Advent calendar gifts - inspiration needed!

[Youseethethingis]

So a few years ago now it sort of became our tradition that I fill a wooden advent calendar for DSD. She's now 10 and I'm stumped for this year. Usually I've had my brilliant idea for a general theme by now and am off trying to source bits and what not.
In previous years I have done

• dolls house decorations so her dolls house was fully kitted out by Christmas
• Christmas books (the works 10 for 10) wrapped and hidden as a treasure hunt, with added Christmas monopoly and a few £2 coins and chocolates
• craft stuff for card making (blank cards, glitter glue, gems etc) set up with raffle tickets, added note for our big Christmas outing too
• Smiggle explosion (multi packs of scented erasers etc split up between drawers) Christmas charms for charm bracelet included
• last year was a magnetic 24 piece Jigsaw of a photo of DSD and DS. Also included a few coins randomly and those little chocolate Santa's from Aldi)

She loves it and starts talking about how excited she is about her calendar around Halloween 😂 so I can't drop the ball now! But I'm stuck! Any brilliant ideas gratefully appreciated. Trying to avoid the useless tat (looking at you, Smiggle) that just sits around until I quietly dump her room where it will await it's inevitable march to landfill in a few years time)

That sounds lovely albeit hard work!! You’ve set the bar high!

What about a friendship bracelet kit split over the days? Or sewing/knitting if she’s into that? You could get felt kits to make Xmas decorations.

Origami papers? Maybe a new design per day? Or paper chains - I think you can buy the colour your own ones, although you might think she’s too old for that.

Lego pieces?

In the past I’ve bought my DC a mini tree (table-top, plastic one) and put mini ornaments in their calendars (you can buy sets, Tiger usually does them).

A Christmas Lego set split up and divided between the boxes. You’ll have to do it carefully in the order that the pieces are needed for assembly.
Is she old enough for a pamper theme? I.e. lip balm, bath bombs, nail varnishes, face masks, ‘tickets’ for a massage etc..
Or how about a baking theme? Cookie cutters, cupcake cases, rolled-up recipes, sprinkles, icing pens etc…

Lush bath bombs?

What about different stamps and ink pads? Your advent calendar sounds fab.

Hair bits inc colour spray/glitter
Stationery (although sounds like you did that one)
Advent activity
Foreign sweets and drinks

We've done this for quite a few years now. DCs will be 14 and 12 this Christmas, every year I think this will be the last one, yet they insist on it continuing!

We have a gift one (little wooden drawers in the calendar which tend to have clues in as to where the gift is) and an activity calendar too.

Last year the 2 were connected, for instance activity may be a night hike, gift new head torches; activity fire pit, gift giant marshmallows; activity watching new Christmas movie, gift Hotel Chocolat dipping selection or Ben and Jerrys/posh popcorn.

We are quite an outdoorsy family, so had gifts like new penknives, cycling gloves etc, as well as pamper gifts and posh treats.

Previous years have included days out at the theatre, ballet, weekend away, and gifts of nice treats for the journey. Had to be more creative last year with nothing on, so swapped with day out at the beach eating fish and chips etc.

Do you have one of those light boxes with letters? What if as well as little gifts, you devise a surprise message (like a place you're going for Christmas Eve) and include a letter of the message in every advent day - then at the end she has to use them on the light board to unscramble and work out the message (you could include clues for words along the way).

I love the idea that a op said, of lots of mini decorations, then on Christmas Eve a mini tree for her room with a selection of Xmas Eve goodies (you can get real mini trees in various places, Bloom and Wild do them by post too though they do sell out early!)

Lego
Pamper - make up - bath stuff - nail polish
Baking / cooking
DIY jewellery sets

Ooh I'm feeling the mini Christmas tree idea! Could probably expand on that a bit, the cogs are turning now
The problem I've got is that she's not interested in much these days beyond her phone and bloody TikTok - so it has to be some thing to catch her imagination.
Bathbombs, jewellery sets, stationary etc all sitting untouched from the last few years stockings so that sort of thing is probably going to be dropped entirely. What the point?

My DD (19) likes a Beuaty advent Calendar made by me ( and yes I start planning it in Sept )

I bought a gorgeous storage box from TKMaxx/HomeSense one year , or gift bags if I have them.
Tied with a ribbon and a re-useable Advent Number .

Last year I bought the Holland&Barrett one to take the contents out . Some weren't her sort of thing (but I used them) . Definitely one to buy again .
Hair grips, nail polish, a hand mask+foot mask (those glove/sock ones )

It is hard work and ££ so it forms part of her present pile and means December is nice from Day 1 .

DD and DS have their Dec 1st Hamper rather than Christmas Eve .

We've got a little resin tree (musical) with a handpainted cabinet and 24 decorations to hang in the tree . It's lovely , been part of their Christmas since they were tiny and DD has claimed it for when she has DC

Thought of another one my teens liked was an ‘eco’ one- very trendy on TikTok. Also this is more of a stocking fillers thing but I keep an eye on the silly trends on TikTok and other social media then get them of eBay or Ali express. I’m thinking of phone accessories- Japanese phone covers, power bank, phone holder, light up charger, back button etc

What can I add to this huge Advent calendar I made for little Gdcs a couple,of years ago? It hangs on the back of a door, with a little decoration for each day, and they do really like it, but I’d like to put something extra in the pockets. Dd is very anti plastic tat so nothing like that. All I can think of is wrapped chocs.

This is the pattern I used, with a few changes.

Money
Giftcards
Art and craft supplies
Toys
Books
Dvds etc

Chocs
Christmas print face masks ()
Nail polish
Tree decs
Lip balm
Pen
Biscuit cutter
Seeds
Key ring
Shower cap
Magic flannel
Vouchers
Reusable straw
Hair accessories
Those little pebbles with a message written on them (love, dream etc)

Riding a wave of Christmas cheer, for this very AM I placed an Etsy order for 5 very cool decorations for DSDs tree!
She's into history just now, so going with that as a theme.

• Celtic knot design (rainbow Christmas tree shape)
• Viking symbol (purple glitter!)
• Victorian style miniature copy of Night Before Christmas
• Felt Gingerbread man dressed as a Pharoh
• outstanding Santa at the North Pole egg based on Fabergé (I'm so excited to see this one in the flesh, the seller has made it out of real egg shell )

Hoping DSD likes them and will enjoy the coming out again each year

@GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER I add cards with festive jokes/facts. I have packs that I reuse each year and my dc's still enjoy them a few years on

@NaturalBlondeYeahRight

Thought of another one my teens liked was an ‘eco’ one- very trendy on TikTok. Also this is more of a stocking fillers thing but I keep an eye on the silly trends on TikTok and other social media then get them of eBay or Ali express. I’m thinking of phone accessories- Japanese phone covers, power bank, phone holder, light up charger, back button etc

What a great idea! Do you mind if I ask how you search or who you follow?