Those fabric advent calendars with pockets

[LadyMetroland]

How do you do them?

I don't want to put toys in them as they have too much plastic tat already.

They're having normal choccie advent calendars as well so I won't be putting chocs in the pockets either.

I was thinking a 24 piece jigsaw could be good. Any other thoughts?

We put little tree decorations in ours - they love deciding where to put each one on the tree and it means we don't have to buy 24 new treats every year!

I put chocolate in for the first few days, then once the tree is up a mix of chocolate and christmas tree decorations. On random days I also put in a written note about a seasonal activity "make mince pies today" etc.

DM put a bit of paper with a 'wholesome' reading suggestion in each box one year. Bible passages, poems etc. I was probably about 13. Never forgiven her!

Tree decorations are a good one - though with 3 kids I'd end up with 72! I suppose I could mix and match between notes, tree decs and treats

I put plastic tat and treats in. Meh - of course DS has too much plastic tat but he's a kid - he likes it

A mix of Activity's to do, make paper chains, homemade snowflakes etc, chocolate, snack for school, (chocolate covered raisins = reindeer poop) tree decorations, lego people, recipes.

Hairbands, stickers, the odd toy, chocolate coins. Last year I put the pieces from the playmobil advent calendar in which worked well.

Omg orangedaisy that's the sort of thing my DH would suggest!

I've found a lovely 100piece Xmas jigsaw online and was thinking I could put 1-2 pieces in each day. We have a table they could do it on. Guess I'd have to make it first and put the pieces in order otherwise it won't work

I am putting pound shop stuff like tsum tsum jumping beans and mega blocks figures. I have bought a pack of five play doh doh-vinci tubes (half price at Sainsbury's) and am putting one per day for five of the days. In three I am putting a clue to where another (pound shop) item is hidden somewhere in the house. I have a keyring and a necklace. Not sure about the remaining ones yet.
I did think that perhaps you could buy a lego set and divide the parts into 24 little sets so that it is built by Christmas?

Hmm playmobil is another good one - mine love it

Tat here too. One dd is just getting novelty erasers.

m.ebay.co.uk/itm/142165146224?_mwBanner=1

they have these in Wilkos I nearly bought them bc they are just brilliant but I have noone to give them to sob xxx
www.wilko.com/construction/wilko-blox-advent-calendar/invt/0417599

This is so helpful as have been wondering myself and writing a little list. I have a small bag of stuff left over from making crackers previous years so have:
Magnets
Finger torch
Mini post its
Key ring
Balloons
Jokes
Mini pen
Mini halo figures
Also going to write memory e.g. '10 things we've done together this year'
And maybe a treasure hunt type clue for the 24th leading to new pyjamas for that night.

I like the jigsaw idea although we don't have anywhere we could keep a jigsaw "on the go" for that length of time.

In previous years I done a mix of chocolate and "promises" which were things like making mince pies, going out to see the lights and back to hot choc, going to see the school play etc. Basically stuff we were already doing. I found it best to fill each stocking the night before, so I could make sure I had ingredients & time for any making.

Last year we didn't fill it, just had a mini peg with a glittery start sticker that moved on each day.

This year I'm going for a joke a day (well 2 I guess, 1 per child).

Free seasonal printable colouring sheets from
Places like activity village or dltk websites are very useful!
Mix with 1 or 3 plastic tat, small Lego sets, pieces for
Your family "set" (playmobol/sylvanians etc) or the odd note about today's activities (make mince pies, buy Daddy's present, clean out toys to make room
For new ones, etc)

As DD got older, the plastic tat days often ended up being a treasure hunt around the house to different clues ending in the plastic tat. Great fun and excitement early in the morning!