Advent Calendar ideas: from home-made creations to pricey products

Mums Tips

Get Creative

Published on Tuesday, 04 November 2014 19:00

Last Updated on 18 November 2014

Monica Costa

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A few years ago I did not know what the big deal was with the Advent Calendar until – guess what?! – my son started asking me for one because his friends came to school with little things every day. So I had to quickly catch up and did my own research. I clearly cracked it to the point where last Christmas I created my very own Advent Calendar and I am planning on being even more creative this year. Here are some ideas for mums from home-made creations to pricey but ready made products. It’s your pick!

An Advent calendar is a special calendar used to count or celebrate the days in anticipation of Christmas. Most Advent calendars begin on 1st December, regardless of when Advent begins.

Most Advent Calendars are rectangular shape card-boards with 24 windows: one for each day of December leading up to Christmas Day. The doors are opened starting with the first one. Consecutive doors are opened every day leading up to Christmas.

The calendar windows open to reveal an image, a poem about the Nativity of Jesus or a small gift, such as a toy or a chocolate item.

Below you can see what I made last year with lots of recycled material – I would call it my Junk Advent Calendar. This is the most cost effective and easiest Advent Calendar ever (although not the prettiest one)! Here are three simple steps to make it:

1- Recycle old gift bags or small envelopes;

2- Label them with number tags (we used some from cloth hangers and labeled them with the suitable numbers);

3- Fill them with little messages and pressies (not expensive but meaningful to your kids). I put them all in a basket. It does not need to be super cute or amazing looking. But if you add your thoughts about Christmas, songs, photos and other personal things, your child would love it because the idea of you making all these things makes it so special.

To make this, I was inspired by this one I saw on the internet which is much prettier. But then I found myself time-deprived with all Christmas preparations and ended up putting everything in a basket.

 

 

My favourite Advent Calendars are sold at the National Gallery Shop online. I absolutely love them because they have a vintage look and feel and remind me of my childhood in the Seventies.

The most original modern ‘ready-to-go’ Advent Calendar on the market this year must be Playmobil Advent Calendar Police with cool additional surprises. At £18.99 it’s good value and certainly ideal and attractive to boys. The box is much bigger than you expect and the retail price does not seem high when you see the size and the weight of the packet.

The amazing pack includes a ‘catch a thief’ themed figurines. It contains twenty-four surprise items for each day of Advent. Once all the pieces are revealed, the kids are encouraged to put on the police badge and set up the alarm system to warn when a thief is present! To create a realistic police raid there is a backdrop, two figures, police quad car, bicycle, mummy, pharaoh’s bust, treasure chest, snake, and other accessories. Germany’s largest toy manufacturer Playmobil has turned 40 this year! This Advent Calendar is recommended for children in the age group  4-8.

 

 

Instead of opting for a ready-made advent calendar, you can choose a fabric Christmas Tree with pockets where you can add little treats for your children every day until Christmas. My favourite of this kind is the Giant Fabric Christmas Tree Advent Calendar sold by Born Gifted.  It comes in a giant-size (approx. 40cm 110cm) and has 24 large fabric (felt) pockets (Pocket size approx. 8cm 7cm) for the ‘Elves’ to hide treats! A lovely traditional design which would make a wonderful addition to any home this Christmas.And the good thing is that you can use it again and again for many Christmas to come.

 

Ideas for advent calendar pockets’ fillers

 

Sweets and Chocolates are classic choices but not the healthiest options.

Lego minifigures

 

Lego Keylights are great little minifigures but with a torch. Really cute!

Lego Friends Olivia RRP £6.99 stockists Sainsburys www.recreationltd.co.uk

Lego Keylight Lego Movie Lucy aka Wyldstyle RRP £7.99 stockists Toys ‘R’ Us  

Lego Keylight Santa RRP £5.99  stockists Tesco, John Lewis