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Step-parenting

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Original poster

Advent calendars for DSC

23 replies

FaithLoveandGrace · 20/11/2014 11:54

I was just wondering what everyone does regarding advent calendars? DSS will have one at his mum's so I'm not sure if it's worth us buying one too since he'll only actually have 3 days with us in December before Christmas due to the way the weekends have fallen. We don't have kids together so it's not an issue at the moment but I'm wondering when we do, if he doesn't have an advent calendar he'll feel left out. What do you all do?

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purpleroses · 20/11/2014 12:40

Mine have them at their mum's. My own DCs have them at ours, and it doesn't seem to cause any friction. By the time your (unborn) DC is old enough for an advent calendar you may find DSS has outgrown them anyway. Or is easily placated with a couple of quid towards something else.

Original poster

FaithLoveandGrace · 20/11/2014 13:04

Good point purple about him potentially having outgrown them. Think we'll just stick to him having one at his Mum's this year. DP wants to get him one but I think it's really pointless for 3 days!

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confused79 · 20/11/2014 13:09

Never really thought about my. Our children have theirs at ours and partners children have theirs at their mums. When and if you have children then DS should be old enough to realise he gets one at his mums, and your child(ren) get one at theirs. I know you're trying to be fair, but looking at it from the other side is it fair he gets 2 and your child(ren) gets 1?

My nan used to get us an advent calendar every year, and since we only went round once a week we'd have 7 at a time, lol.

Germgirl · 20/11/2014 13:10

We have DSD EOW and I usually get her an advent calendar as her mum doesn't bother. DH 'helps' by eating the chocolates on the days she's not here.
But then, I've bought one for the cat too, so you're probably better off asking some rational people :)

thebluehen · 20/11/2014 13:30

We get advent calendars for all the kids. They also get them at mums. I give the kids who live with us first choice.

ilovespaint · 20/11/2014 13:48

We have one of those reusable advent calendars with pockets. The Christmas bunny knows how many children there are in the house and brings the correct number of chocolates each night, depending on whether DSS is there or not.

(The Christmas bunny finds it quite hard to remember to fill the advent calendar each night at the best of times, but the children understand that Christmas bunny is busy and sometimes forgets )

needaholidaynow · 20/11/2014 15:47

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

alwaystryingtobeafriend · 20/11/2014 18:05

You can never out grow an advent calander!!

My dsc have a calander at both grans and their muns. We isually getthem one but this year i bought a reusable one. It has 24 stockings and you fill it with anything you want. I wilk fill it for he whole of advent. But i suppose you could get one and just fill it when dsc are staying at yours.

As for furure kids, well i would explain that since they have 2 homes they will have 2 calanders and they will have to accept it. I dont thibk its fair that your dsc would miss out in future when you have kids. So your kid gets and they don't.

At the end of the day its a tiny chocolate its not gonna do much harm having a calander at mums and yours. Its christmas afterall.

HairStylistToBoris · 20/11/2014 18:35

Another vote for re-fillable reusable ones from me too. You can fill the relevant pockets with appropriate stuff. We go for the more the merrier approach to such things!

wheresthelight · 20/11/2014 20:50

dsc's both have then here and at their mum's but then dp has one and so does the dog!

BadIdeaBear · 20/11/2014 21:43

Yes, we've just got a reusable one. They seem to be everywhere in my city this year! I thought I'd put a rota together for when the DSCs are here and me and DH will use the other holes. It's trying to avoid chocolate overload, where the kids have traditionally ended up with advent calendar chocolates in their sweetie stash by Easter...!

I'm also pregnant - just - so it seems like it might be a handy time to have this reusable one as I can share things out and not have it all about the choc either by getting appropriate pressies for each person for each drawer.

Original poster

FaithLoveandGrace · 20/11/2014 22:06

The reusable ones are a fab idea. Thanks! What kind of things do you put in there?

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HairStylistToBoris · 21/11/2014 07:39

Celebration chocolates with a back up supply for when DH eats them. Then some stuff like hello kitty rubbers, mini set of crayons. Um...

alwaystryingtobeafriend · 21/11/2014 08:13

I bought various christmas chicolates from aldis. Little Candy canes too. Also gotsome small stationery things likes rubbers pencils. Xx

WaitingForMe · 21/11/2014 08:41

I do a book advent calendar with baby books for DS when DSSs aren't with us and books they'll all enjoy when they are. When DS is old enough for an advent calendar I plan to get pocket ones and only fill them the days they're with us.

I couldn't not do something even for just three days.

Original poster

FaithLoveandGrace · 21/11/2014 14:34

Some awesome suggestions, thanks all! I'll look into getting a reusable one - that way DP's happy that DSS has something here but we're also not then giving him 7 chocolates (or however many it is) at a time.

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Denisedenise · 27/11/2014 22:32

Hey folks. I was having the same thoughts this year. I have newly bought DS a reusable xmas tree with pockets which will hang on the door. We will have DSD 2 nights all month until after Xmas so I had no intentions of getting same for DSD. However, I have bought some small cute xmas bags from Amazon and on the weekend she is here, I will write the number on the 2 bags and hang on the Xmas tree with a small treat so that she doesn't feel left out, that weekend I will do same for DS. Something a bit different for them x

bouffanteh · 28/11/2014 09:30

I just bought them for mine and the dsc. Didn't cross my mind not to!

robotroy · 28/11/2014 09:39

We get one of the lego star wars ones. I take turns to open a door alternating with my boyfriend and then when DSD is here she opens it. It is q bit expensive but its huge fun for everyone and we all get to play with the lego together. Everyone's happy!

I would otherwise use a refillable one as everyone suggests, they're lovely and problem solved.

AddictedtoGreys · 29/11/2014 17:38

we get one for my DSD who is here every weekend, she "catches up" by eating the whole week on a weekend

Original poster

FaithLoveandGrace · 30/11/2014 16:14

addicted I bet she loves that! I relented in the end and just bought him a cheapy chocolate one he chose when we went shopping yesterday. Think we'll have the same with regards to him catching up at the weekends. I really want to try and sort out a reusable one for next year though.

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MsColouring · 30/11/2014 20:37

Dss has an advent calendar here as well as his mum's and my dc have an advent calendar at their dad's also. There's got to be some perks to your parents being separated.

Princessjonsie · 18/12/2014 03:52

Good grief an advent calendar is like 2.00 pounds in asda . Surely it doesn't matter if he only opens the weekend ones. He can either open the other days when he gets there and catch up in the chocs or you eat the chocs so the other kids are not getting doubles. Sorry but you can't be that hard up that you need to save 2pounds

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