Sorry if its been done, but what do you put in a wooden advent calendar?

[curiousgeorgie]

I've bought a lovely wooden calendar this year with quite a lot of space in each box,

I have one DD who is 3 and one DD who will be 6 months, (plus me, DH and our dog!)

What goes in it? Chocolate? Toys? A couple of things each day or take it in turns?

I'm thinking it could get expensive

Ds loved his advent calendar and the gifts were really inexpensive, they were always wrapped in tissue paper and held either: 2 choc buttons, a sticker, a balloon to blow up, a decoration for the tree, a lollipop, 2 gummy bears, colourful marbles, a badge. Xmas eve had a big gift of a toy wooden watch. He was 2.8 at the time and is more excited about this years calendar than anything else :)

I put activities in mine on a note, then I'm not tied to small sizes. So it might say "go and look at the christmas lights, you'll need one of these" (look under the kitchen table) and hide a torch there....

Www.tickseed.co.uk

Playmobil figures
Lego mini figures
Chocolates
Party bag toys like bouncy balls, parachute men etc
Hair clips
Bracelets

Just chocolate coins here, we have so much small stuff in the house already I really can't face any more. I sometimes put in an activity, but they don't always work out on the right days. Ours only has really tiny drawers, it was a cheap one that I bought last minute about 5 years ago, I'd happily upgrade it but the DCs love it (they are 7 and 9).

You could put a real coin instead of a chocolate one on some of the days for older DC, they can choose to save it or add to any Christmas money they get, and spend it.

I had one when I was little that was material, my granny made it & we were told that Santa elves came every night to check we were being good & sleeping. if we were then we got a chocolate coin:)

I do it for my children now even though they are too little to understand. it's sentimental since she passed before they were born

Now that's a good idea girlywhirly. DS in particular would love that.

I always put christmas cracker style jokes in them ( I save them for, one year to the next )

Teeny sweets, they take it in turns to open the drawers, but each get a sweet a day. I like the note idea though.

Just bought one for my dds too.Some lovely ideas here.Ridiculously excited about Christmas!

We got a huge material one from the 99p shop about 4 years ago. I stupidly told my dd (now 5.5) that the elves come every night if she has been good. I now have to find something to put in the calendar every night for dd and ds3.5 and remember to put the bloody things in before I go to bed - more than once I have woken up in a cold sweat at 4am and raced downstairs to put something in!

Over the years I have put party bag stuff in, alternated with an xmas chocolate. Last year dd got a barbie squinkie and ds a cars squinkie (both packs bought for €2 in a sale).

This year DD is getting a 1D rubber most days as i found a big pack reduced in claires accessories and ds is getting a green soldier from toy story. Both will be alternated with chocolates. Also on the day we go for the xmas tree the elves bring a new xmas decoration each and one weekend he tucks a new dvd in for them to share.

They adore it. It gives me a headache arranging it but secretly I love the excitement they get!

I got one between my 2 last year, and wrote a Christmas related activity for them to do each day, eg) go for a drive to see all the Christmas lights, go to a Christingle, go to turning on of the Christmas lights, make paper chains, decorate the Christmas tree etc. Aimed to get the correct dates for things happening locally like carol concerts, rotary club santa visit etc. They really enjoyed it and hope it will make memories

I tried the activity thing last year the ones on fixed days such as carol services worked OK, but quite a lot of the random ones, eg make paper chains DS just wasn't interested in or we ended up being too busy for what with all the extra school stuff at that time of year, plus whatever Cubs, Brownies etc start doing. I might try it again by just doing one or two a week on evenings when we aren't dashing off somewhere after school, but we have definitely reached saturation point with Christmas activities the last couple of years.