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Christmas

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Original poster

How much have you spent on Advent Calendars?

233 replies

Iwantmychairback · 03/12/2020 17:26

As a child we just had a picture advent calendar to share. Not even a chocolate one.
I have been looking at the threads where you all share what your advent calendar reveals on the day, and feel like I’m missing out.
So I thought I’d treat my self to one (better late than never) but I am shocked by the price of some of them £80! And it may not even contain much that you’d use. And some of you have bought two or three for other family members.
So go on, shock me some more with how much you have spent this year.

OP posts:
LilaButterfly · 03/12/2020 18:33

I make a themed one for my niece every year. I pick out stuff myself and put it together. It was easy when she was little, but this year was so hard! Last year she started school, so i made her a stationery one with pencils, highlighters, glitter glue, stickers etc. I still ended up spending around £50.
This year the theme was fun and games and i bought her different board and card games, a rubik's cube etc. Over £100 altogether. But she made a list for santa with very cheap things and my actual xmas gift for her only cost £20.

TheTeenageYears · 03/12/2020 18:35

Thankfully we moved abroad before the expensive advent calendar explosion so I still get away with chocolate ones for the teen DC. £6 total

ShedFace · 03/12/2020 18:41

£40 ish each on Fortnite and Lego and the same for a gin one for dh plus a £2 chocolate one each and a £10 Hersheys for dh. Work sent me one which was free! I just thought well we won’t be going to the panto or the cinema this year, I’ll buy them all a little bit of happiness instead. Grin

ChristmasSlayRide · 03/12/2020 18:41

£1 x 3 for chocolate calendars and £8 on the Disney Story Book Advent for the younger two. It's been great so far.

Inastatus · 03/12/2020 18:42

@TheTeenageYears - my 2 are 14 and 16 and have only ever had standard chocolate ones. Neither of them were expecting an expensive one but I treated them because of all they’ve missed out on this year. They’ll be back to chocolate next year!

dixiedo · 03/12/2020 18:43

Around £50 altogether for 2 DS
Lego, Smarties tower, Ryan's World and Kinder

Whatnext2018 · 03/12/2020 18:44

Well, I bought toddler Dd a simple Maltesers one, then saw that almost everyone I knew was making amazing ones from wood and socks and all sorts 🙈I didn’t have time for that this year (or any year most likely 😂) but I ended up seeing a lovely wooden one which I can keep for years and fill the little drawers up each year. The pressure..! even when it comes to a simple advent calendar.

HotPatootiebootie · 03/12/2020 18:44

My daughter has a body spray calendar and a marvel pop calendar and it was £75 for both. My son has a candle advent that was £22 and I've got a Lego Harry Potter one that was £25. Most expensive one was the former one I bought for my nephew and that was £55 but was his birthday present.

Whatnext2018 · 03/12/2020 18:45

It was €16, dp and I will share the Maltesers one lol

Backbee · 03/12/2020 18:46

£3 on chocolate advent calendars (£1 each), and I did buy DS a happyland calendar (£15 in the sale last year) because the figures look lovely and we can get them out for him every December to play with (or anytime really!).

Whatnext2018 · 03/12/2020 18:46

I never knew you could get all these different types though, where from? I’m not in uk so haven’t seen Pringles and body spray ones etc, amazing

Plsv87 · 03/12/2020 18:47

£6.

I got 4.

Tobebythesea · 03/12/2020 18:48

DD has the play dough one for about £15 which she is really enjoying.

I have a beauty one for £55. I’ve never had one before and I love it. A lip balm, moisturiser (that I will take swimming) and a hand cream for my coat pocket so far. It’s a treat for such a rubbish year.

olivo · 03/12/2020 18:50

Many have been massively reduced, I got one for DD £70 down to 20 and £20 to 15 for DD2. Usually, they just have a cheap choc one but they have missed out on another holiday this Christmas so it is a treat. I bought myself one with Boots points plus a H and B for 32. We don't do presents so it is. A gift to me!

Pookaroo · 03/12/2020 18:50

£75, I got DS a £25 Thomas minis one as he is autistic and absolutely obsessed with Thomas. I got myself the £50 pop vinyl nightmare before Christmas one Grin

Original poster
Iwantmychairback · 03/12/2020 18:51

Really love the idea of the re useable ones and filling them with your own gifts, you can really personalise them.

Not too many of you buying the really expensive ones then, it doesn’t really count if they are considered to be your Christmas Present.

I’ve been looking at a Disney sock one, but really, really now fancy a cheese one, so off to look for one of those.

OP posts:
RightOnTheEdge · 03/12/2020 18:54

Sonofapizzaman I would probably do the same if I could I'm not judging I'm just surprised.
Sometimes it feels like Mumsnet is a different planet to mine when everyone talks about money especially at Christmas.

Thankfully my dc don't seem to have
twigged onto expensive calendars either they are just excited about chocolate at breakfast time! Xmas Grin

VioletCharlotte · 03/12/2020 18:56

£4. £2 each on 2 DS. Dairy Mil and Maltesers.

Dreamingofvenice · 03/12/2020 18:57

£20 smiggle one for DD
£20 playmobil for other DD
£17 for play doh one for DS
So £57 Shock
But theres no panto or Santa visit or xmas market trip this yr so I though it was a nice treat next yr will be back to choccy!

Ermmmmname · 03/12/2020 18:59

About £80 I think. It’s usually that much just for mine.
That’s me, DH, DD and 2 dogs as well as a DIY family one I made that’s got crafts/ activities to do together each day.
Might do the same next year, after getting really ill last Christmas and the mess of this year stuff just doesn’t seem as important.

Blurp · 03/12/2020 19:00

I have a reusable one, so I spend £1.50 on chocolate coins and that's it. If I was going to buy one, I don't think I could bring myself to spending more than £2!

JJDEIR · 03/12/2020 19:06

I have spent £50 in total

No santa or panto this year so will be back to normal next year.

AdoraBell · 03/12/2020 19:09

I always buy the Lindt teddy calendars so £20 in total.

CoconutLassi · 03/12/2020 19:15

£25 I think, DH treated us both to hotel chocolat

EmmaStone · 03/12/2020 19:27

This year I've done more than normal, as I felt it would be nice given a little extra treat.

So we have a reusable one that would normally have a sweet or choc in for each DC, this year has smarties and fruit pastilles. Some years there have been daily activities in each day, but I couldn't be bothered this year. So maybe £2 on sweets

DS has a Lego one - TBF we would normally do this too, as we all enjoy them, and he's obsessed with Lego, so can keep and replay with other sets. £20.

New for this year: a Sherlock Holmes daily mystery for DD ( as seen on here), as she's really enjoyed reading the stories this autumn - £10ish?

Dairy milk for DH and I, one each, £1 each.

So total of approx £34 for 5 advents across 4 of us. Not too bad...