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Original poster

Is anyone disappointed with their advent calendar?

77 replies

WindyCat · 09/12/2016 13:13

I've never had an advent calendar before apart from the odd cadburys one, but this year, for some reason best known to himself, husband bought me a Schleich farm one. Obviously I'm an adult, but I'm wondering if children get a bit disappointed with this type of calendar? On Wednesday I had a sticker, yesterday a cabbage, and today a pitchfork. Hopefully tomorrow will be good, as I can tell by the shape that Sunday's going to be another bit of fence.

I made my teen daughters advent calendars for the first time this year after being inspired by mumsnet, and stuck to a £25 each budget. I wish someone would make one for me.

I just wondered if anyone else was a bit disappointed, or if not, suggestions of a good one (to buy myself) next year.

Is anyone disappointed with their advent calendar?
OP posts:
allegretto · 09/12/2016 13:16

Buy a paper one with pictures- no high expectations and no disappointment! Today we got a penguin in a scarf - what's not to like?

Original poster
WindyCat · 09/12/2016 13:25

You're right! Last year I was sent a Christmas card with an advent calendar of a house on (Phoenix cards I think), and it was lovely but really tiny, and I have terrible eyesight. I did really like it though, and I think it's what inspired this years farm one. A friends little girl has already expressed an interest in 'looking after' the contents of my calendar after Christmas, so nothing will be wasted.

OP posts:
Motherfuckers · 09/12/2016 13:29

The Lego ones are a bit shit, pointless pieces of brick. It makes one thing cool at the end, but each individual item per day is pretty pointless. The playmobil ones are better though as each day is an actual complete piece. That farm one does indeed look pretty shit.

Iggity · 09/12/2016 13:35

Given advent began on 27th November this year, the calendars should have 28 days. Feeling shortchanged!

Freshprincess · 09/12/2016 13:39

If there isn't a big bar of chocolate in each one of those bags I'm not sure what the point is.

SpaceDinosaur · 09/12/2016 13:46

This was my last year's calendar. It was the best advent EVER!!! DH nailed it.
Ginvent! Grin
I surprised him with the whiskey one. We swapped calendars on the 1st and we were both massively surprised that we had had the "same" idea!

This year I am 9 months pregnant. I have a shitty Cadbury one and a Lindt one. I'm pissed off with the world so a chocolate advent calendar was never gonna cut it.

Is anyone disappointed with their advent calendar?
iklboo · 09/12/2016 13:50

I've got the Haribo one. It's got ones you can't normally get over here, like really sour sour ones.

I've been after a gin advent for a couple of years. Maybe next time.....

rookiemere · 09/12/2016 13:51

I treated myself to the M&S beauty one (£35 quid with a £35 purchase).
First few days were fab - lovely hand-cream, expensive face mask, but the last few days have been underwhelming. Autograph nail polish today - big whoop. Hope it comes good for the last few days as colleague at work says there are some fantastic items to look forward to.

DS's is Cadbury's and he appears very happy with it.

SunnySideDownUp · 09/12/2016 13:57

No. I've got a montezuma's dark chocolate one. Each day is a yummy square of chocolate. What's not to love.

TheOnlyLivingBoyInNewCross · 09/12/2016 14:10

DH bought me the L'Occitane one and I LOVE it. It was £42 but I am really enjoying all the little miniature hand creams, shower gels, etc.

HandbagCrab · 09/12/2016 14:14

I got an m and s beauty one and it's fab! Most of the stuff I'm saving til after pregnancy as I don't want to set my skin off but it's lovely opening a treat everyday that someone else has done the thinking for.

EmeliaHerveyHenryFitzroy · 09/12/2016 14:16

OMG I want a L'Occitane one Xmas Envy

I don't have one. Sorry you are disappointed, OP. It does sound a bit shit.

Perhaps buy a alcohol one on discount and play catch up? Wine

DubiousCredentials · 09/12/2016 14:27

Yes I have the L'Occitane one too and opening it is the first thing I think about when I wake up Blush I LOVE it. Although the day I had a "refreshing wipe" was a bit disappointing. Kids thought it was funny though. They though it was for bottoms Grin

DubiousCredentials · 09/12/2016 14:27

*thought

ShittHappens · 09/12/2016 14:30

You got a cabbage in your advent calendar?Shock

wifework · 09/12/2016 14:31

Your OP is hilarious! Sorry you're disappointed though. My kids would be delighted with a bit of fence in their advent calendar ones as I only allow picture ones. I'm not even sure why since I'm not bothered about them having chocolate generally, I just think it's good as a parent to pick one thing to be mean about and stick to it.

Pengweng · 09/12/2016 14:33

I have an M&S one and it's been great so far. There are a few that I might actually buy again.

I would not be amused with a bloody farm one though.

AnnPerkins · 09/12/2016 15:54

I got DS the Hot Wheels one (only £4.50 from Tesco after clubcard vouchers) and there have been tears.

When you get a whole car one day a poxy sticker the next is not going to cut it. DS has never considered stickers a big deal, but especially when they should have been a car.

So I filled his wooden advent lorry with Haribo and this has been greeted with unalloyed joy every morning, thereby restoring happiness chez Perkins. Wish I'd just done that in the first place.

Luggage16 · 09/12/2016 16:26

I have treated myself to 2 this year - a stationary one from brimbles and a bath bomb one from bomb cosmetics and am loving both.

My kids have smuggle ones - the worst waste of money ever! basically cracker toys most days with a few bits of scented stationary on the others. They seem happy with them though thankfully!

Ceaser1981 · 09/12/2016 16:35

Loving my Loccitane and Rituals one (got email from rituals today to buy another for 40 quid so of course i bought another for next year). Was disappointed with bomb cosmetics, some have been ok but not worth the money

AnnPerkins · 09/12/2016 16:45

I love this. Grayson Perry made it for his daughter when she was about 10.

Is anyone disappointed with their advent calendar?
Luggage16 · 09/12/2016 16:48

I like the bomb cosmetics. It worked out about 60p a day so has felt ok value for me (esp compared to the kids smiggle ones which tbh I'm feeling a right mug over!). I know there are 2 versions though and lots weren't impressed last year as too many soaps etc.

Next year I'm going to make the kids ones like the OP. If I keep an eye out through the year I am sure I should be able to create something reasonable at a lower cost than this year.

Allalonenow · 09/12/2016 16:49

I've got a Montezuma one, it's a bit naff.

The picture isn't inspiring and it's just a boring square of chocolate every day.I was expecting a different type of chocolate each day, I don't think it's good value at ten pounds.

I've stopped opening it now, and will strip it and use the chocolate for a mousse later.

blueshoes · 09/12/2016 18:09

By the time I got my act together to buy an advent calendar on 3 Dec they were sold out. So I made one for each of my dcs by sticking a piece of paper over a Cadbury milk tray with a grid drawn whereby each choc corresponds to a day in the calendar until Christmas. I also put a surprise slip of paper in each square which allowed them to take an extra choc/sweeties from a separate stash.

I think that made up for my sins

Is anyone disappointed with their advent calendar?
MollyHuaCha · 09/12/2016 18:19

I have a moo-free calendar. Seemed like a good idea because I have a dairy allergy. I've had moo-free choc before and it's quite pleasant. But the tiny pieces of chocolate in this calendar are not nice at all. They taste completely stale. Probably because they are not individually wrapped and there's no foil to cover them individually. There's also no picture or message inside the windows. Just a small stale piece of not very nice chocolate. I stopped opening after day 3 ☹