Those who do re-useable advent calendars..

[lucysmam]

What's going in them?

So far I have choc Christmas puddings, finger lights, balloon helicopters, fake tattoo stickers, clip in coloured hair extensions and some slides. On some of the days when I put in chocolate, I was thinking of putting in a Christmassy activity like bake mince pies or write Christmas cards or make rice crispy house (asda kit for a fiver)

[lucysmam]

So many ideas, I especially like the idea of the advent tree to decorate as they get older, am going to make a note of that in my Christmas book

I can't scroll back on the app to see who posted but, the poster who gave up on the re-useable calendar, I was planning to put the things to do in weekend days (the only thing we ever do is go to the market really) as we'll have plenty of time for making/baking etc.

My three yo would love those poppers, ty to whoever linked them. She has something similar on a base but it doesn't work so well any more so would be made up with a new one!

[VoldemortsNipple]

DD is 17 and was lusting after the beauty calendars that Boots and Debenhams do. So I started collecting free samples, bought a few bundles of samples and travel size toiletries from eBay and picked up a few other bits in Poundland. They are all wrapped up in Brown paper and string ready to hang on a little table top tree. I will ask DD to replace each gift with a decoration each day. So by Christmas day the tree will be all sparkly and DD will be very happy. She has no idea I'm planning this, but I know she will love it.

[comeandgo]

I have a reusable calender which I no longer use.

Giving small presents everyday seemed grabby and made it feel as if the dc were getting far too much before the big day. Even putting stocking fillers in seemed too much and I thought I was ruining their stocking for them.

So the following year I did daily activities. But I kept forgetting to write them out or our plans would change and the whole thing seemed a lot of hassle.

I considered putting decorations in but couldn't see the point as we all decorate the tree together anyway.

So I resorted to chocolate. Which seemed pointless as I might as well just buy a choc calender, the dc don't care about the quality of the chocolate - they are just exicited they get chocolate at breakfast.

So I've given in with it and just buy nice chocolate calenders (not horrible non Chtistmassy themed ones!).

I've had no complaints so far.

[fuzzpig]

Christmas poetry stress

[ConsiderablyBiggerBuns]

I stupidly started the tradition of making up a rhyming couplet clue and hiding that in the calendar everyday which led to that day' s advent present. This meant that I wasn't restricted by size and so the DDs could get some of the things that they would need anyway(cards for friends, decorations for bedrooms, Christmas pjs, stockings, other things that a lotofpeople put in Christmas Eve hamper bur spread across advent ). This is a much loved tradition even though my girls are now 12 & 14 but the number of times I wake up at 5 in the morning with a hangover from a Christmas party and realise I have forgotten to write the blooming clue and then have to think up a bleeding rhyming couplet with a pounding head - all not conducive to peace and harmony at Christmas.

[Rufus44]

I used to do an activities advent calendar, that was always fun

I find now with the advent calendar that my three are getting a bit old (15, 12 and 10) and its more difficult to get little presents, and I like to get them the same thing just different colours so that adds an extra problem as well

My 12 year old daughter loves going to school each morning and telling her friends what she got!

[Knittingnovice]

Ohh, I must be a mean mummy, I made an advent tree and 25 decorations and the DC get to pick which decorations gets hung on it everyday. No chocolate, no presents .

[MooseyMoo]

This is my first year doing a reusable calendar. Have gone for chocolate (mini kinder bars for DC and for DH green & blacks and fun size twix). I'll prob get mini toblerones for me. And at the weekends adding a Christmas thing to do ie make snow globe or bake mince pies/gingerbread house).

I'm also adding perfume / aftershave samples in first week for us and if we like them can add to Christmas list. Also adding my Baileys choc deluxe sample for me on the day we decorate tree

[fuzzpig]

I love poppers - might get a couple for Xmas stockings but could fit in a calendar?

[somersethouse]

MARGUERITE what is an electric candle please as that sounds great...

[somersethouse]

Hello again lucysmam I think I was talking to you yesterday about indoor Fireworks! And I think we both indulge our children!

Anyway, last year I went on ebay and got a job lot (bundle) of petshop pets, they were old, from the 80's and really great. Cost hardly anything. I combined these, wrapped in tissue paper with nail varnish, chocolate or a lollipop, a special marble, much as others have said up thread.

My gingerbread man advent calendar has small pockets though!

[FrankieStien]

I got a really cool one from quality save for a fiver. I'm just doing chocolate coins but I'm deffo nicking some ideas from this thread.

[MARGUERITE18]

dolls house props, silly bandz, keyrings, mini sparklers, singing candles, snapz, (all supervised), trip to a museum, hot choc sachets, 20ps, mini notepads, mini pens, rings, wooden animal kits, treats for dog/cat/rabbit, glitter tattoos, mini books, tree decorations, sun lotion, mini soap, mini shampoo, facemasks, glitter spray, mini perfume, friendship bracelets, cheap pandora style charms or dangle charms (ebay, primark and poundland), novelty tissues, ds stylus's, finger puppets :-)

[turkeyboots]

Chocolate money here. But my best friend at school used to get money (shiney coins), gift vouchers, trips and all sorts of Christmas experiences - although visits to Santa dropped out in favour of a cinema trip over time.

Always thought that was a lovely thing to do and wish I had the energy and imagination for it.

[attheendoftheday]

I love christmas too, and I love my the dd's advent calendar. I have

Hairbands
Fingerpuppets
Plastic dinosaurs
Crocodile rubber
Party blower
Stickers
Bubbles
Hair clips
Plastic bracelet

Last year I put a different plastic farm animal in each day.

[MARGUERITE18]

lego mini figures, mints, moshlings, mlponies, nail varnish, lip balm, electronic candles, batteries, candy canes, stickers, yoyos, puzzles, bouncy balls, rubbers, spinning tops, disney trading pins, charms, club penguin and bearville gift cards

[DoubleDoubleTwigletTrouble]

I put a Christmas activity in each day instead of a present - they get enough at Xmas! On the weekends or school hols it might be something like bake Xmas cookies or make decorations but on the days when we have less time it'll be something simple like read a Xmas story or sing a carol together. Often stuff you'd be doing that day anyway like a school nativity play or writing cards. I've got some great ones over the years - this sort of thing is my favourite one though I make up my own funny ones.

[Ragwort]

One year (when DS was much younger and I was being a bit of a martyr mummy!) I did chocolate coins with the occasional treat - ie: little cards with things written on like 'bake a cake of your choice', 'hot chocolate out at a cafe', 'cinema outing' that sort of thing.

Thank goodness DS is now 12 and those days are long gone .

[phoebechicken]

This year I've got a pack of 20 Moshi Monster figures, to split between 2 children, and on the other 14 days they'll get a choc coin/other novelty.

[Rufus44]

We do chocolate or gifts similar to yours. I also put the odd voucher in, not proper ones just ones saying, cinema trip, panto etc

[wonderingsoul]

check out poundland. what about paper chains? obvi only the paper.

[WooWoo86]

I'm doing happyland figure/ hotwheels car / finger puppet every day a choc coin and then little notes like making christmas cards, baking mince pies, watching Christmassy DVDs etc.

[Fedupnagging]

Chocolate and/or money - they are all far too old teenagers!

[lucysmam]

oooh, I like the little decoration idea! I could make something to go on their little tree while dp's on afters

[lucysmam]

I'll channel my enthusiasm into something else then.....wonder what's next on the list