I need an advent calendar...

[ShowOfHands]

I ordered a Paperchase advent calendar for my teen DD. I never usually buy anything other than a picture one but after a v tough year, I decided the £40 was worth it. I've been chasing why it hasn't arrived and they've today admitted they didn't have enough stock so cancelled the order at the point of picking. No communication about this at the time or since and no refund as yet.

This leaves 14yr old DD without an advent calendar which in the grand scheme of things doesn't matter but I'm so disappointed for her after a crappy time of late.

Is there anything comparable? That would arrive quickly? Although, without the refund, I can't realistically afford anything else. I might try and get one from a supermarket.

I think I might just be frustrated and venting. Oh well.

@HappySonHappyMum

If I were you I'd be getting myself straight down to a stationery shop and buying 24 (small) things you think she'd like and wrapping them all individually overnight and numbering them. She's then got a hand wrapped advent gift to open each day. Do it yourself - it's easy

I did laugh out loud at the idea of it being easy at 10pm in rural Norfolk to go to a stationery shop (nearest is 37 miles away and I suspect, closed), find money for 24 gifts and wrapping paper, come home, individually wrap and number them etc. I went to bed instead!

Thank you for the suggestions, some really lovely and thoughtful ones.

Now to chase my refund!

@ShowOfHands Pretty sure you've got a supermarket close to you - most of which sell Pens, Rubbers, Pencils, Chocolate and any other bits and pieces you might need when on the 9th December you've missed 9 days of advent and you've got a disappointed daughter. Get your refund sorted though eh

[quote HappySonHappyMum]@ShowOfHands Pretty sure you've got a supermarket close to you - most of which sell Pens, Rubbers, Pencils, Chocolate and any other bits and pieces you might need when on the 9th December you've missed 9 days of advent and you've got a disappointed daughter. Get your refund sorted though eh [/quote]
Wow! Your sarcastic and unpleasant post says a lot about you.

OP lives rurally, might not be able to leave DC late at night to nip to a supermarket 37 miles away, have other chores to attend to they make the family run well, be at work all day but able to take a 10 min break to chase the refund etc etc. And she's already explained that she doesn't have £ available to spare at the moment hence heeding the refund to be able to buy a substitute.

Why did you feel the need to post? Did you get a kick out of it?

John Lewis and Amazon have a Tinc stationery advent calendar that’s currently 50% off at £12.50.

We do have an express 24hr petrol station a few miles away to be fair. They sell painkillers, condoms, milk and similar. Oh and diesel. Should have gone really.

I have chased the refund today. Sent another email. Took around 44 seconds. I do need that money to sort out any replacement effort. Which I will of course.

Thank you for the help everybody. I've been bookmarking the ideas on here and will revisit asap.

Off to buy condoms and diesel from the chap at the co-op. Just in case.

DD has one from H&M with jewellery and other bits and pieces in and a nail varnish one from Boots both were under £20

@gazelda Did you not rtft? @ShowOfHands has put £40 aside so she has the money. She thought my idea of was rubbish (fair enough) - but it's the 9th December! She could have picked up a tin of chocolate and dished out one a day when she realised the calendar wasn't coming. I'm just suggesting that sometimes you have to think outside the box if things don't work out - but the OP said in her reply to me that she was going to bed instead - not a hint of sarcasm in her reply to me either!

There are some stationery advent calendars on etsy and lots of them are 12 day ones within your budget.

happysonhappymum did you not rtft? OP hasn't got the £40 because she spent it on the calendar and has not been refunded.

OP, it's too late and too pricy for this year, but next year if you want something really special have a look at Cult Pens. I got this for my sister who has had a tough year, and it's absolutely gorgeous.

This isn't an advent calendar but I also love stationary and last year I was given a planning diary with a fountain pen for Christmas. I absolutely love it!
I was also given much more expensive gifts but that's the one I felt the most delight at receiving.
Can't figure out how to post the link but it's called The Head Plan and is on Amazon.
It feels like proper stationary if you know what I mean.

Some of these ideas are absolutely brilliant. And really up dd's street.

@HappySonHappyMum your suggestion of a DIY calendar was a good one and one that had already been suggested upthread so you were in good company. I wasn't being mean and spiteful so I'm sorry if you thought I was. It genuinely - as I explained - was the fact that you suggested I could pop out at 10pm to source a range of suitable gifts, wrap them overnight and present in the morning. I was laughing at my inability to do that in the middle of nowhere with various complicating factors (shops here don't stay open past teatime for example).

To reassure your (well founded tbh) worry about a disappointed DD and my not acting sooner. DD is in year 10, mature and wise. She knew it was running late and I'd been assured of a 5th December dispatch date. DD was rather pleased that she'd have a week of opening on one day when it finally arrived. Were she a 4yr old with a wobbly lip, I'd have approached the whole thing v differently.

And @Gazelda you were wonderful to defend me. Thank you.

FA la la la laaaa la la la laaaa.

I really want to buy a lot of the linked stationery on here. For me.