Cool Advent Calendars

[DecentPleasant]

Was pleased with my Swizzels find last year and have heard Gourmet Marshmallow is good but any other good ones? Not Liberty or over £30.

@Someaddedsugar My DMIL loved this one from Stokes last year www.stokessauces.co.uk/2020/10/22/24-delicious-days-advent-calendar/

I got my boys a build your own remote control car calendsr last year. I was impressed that it actually worked.
Haynes do lots suitable for men. But your own radio, arcade games etc.

@DecentPleasant

Was pleased with my Swizzels find last year and have heard Gourmet Marshmallow is good but any other good ones? Not Liberty or over £30.

Swizzles sounds a great idea. We got a candy kittens one last year. They are sweets.

@Ricekrispie22 I don’t think DM would be a fan but DP would love it so keeping an eye out for this year’s as he will be over the moon (again we don’t do presents either at Christmas but do a stocking for each other).

@DecentPleasant would you prefer sweets/food or would something like candles or make up be suitable? I’m sure I read Boots we’re making a more affordable calendar, and Yankee Candles have a candle version that’s often on offer pre-December.

This Tony’s chocolate one looks good for £20.

Snaffling pig do a pork scratching one which is good. The Gin ones are good for no plastic iirc.
Joe and Sephs popcorn is lush so would likely be a good one

@Someaddedsugar

This Tony’s chocolate one looks good for £20.

That looks great thanks! A lot less damaging packaging too.

Bit more pricey around £40 but the Holland and Barrett one is great. I'm still using full size products now and lots of it was bamboo or recycled packaging. Sensible content that actually gets used through the year.

I would love a cheese one this year! Not a huge chocolate or sweets fan.

@Someaddedsugar

Hope you don't mind me jumping on your thread OP. Does anyone have any ideas for my DM who is trying to avoid single use plastics and 'stuff'. I'll be getting DF the BrewDog one (we don't do presents but then look after our DC each week and so it's a little thank you gift).

Any ideas greatly appreciated.

To the PP who referenced calendars for men - there are lots of beer/rum/whisky calendars and also a pork scratching one and a cheese one - might be of interest?

Hello. Maybe buy a handmade one on Etsy with pockets, or make one, and put your own stuff in it; e.g. little posh chocolates, nice bar soap, homemade chilli oil and sloe gin in glass bottles, family photos, jewellery, handwritten poems and pictures, voucher for a lovely restaurant / day out etc.

@FredaFox

Does anybody have a link to bonne mamabn calendars? I can only find them abroad

They are on Amazon but are a bit pricey at £34.99, I got mine from Amazon last year in November, I put one in my basket to watch the price. You can also preorder from Bonne Maman.

@User875906 thanks! It's for my mum, I'll add it to my basket now 😀

@Someaddedsugar - tbh though if she's trying to avoid waste, she probably doesn't want an advent calendar at all.

@Charley50 that's a really good point and I think you're probably right. She'd probably prefer to go out for a meal or something instead now that I've thought about it! Thank you for pointing it out

But I do love the Etsy idea @Charley50 - I might get her a few tiny bits from your suggestions as there are some that she'd love!

The beauty ones from John Lewis are good

The Gibson Jigsaw one was great last year. Each door had a scene of a different festive house on a street - put them altogether to get the full street. The children loved it and it was really good quality.

Another vote for M&S but I can't find new offers either. I also had a pretty cool chocolate advent calendar last year, it was more of an advertising stuff of a local grocery store but who cares if their chocolates are great? There are also calendar making programs so you can design your own calendar, then print it out and add small goods to it afterwards. This works out just fine if you want to give someone an advent calendar but can't find a good one-

I heard a rumour about a Colin Caterpillar advert calendar. I hope it’s true!

I saw a Colin one on tiktok - hope its real cos I'm buying it if it is!

Ooh Colin! 🐛

@MeredithMae

Didn't really like the naked marshmallow one last year- some really weird flavours.

I really didn’t like it either, I agree weird flavours and repetitive. I was absolutely gutted because I hadn’t had an advent calendar for years and was really looking forward to it.

@YesIDoLoveCrisps

I heard a rumour about a Colin Caterpillar advert calendar. I hope it’s true!

I’ve seen they have Colin Christmas sweets and the hot chocolate stirrers so they might actually do one.

I think I found one.