Cheap non edible advent calendar filler ideas

[bluebellYellow]

Every year my dc have an advent calendar that I fill myself.
In previous years I have mostly filled it with chocolate but this year was reluctant for them to have chocolate every day.

Can anyone suggest small non edible alternatives that I could fill it with?

Trouble is, if its not edible it will more than likely be unsustainable tat. Or promises/tasks/activities written on bits of paper which then make Advent even busier and you'll be kicking yourself.

Can you tell I was the kid who didn't have chocolate in my calendar?! Just let them have choc I say ...

All sorts of stationery stuff, so pencil toppers, sharpener, mini stapler, glue sticks…
Travel size toiletries and hand sanitizer.
Key rings.
Foldable hairbrush and mirror.
Credit card sized multi tool, mini torch, earphones.
Gloves, compressed flannel or socks.

If you don’t want to do activities, which I agree add more pressure when you’re already busy - you could print off some Christmas cracker jokes and put one in each day.

How old are the DC?

Dc are 4,6&10.

@DaisyDozyDee

If you don’t want to do activities, which I agree add more pressure when you’re already busy - you could print off some Christmas cracker jokes and put one in each day.

This is GENIUS! Might steal this idea, thanks

We do activities but they add no pressure - it is a great way to get organised for Christmas. We write a stack of cards but choose which one the night before dependent on weather, clubs, busyness, energy levels.

There are a fair few 'watch The Snowman' and 'buy mince pies' level.

We have one of these for DD. Last year it contained:

• Playmobil characters (filled up quite a few this way!)
• hair clips
• mini dinosaur egg
• key ring
• Christmas-themed wooden pegs
• pen
• any pockets left over had a mini chocolate santa in them

We do:

A joke every day
Some slips of paper with activities
Something like a craft set that would be to make something for grandparents Christmas presents ( usually put under the tree with note in calendar directing them)
A few Christmasy play mobile figures (usually from eBay)
Usually a couple of things needed at this time of year eg gloves
Anything needed for school activities eg £1 for a Christmas jumper day
A couple of christmasy bits eg hair clips, pencils

We don't do all of these every year, and do do chocolate coins some days

DaisyDozyDee

If you don’t want to do activities, which I agree add more pressure when you’re already busy - you could print off some Christmas cracker jokes and put one in each day.

This is GENIUS! Might steal this idea, thanks

I have done this too! Admittedly when DD was a little older and I might have put a chocolate coin in as well.

One year I did jokes, another year I think I did puzzles and trivia and then a third year back to humour with some visual jokes e.g.the sort of gags you get on humorous Christmas cards.

I might still have them on the PC and would be willing to share if anyone wanted to PM me. Caveat though DD probably a teenager then so maybe not all suitable for younger children

You could cut up a large Christmas card or Christmas scene into 24 pieces and then they gradually assemble it like a jigsaw to get the finished picture.

@daisypond

You could cut up a large Christmas card or Christmas scene into 24 pieces and then they gradually assemble it like a jigsaw to get the finished picture.

I quite like this idea.

Thanks everyone for your suggestions.

We've most often put in pieces of a Christmas jigsaw, which gets gradually put together. It's a bit of a pain as you have to put the jigsaw together first so you can put the pieces in a sensible other. They are well into late teens now and we will probably still do it this year. It's tradition.

We've also done playmobil, lego (diy by buying christmas themed little sets on e-bay), and christmas jokes/puzzles. All mixed with the occasional chocolate. We have never had chocolate in every day.

We have one with tiny wooden drawers which I’m loathe to fill will plastic items that end up in the bin.

I generally put a note in the drawer - look under the tree/your bed etc. and leave an item there. Last year I did some things like hot water bottles, fluffy socks, new pjs etc that were needed/useful items or something I was going to get anyway. If we have tickets for a panto or to go see Santa I don’t tell in advance and pop them in one of the drawers. I always get some sort of paint yourself Xmas decoration. It’s nice to see them on the tree from over the years. I get them a nice new tree decoration each every year too.

This year I’m thinking of some ‘build up’ days. I got nice cookie cutters for making Xmas tree shaped gingerbread. I’ll put the gingerbread mix in one day, the cutter the next, some decorating gel another and so on and then all bits will there by the weekend and we can bake and decorate one of the days.

I’m thinking I can string out another few days with some nice hot chocolate powder, I got some snowmen marshmallow toppers and a milk whisk and they love a can of squirty cream! Again the items given over a few days and a nice hot chocolate on a Friday evening.

I like the idea of the jokes I think I’ll add some of those in too.

These squishy dinosaurs, the bits you squeeze out change color. I bought this for DGS and he loved it ,he's 4 nearly 5 . They will easily sit on the palm of your hand

www.theworks.co.uk/p/soft-toys/squishy-dinosaur---assorted/5052089236769.html