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Original poster

Has anyone had any luck with Advent Calendars?

17 replies

MistsAndMellow · 01/12/2010 12:47

DS (3.5 and autistic) screamed until he had opened most of the doors earlier.

I suppose I was being a bit unrealistic getting him one.

Still it looks nice hanging up in the kitchen

Thank Christ I got DD one of her own.

OP posts:

Spinkle · 01/12/2010 12:53

Ah mixed here. OK so far this year (but I'm not holding my breath - and I have put it out of reach)

He may learn by watching your DD doing it everyday though.

redhappy · 01/12/2010 12:57

Success so far this year.

Last year he inevitably managed to get hold of it and eat all the chocolates in early December. he has just pointed to it and said 'that's breakfast'.

signandsingcarols · 01/12/2010 19:51

redhappy LOL!

we got one not with doors but with stickers instead, you put a sticker on the big picture each day,
Also have one with little pockets, it hangs out of reach, but taken down each morning for ds to have the 'number sweetie'

silverfrog · 01/12/2010 19:59

I got one this year (think it was from Lakeland) which is magnetic, but even better than that, it has the nativity story divided up into 24 sections, so each day you read the relevant section, find the rigth pieceand arrange it on the scene.

hang on, will see if I can find it....

this is it

seems to have gone down ok with the dds. dd1 is always keen to rearrange magnet bits and pieces, and dd2 is looking forward to the next thrilling installment of the story

staryeyed · 01/12/2010 20:48

With Ds I get a wooden one and fill it daily so he doesn't get chance to eat all the treats. He like sit but he doesnt really "get it" yet.

Triggles · 01/12/2010 20:56

We got an Advent box from Disney store, with drawers. DS2 doesn't like chocolate, so the store chocolate ones are pointless for us to buy. So we're putting little items in the box for each day (just before so he can't look ahead). Today was a little pair of Christmas socks with a Santa on them. Some days it's a little ornament to hang up on the tree. Other days it's going to be a paper with an activity listed on it to do (something seasonal).

I am not certain that DS2 really understands it at all, but we're going to keep using it each day and hoping that it will click at some point. If not, then at least maybe next year it will seem familiar to him.

They had some nice wooden Advent boxes (a truck and a house-like one) at the Range for about £12-14 that you fill yourself. Thought about that, but spotted the Disney one for a tenner and he loves Disney, so chose that instead.

smugtandemfeeder · 01/12/2010 21:03

Oh goodness, i'm new to all this but stupidly spent the last two months sewing my own advent calender with pockets and DS's name at the top, little things sewn on front of each pocket, all numbers sewn cut out and sewn on by hand.

Put it high up as I knew DS would want to take all the things out. Put a chocolate coin in each and gave him the first one today with a long explaination about how we have one each day.

He screamed and screamed for over half an hour for MORE CHOCOLATE, pointing at the rest of the pockets.

StarlightMcKenzie · 01/12/2010 21:07

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

5inthebed · 01/12/2010 21:12

Star, I like your way of thinking.

DS2 opened his quite happily this morning, then asked every 5 minutes for another one until we went to school. And when we got home, it was the same. Trying not to give in though as he will kick off when he doesn't have one to open the same time as his brothers. FFS even DD3 who is 2 is more patient than him :(

rebl · 01/12/2010 21:15

star I love your method

StarlightMcKenzie · 01/12/2010 21:18

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Message withdrawn

moosemama · 01/12/2010 22:32

We have this and my boys love it. Even ds2, who would ordinarily walk over hot coals to get to chocolate (ds1 has sensory issues with chocolate - can't even stand the smell of it).

Each of the little books has either a christmas poem, carol or story in it, with lots of stories about christmas around the world.

We bought ours years ago when ds1 was about three and each book has a little green ribbon on the corner so you can hang them on the tree if you want to.

We read one of the little books as a bedtime story every night (in addition to reading The Night Before Christmas) and the boys take it in turns to then put the book on the mantelpiece. By christmas day we have 24 mini books with christmassy pictures all lined up across the top of the fireplace.

The only time it gets daft is on the night that the little book also has a slightly different version of the Night Before Christmas in it and ds1 insists we read both.

We are in trouble this year though, because dh was ill at the weekend and didn't get it down from the loft. Ds1 couldn't handle the thought that it was the first of December but we weren't reading the first book tonight. Oops!

I had to come across all scientific/mathematical and tell him it was a good thing, because there are 25 books but only 2 boys and 2 into 25 doesn't go. He then decided that we could consider tonight dd's book. Poor dd only gets one book, but at 22 months old, I don't think she'll be all that bothered - next year however will be a different story! Dh will now have to go up in the loft tomorrow evening after work, as I have run out of excuses.

moosemama · 01/12/2010 22:33

Star, my sil gets her chocolate calendar, opens the top flap, slides out the tray of chocolates, eats the lot then puts the tray back.

Unfortunately, when they were children, she also used to do this both dh's and his brother's calendars.

He's still bitter about it now.

intothewest · 01/12/2010 22:42

I decided to choose my battles and didn't get one - If my teen dd wants one,she can hide it in her room :)

shaz298 · 02/12/2010 00:20

We have 2 advent calanders and only 1 child. Both of them are reuseable as my LO doesn't eat. ONe had pockets in it and you move a snowman along a pocket each day.

The other one is fabby and is like a big book. You have to search for a little book with the right number on it and then you hang it on the tree. each book has a little rhyme in it. As you take each book out the 'box' you reveal a bit of a big picture.........it is so great. Mt best friend bought it for my wee one 2 years ago. Never seen them in the shops but it is fantastic. xx

asdx2 · 02/12/2010 09:56

Dd has two calendars the only downside is that she is up at the crack of dawn because of her excitement for opening them. She's not even bothered about chocolate normally.
Ds never bothered for years but last year he got very taken with it so of course has one this year.I love it because he usually doesn't join in any family traditions so it's special to me.

goingroundthebend4 · 02/12/2010 11:02

ds is doing ok this year both with choccy and playmobil one .not asd but been told socially and emtionally function 18 months to 2 years .He is 5.5

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