave today and bought all four of us a cheap chocolate one - I figured now dd is at school she might get asked about it and I don't want her to feel left out like I did with my bah-humbug parents

OP posts:
Original poster
PontyMython · 27/11/2011 16:29

Wow MP that is really lovely :)

OP posts:
ZuleikaJambiere · 27/11/2011 16:31

We have a little nativity set, so I'm planning on putting a piece from that in the different drawers to build up, plus some small Christmas tree decorations, and then balloons, hairslides etc. I hope the drawers are big enough for socks as she needs some new ones and I'm tight It's Dd's birthday in December, so on that day I'll put the candles for her cake. She's been given 2 chocolate advent calendars, so no sweets in this one. It's the first year we've got one of these, so I'm following these ideas with interest.

zipzap · 27/11/2011 16:48

Another one here who just sticks on a gold coin for each child. Last year tesco had a massive bag if them for considerably less than getting lots of little bags butt no idea if they have them this year.

We also had a playmobil advent calendar for the first time last year
which went down really well but didn't get back into the box as planned so isn't really around for this year. I did see it cheap at John Lewis, went back to get it a couple of days later and they had all gone not only there but online and all other jl shops too :(. So not going down that route this year, and next year I'm hoping that I won't spot the advent calendar when I'm running late for school pick up! :0

topsi · 27/11/2011 17:04

We have a tiny wooden Xmas tree and I put a decoration off the tree and a chocolate in each draw. The star in the last daw.

MamaPizza · 27/11/2011 17:05

Thanks. Chocolate is also good, but I love creating a new one every year. Last year it was sheep. Toilet rolls, cotton wool and cut out sheep faces Grin