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???

[noramum]

I always had a chocolate one, normally the one my mum did for me when I was in Kindergarten, small sacks to be filled with a chocolate coin or similar.

DD is now 9 and has a chocolate one most years, a mix of a bought one and one I fill myself. If it is a shop bought one than we share it and she has a Lego or Playmobil one.

Since last year she also has an advent book, a book with 24 chapters, pages sealed so they can only be opened chapter by chapter.

DH has a beer one this year and I got myself a wine one.

[LadyPenelopeShufflebottom]

I usually have a chocolate one and always have, but this year I'm clean eating and trying to curb sugar so instead DP bought me one with bath bombs and little soaps in it :)

I have a bath every night and I'm unhealthily excited to get going on it

[honeysucklejasmine]

Mine is flavoured pork cracking. 😃

[haggisaggis]

My dc (now 14 and 17) have never had chocolate advent calendars. I always get them a traditional picture on e- which incidentally now seem to cost much more than the chocolate ones!
When the dc were wee (and didn't get chocolate) my mum had a fabric Christmas tree with pockets for each day of advent. You were meant to put little chocolate treats in the pockets but she picked 24 beautiful buttons and stuck a bit of Velcro on the back of each one. The dc would then take the button and stick it on the tree - it was great!

[monkeymommy9]

House of Fraser have got a lovely wooden train advent calendar on sale. I like the design and the fact that it can be brought out each year and you can put little treats in it if you wish. socialsuperstore.com/emms/p/linea-novelty-train-advent-calendar--n-a-2

[JeanGenie23]

My mom has a Yankee candle one and my DD has a play doh one.

[Misty9]

lottie where is your wall stickers one from? Sounds fab :)

[DrowningInPoop]

Last year I got the children Lego ones...the youngest was distraught! This year we're back to chocolate.

We do also have one that plays a different Christmassy tune behind each door. They love that also.

[Groovee]

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

[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.

[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

[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!

[megletthesecond]

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

[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.

[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.

[Groovee]

I got this one.

[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

[AFawnDawn]

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

[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.

[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

[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 )

[AmeliaJack]

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

Advent isn't about chocolate.

[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

[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!