Does anyone have a non-chocolate Advent Calendar?

[00100001]

We don't have them, we have the advents candles, and then a card advent calendar. It has pictures behind it and maybe a passage on the door.

Never have had a chocolate one.

Isn't just us, surely???

[BiddyPop]

We still use the fabric one, BTW - it's just now in addition to the lego one.

[BiddyPop]

We have a fabric one with pockets, that DM made for DD's 1st Christmas. I put a chocolate figure into the pocket, but also used to do colouring pictures, puzzles (mazes, word searches etc) and occasional notes for treasure hunt around the house for a small toy (maybe 1 or 2 Lego figures or similar across the 24 days).

We have had the picture ones, and DD loved those.

We currently have a Lego one, but DD is BIG into lego and really enjoys making up the daily piece. And still has all the pieces from last year, which have been well used during the year. (We recently rebuilt the fire station she got 4 years ago - and she was only missing 1 specialized piece).

DH and I don't have one.

[SixtyDegreesNorth]

DC each have a fabric tree with numbered pockets. I put an ornament for the tree in one, an advent book out of a series (teeny tiny, tell the Christmas Story and then hang on the tree, and a treasure hunt clue in the third. I mix them up. Treasure Hunt will be an activity, sweets, book or gift. So far they have had hand made ginger bread men, Christmas Jumpers, a Christmas Book each, a festive hair bobble (chocolate coin for shaved boy) and a Christmas Duvet each.

I love Advent

[BroomstickOfLove]

We have a fabric one with Velcro characters and scenery to make a nativity scene. And a Jacquie Lawson computer one with an activity or animation for each day - today was a sort of bauble Tetris game. And I have a Jan Pienkowsky pop-up book calendar that I bought 22 years ago and have used ever since.

[AFawnDawn]

That made me smile dora

Will check Amazon.de...

[BooeyBubbleHead]

We will be adding a figurine to our nativity scene every day, and also have a little "number of sleeps" chalk board that she fills in (they are learning counting on and back at school, so thought this was a good "real life" application).

She has a chocolate one at Nanna's house though so she still gets a chocolate :)

[doradoo]

afawn I don't know if you can get them in the U.K. - I'm in Germany and bought them on Amazon.de - they didn't go down very well this morning with everyone though......

[SomedayMyPrinceWillCome]

My DS doesn't like chocolate so I managed to get him the Paw Patrol Stationary Advent Calender

[00100001]

This is re-assuring!


I know some children with multiple calendars! from parents, family etc. One boy has two chocolate (star wars and cadbury) ones, a lego one and a haribo one!

[HeyMicky]

We have a string of 24 little stockings which I fill with something for each day. Some days have a small chocolate but this year I have also included a stationery set (5 pieces, one a day), hair clips, bath bombs, some crafty bits and stickers. For about £5 in the pound shop I can get enough little bit and bobs for the month

[AmeliaJack]

We have a lovely wooden one. The kids have never had a chocolate one and have never complained.

Advent isn't about chocolate.

[FixItUpChappie]

I had to special order traditional picture ones...they don't seem quite as nice quality as when I was a kid BUT I am just resistant to the toy and chocolate ones. I like the idea that they can get excited about just a simple picture window and want to hold out on that simplicity for as long as possible. I spoil the crap out of my kids for Christmas, don't get me wrong...but It seems like 25 chocolates or Lego bits too many in lead up to getting more chocolate and Lego bits (over analyzes )

[BlackNo1]

No chocolate advents here.
DD had one when she was a toddler (a Xmas fair prize) and wouldn't eat the chocolate. We didn't force her, it was nasty stuff and it stopped her wanting another. Kinnerton I think it was.

DD has a handmade advent and I fill the pockets with small things, little notes etc. I have a picture one which always reminds me of my childhood. Simpler times

[noblegiraffe]

DS doesn't like chocolate so for the last couple of years we got him a Where's Wally one - you open the door to see a particular character who you then have to find in the main picture. He loved it.

This year he has got a Haribo one.

[AFawnDawn]

Could you point me in the direction of advent calendar books? They sound awesome!

[Muddlingalongalone]

Thank you for the reminder - just stuck ours up on the wall for the morning.
Just nativity scene picture ones here.
Not a fan of chocolate Disney princess type ones and whilst I think happy land & legofriends & playmobil etc look cool at £20+ I don't think we'll be getting them any time soon

[Groovee]

I got this one.

[Acornantics]

I always hanker after, and sometimes get for myself, a traditional one with a nativity or village scene, and glitter, like I had as a child; DCs had these til they were early primary age then were bought a chocolate one by friends, so that's been the way of things since.

[Cineraria]

I like a nice traditional one myself as having the amount of chocolate that you get in an advent calendar first thing in the morning just leaves me craving chocolate all day and most of the chocolate ones don't seem to have a picture behind the chocolate do it starts looking rubbish when you've opened the windows. DS can't have milk and doesn't seem interested in opening windows, so I printed him off one I'd seen online showing Father Christmas with no beard, just 24 numbered circles he can stick a cotton wool ball on each day to make him a big fluffy beard.

[megletthesecond]

Always have card advent calendars here. I've told then if they want lego advent calendars they'd better ask grandma.

[doradoo]

I bought mine advent calendar books this year - there are 24 sealed chapters, you get to open a new one each day as the story progresses. I fancied something different for them this year but I suspect they'll be disappointed there's no chocolate or plastic crap!

[WritingHome]

dd always had a chocolate one but last year we got her the Schleich horse one and she was MAD about it. We got the new one this year so she will be thrilled again with that as she is horse mad

[winterisnigh]

we used too dd adored the little pics as I used too but saldy mil started to buy the cheap cadbury one, I also gave the picture one but she wasn't interested so now its just choccies.

[Groovee]

I bought a beautiful star with a Nativity scene on it but do you think we can bloody find it?