Advent calendar fillers; ideas needed please!

[lucysmam]

So far I have (or will have when I buy them)

Lip balm
Hot chocolate sachets
Festive earrings
Novelty pens
£1 coin
£2 coin
Pud in a mug sachet
Packet of gum
Giant gobstoppers
Rainbow drops (maybe)
Cable protectors
Festive chocolate lollies (Home Bargains usually do nice ones)

Any ideas for a few more small presents so that just over half have something to open? The rest will be chocolate coins.

Novelty erasers
Badge (of something DC like - fav film etc)
Mini soap

Maybe their fav chocolates instead of chocolate coins? Eg buy a box of Lindor balls and put one in each non-present day?

How old is the DC?

Eg if they are the right age and like crafting - nice beads/buttons fit in advent pockets?

Nail varnish
Key ring
Party popper
Balloon
Hair scrunchie
Hair clips
Stickers
Cookie cutter
Bookmark
Mini pack of pretty/novelty tissues

Bath fizzer
Face mask
Shoe laces

You have 12 so I guess you don’t need many more, but here are some anyway:

Mini tape measure
Small block of post it notes
Handbag hand sanitiser (!)
Small hand cream
LEGO figurine pouch or similar
Collectible cards/ sticker packet

The last two might be pitched too young for your DCs, but they might like something similar... collectible Harry Potter keyrings etc.

Thanks as you’ve given me some good ideas... I normally do ‘fancier chocs’ and the rest choc coins but little gifts might be fun!

Gift card (an activity with mum/dad, not necessarily for a store)
Jewellery
Pin badge
Face mask
Make up
Coin purse
Yo-yo (or other small toy)

@SquitMcJit they'll be almost 11, and almost 14 by Christmas. The youngest likes crafting so I usually pop her a small sewing kit in her stocking. Dd1's not really fussed about crafts.

They both like scrunchies (worn round their wrists, rarely in their hair ) so I could get (or make) some of those.

@EugenesAxe no, not many more - maybe two or three. It'd cost a fortune if I filled them all! Dd2 was actually eyeing up a sparkly initial keyring in Primark yesterday, I might see if anyone I know is going and would pick me two up while I know they had the right letters.

@Mommabear20 I usually do all sorts with them anyway, I've never put the things like baking or watching a film together in because I half expect "but we do that anyway Mum" (probably followed by an eyeroll or dramatic flounce ).

I quite often pop in days out though or late night shopping, or Christmas markets and a bit of spending money. Most things are cancelled though so needed to fill a few more.

Scratch cards (we have a rule that if it's a win over £10 it has it be shared)
I also tend to put in a few challenges - eg read your family a Christmas story, make a card for somebody, come up with a Christmas alphabet, that kind of thing. With a chocolate if I'm feeling generous!

Little stationery items eg small boxes of coloured paper clips,post-it notes, the mini post-it style page markers, a re-usable bag that folds into itself, cheap Christmas earrings, Poundland have moisturising foot masks for £1, the tiny Lindt reindeer, battery-operated fairy lights, coloured finger lights, Christmas socks (more useful than in a stocking as they can be worn a few times in Dec), mug, mini diffuser. I do one for DD each year and am on the look out for stuff from Jan! I even use freebies from training courses/ promotions if I can. I try to have about 10-12 decent items and the rest chocolate/ Christmas novelty and filler. She is a student so I sometimes add paracetamol

Hand/Foot Moisturiser gloves/socks (not the ones that strip your skin off) I got some for a £1 from Adsa .

I bought DD some hairbands that are the clear coiled ones (like a spring , come in a clear box) and some that doubled as a bracelet , had bronze/gold beads on them .

Matalan do little purses with initials on them, handy for a couple of tissues or sanitary protection to keep in schoolbag

Nice to see a list that isn't ^No chocolate or plastic tat" .......as long as something is useful and useable or edible that's a winner .

ehat a great idea im going to do one for my ds he is 9 so any ideas would be very welcome TIA x

@ConstantlyCooking you reminded me, I have ordered some Christmas socks! I'd forgotten about those!

@70isaLimitNotaTarget I've bought packs of those bobbles for their stockings; along with pants, shower gel, pack of sensible socks, pack of proper pens for dd1 who isn't fussed about craft and a sewing kit for dd2 who is.

I like putting them together & am usually pretty much done for them by now but not going out as much has thrown me a bit!

@HeyAllYouCoolCatsAndKittenz the edible bits should be ok (assuming no allergies/intolerances), and the £1/£2 coins, maybe a small wallet, funky laces (suggested by a pp), lego mini figure if he's into lego. The hand sanitiser would be useful (mine will be taking their own to school). Novelty pens are always a hit - Poundland have spy pens in atm, if dd2 hadn't seen them and bought one yesterday, I'd have put one in.

I usually try to aim for maybe 14 filled pockets then the rest chocolate coins.

I almost wish I hadn’t started the advent calendar tradition with DSD - it’s getting harder every year! But I do love a good advent thread
My cool thing this year will be a photo magnetic jigsaw puzzle of a picture of her and DS. A piece in every drawer so will be a complete photo by Christmas. She will be baffled at first I’m sure but think she’ll really like it
I’ve also got a pack of Christmas temporary tattoos to split across the drawers and will get the traditional mini chocolate Santa’s from Aldi nearer the time.
Last year it was scented novelty erasers, mini nail varnish from Primark (the 60p ones are the perfect size!) and I wrapped up card making bits and hid them with clues in the drawer for the rest.
Previous years have included dolls house Christmas decorations, and Notes to say we are going to festive activities. So hard to avoid pointless junk!

@Giespeace I agree, it's very hard to avoid pointless stuff.

I know my list isn't amazing, but hopefully most is either an edible treat or something they will use (even if not right that instant).

Tbh, most years feature the same sort of things. It's easy to pick up cheap novelty pens after Christmas , they always need bobbles, dd2 wears novelty earrings most days of Advent (I do too! I love my festive earring collection), hot chocolate sachets are usually four for £1 & made snazzy with squirty cream and sprinkles off the shelf.

I think I like putting these together more than thinking about the actual gifts tbh.

lucysmam thank you so much for the ideas i will keep my eyes peeled for those pens he would love that. thanks

Christmas earrings :)

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