Advent calendar

[KarrisWhiteOak]

So I went and got the kind of advent calendars where you pop in your own little things.
Then a few days after I read about plastic tat and presents that go straight to landfill etc and suddenly thought ‘what the fluffy am I going to put in kids advent calendars that are going to be enjoyable and little but environmentally friendly?’

Please help me (and maybe others) with ideas?

sweets + chocolate
lego figures
an xmas themed treasure hunt (i write clues of where i have hidden these around the house and fold the paper up really small.)

Tiny Christmas tree decorations
A fun Christmas-sy thing to do each day: hunt for pinecones, make gingerbread, watch a Christmas movie etc.
Just a chocolate mini Santa or gold coin

I was trying to avoid too much chocolate but I like treasure hunts to a book or something, she only 3 so something simple would be cool

Chocolate coins, mini candy canes, or an activity? Don't go too mad, we did an entire activity one once, and included watch an Xmas movie or make hot chocolate with marshmallows, go and see Xmas lights or make an Xmas craft etc. Pinterest is good for inspo

We got DD a playmobil one in the sale that has lots of bits in it - could you buy a set then break it up so that she gets a bit each day?

You can also get mini tubs of play doh? https://a1toys.com/15-pots-party-bag-play-doh.html?gclid=CjwKCAjwoHdBRBjEiwAiPPXpHDx31lNUP0sMItu9RZg6sUZSD9K4DP5kpmhORweThiYeAKohyQUVhoCnLgQAvDD_BwE

Oh, gosh, at 3 I would just be putting a little chocolate coin in it. Start to get more elaborate at this age and you will have run out of sustainable ideas by the time she is 6! You’ve got lots of years yet to put stuff in them. Once she is older out in a folded piece of paper with an activity for the day - decorate the tree, School Christmas party, etc. It’s supposed to be a countdown to the big day, not a series of 24 days each with its own gift.

When I bought mine it was with the intention that there would be a little note with an activity or a “kindness challenge” for the day.

In reality, when my dc were small, someone or sometimes all of us were sick in December and I just didn’t have the energy to sustain this.

In case you’re interested, these are some of the activities that were on the list. The numbering is odd because I’ve taken out personally specific ones

1. Donate old shoes to children who have none (shoe shop collects these)

5.decorate gingerbread men 6.toothbrush and smiles

1. Delivering food to a food bank ( package up a box from mammy's cupboard
2. Buying a present for a child who doesn't get much at christmas
3. Delivering some old books and gifts to a women's shelter

10. Making presents for homeless people (I will make up a box with socks, gloves, deodorant, brush and paste etc. and we will wrap them) 11. Make thank you cards for after Christmas 12.draw pictures for people who help us 13.make a donation to dspca shelter (cat food, litter, etc) this could be our cat’s idea and maybe bring some biscuits along for the volunteers too 14.donate craft supplies to a children hospital 15. Make Christmas ornaments 16. Bring flowers to someone 17.tape money to vending machines 18.decorate a tree in garden for the birds 19.feed the ducks in the park 20.feed birds in garden 21.make packets of snowman soup ( hot choc mix in a bag with mini marshmallows and mini candy canes) 22.leave wishing pennies near a fountain 23.visit someone we love 24. Share treats with our school friends 25.make candy cane treats 26. Pay a visit to people we love but don't see anymore and bring them presents 27. Be extra kind to daddy 28. Be extra kind to our family 29. Be extra kind to the cat 31. Tell people something that you like about them ( start with a note telling them) 32. Make christmas crackers 33. Make a holiday video singing Christmas carols, send to nana, etc 34. Have a bubble bath and wear Santa bubble beards 35. Buy a toy for a child with none 36. Craft box for hospital: stickers, coloured paper, stickers, Pritt stick, glitter pens, stamp cutter, colouring pages, activity pages 37. Build an igloo from sofa cushions and pretend that you live in North Pole 38. Take a night time drive to see the Christmas lights 39. Visit the moving crib 40. Make thank you card for swimming teacher 41. Star gazing and thinking about the wise men 43. Nature walk to gather pine cones and holly

returning to reality where I now gratefully shell out €25 for a lego calendar that I won’t have to think about all December...

My compromise with the problem of toys destined for landfill is to use second hand as much as I can, and to try and only buy things that have potential to sell onwards.

Lego and Schleich
Sets of character toys (moshi monsters, Minecraft, Pokemon)
Doll house accessories

At 3 you may still be able to get away with nature treasures like feathers, smooth pebbles, latch cones, acorns, crystals, a pair of magnets... mine loved stuff like this when they were little.

You could also put vitamin jelly sweets in instead of chocolate. Just one at a time obviously as children aren’t renowned for their self denial or will power!

Have you got a nativity set? Depending on how many figures there are you could put one a day, or one a week starting with a shepherd and ending with baby Jesus.

In between sweets / biscuits or to be healthier fancy fruit, things like star fruit and lychees that most people don't have on a regular basis.

She's too young I imagine for a charm bracelet but when she is older a few charms in and among chocolate coins would be nice.

Wooden train set, split up so you add more track each day. Or any other splitable toy / set you think will be kept and enjoyed after.

Some of these are great. Thank you. I like sets to split.
I know what you mean about going too big too soon and then what to do in years to come! But I also didn’t want too much tat or chocolate so activities are great. I’ve got the bits to make snow globe from hobby craft so I can add that in a day that I know DPnwill be about to have the baby.

Peices of a festive jigsaw sobit can be put together bit by bit?