Tiny advent calendar gifts that aren't plastic tat

[NutellaFitzgerald]

Instead of chocolate advent calendars we have a family tradition of hanging little mini stockings from a garland.

Most of these contain a small chocolate of some sort. Some of them (8 in total) have a star embroidered on which means there is a gift in there as well.

I used to put in things like wind up toys, rubber balls, Schleich animals, a kazoo (never again, people!!!). But I'm running out of ideas. Schleich is still a possibility but I want to avoid landfill fodder. I don't want it all to be food.

DC are 3-7 in age.

doesn't have to be plastic free (Schleich toys and lego have a longer life than other toys) but I'd prefer less plastic. I'm avoiding tat, basically.

So any ideas?

Any girls? You can always use hair clips or mini nail polish bottle.

Mini beanie baby toy? I think they do some reindeers.

Key ring for school or nursery bag

Mattel chars

Magic face towel with a character they like?

For my 8 year old I've bought the harry potter lego blind bags and put them in. Dd2 aged 6 I got some lego mini figure blind bags on offer 3 for 2 or bogof can't recall which and will put them in. Then it avoids landfill rubbish and adds to existing sets. For other days have got some playmobil as again they have lots and it is well loved, will keep for possible grandkids! Have also found a special necklace for each dd with thing they like on it- snitch and tortoise!

Bulbs or seeds to plant

Stickers

Pens or crayons

Bouncy ball

Small notepads

Notes with activities written on (eg making Christmas cookies, etc)

Second hand playmobil or lego, a small figure each day? Or sylvanian families or similar, again second hand and 1 figure at a time.

Pens/pencils/paint brushes or other art/craft bits if you are not already over run.

Bath bomb if it will fit

I do my own calendar for DD, although she’s a bit older. Craft or stationary bits are good, before now I’ve split packs of interesting pens, like smelly ones or glitter gel pens, so a couple for each day. Also rubbers, pencil sharpeners, little packs of stickers, washi tape, fun shaped post it notes. Shops like Superdrug often sell packs of small bath bombs at this time of year, these are good to split too. Also fun flavoured lip balm, glitter nail polish, Christmas hair clips and bobbles and badges to put on her school bag have gone down well.

Cookie cutter for making Christmas buiscuits

Mine have refillables too though they have a 'theme' each year. For about 4 years running they had moshi monsters - cheap second hand on eBay. Last year they had crystals and pretty stones, all different ones - again, can buy in bulk. This year it's enamel pin badges of all different cute things (again, really cheap on eBay!). Also, not plastic!

Do they like saving money? My mother did one for my DS last year with coins, some chocolate but some 2p, 10p etc & one £2 one. But he is quite motivated about saving money so it might not suit some children.

Some excellent suggestions.

Love the cookie cutter idea. And extending existing toy ranges like playmobil and lego.

Craft things. And smelly pens.

DD is having hair clips. DS (almost 8) has started collecting odd foreign coins he's come across so I bought a collection on eBay and he's having a coin a day. They'll get a chocolate coin or similar each day too.

I'm doing small tubs of play doh and Christmas cookie cutters to go with the play doh this year. I've previously done a Christmas decoration a day, also lego figures, Playmobile, finger puppets. I normally put in a sweet treat in the weekends or some pocket money. You could put in Christmas days out tickets if your planning on going anywhere.

I fill mine mainly with reused items from party bags, or strips of stickers salvaged from mostly used sticker books or magazines. So tat, but at least reused.

Stationary is very popular (especially shaped rubbers) when I put them in, and they get used.

I also give any christmassy items I would have got anyway as part of the advent calendar (I out in a note leading to the item if it is too big to fit). For example, they will get christmas jumpers as part of the advent calendar before the school christmas jumper day (these are second hand, but new to them) and I normally give a christmassy hair band before the school disco.