Guest Posted December 1, 2008 Share Posted December 1, 2008 I do know the real meaning of Advent, and while I know the chocolate ones are just a bit of fun, and most people just see it as a countdown to Christmas - I feel slightly uncomfortable with it. I will still open mine and eat the chocs, though! They were talking about Advent on Christmas Voices yesterday - I think far to much of Christmas is lost in chocolate advent calenders and the whole present giving thing. James however has recently told me that we give presents because it's Jesus' birthday and the three wise men brought presents to Jesus. He is clearly learning at school. Good job really as we are doing the Disney thing this Christmas - we are doing it to make Christmas special again as spending it on our own, without any family is really rather boring. As the family choose to opt out of spending time with us we needed to find another way of making Christmas special for James. Its a shame we are away so early though as I like to take in a few services, a carol service and Christingle are always good as is the Crib service. I'm not sure we will get to any this year as I don't fancy going to a strange American Church. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Speckled Hen Posted December 1, 2008 Share Posted December 1, 2008 Its a shame we are away so early though as I like to take in a few services, a carol service and Christingle are always good as is the Crib service. I'm not sure we will get to any this year as I don't fancy going to a strange American Church. I took my then 5 year old daughter to Disney in Florida one Christmas and packed all the prezzies ... hers was a talking, singing Teddy Ruxpin. Does anybody remember those? We did all the Mickey Mouse breakfast bit etc etc. Cape canaveral was brilliant and the IMAX even then with old fashioned 3D was fantastic. If you ask my daughter what she liked best she will tell you it was the alligators that scuttled across the roads all the time It was really strange being away over Christmas but we did venture into an evangelical church and the singing and absolute rapture in the congregation's faces was a joy. I have since by happenstance been back and it is still an experience. Don't be frightened of trying it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GKH Posted December 1, 2008 Share Posted December 1, 2008 i haven't got one this year but last year hubby bought one that had a piece of jewellry in every draw - he got lots of brownie points for that one i got lots of bling to wear at christmas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MedusA Posted December 1, 2008 Share Posted December 1, 2008 I have a cloth one of a Christmas tree with numbered pockets each containing items to hang on the tree. I also have one DD made for me when whe was about 6, and I love the little drawings behind each door. DD usually has a chocolate one of whoever is her flavour at the time (usually Orlando Bloom related TBH) Reminds me, I need to get the Christmas decs down from the loft today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubereglu Posted December 1, 2008 Share Posted December 1, 2008 I like the sound of the playmobil advent calender! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emily95 Posted December 2, 2008 Share Posted December 2, 2008 We have one with a picture in a pocket, but we fill each pocket with a hero chocolate in too! Emily x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted December 2, 2008 Share Posted December 2, 2008 Its a shame we are away so early though as I like to take in a few services, a carol service and Christingle are always good as is the Crib service. I'm not sure we will get to any this year as I don't fancy going to a strange American Church. We've always been made very welcome in American Churches on our visits over there - I'd give it a go! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krysia Posted December 2, 2008 Share Posted December 2, 2008 Hubby and I haven't got a chocolate one for the 1st time ever this year. I have a chimney from Avon years ago where Santa sits at the top and you pull out a stick everyday making santa fall down into the fire place. Mikey is too small to bother (8 wks) Ash has a train where you have 24 drawers (all filled with chocolate santas and snowmwn this year as he is still too small for anything to play with to come out of the drawers) Last week I bought a HUGE santa from Tchibo it was £19.99 but hangs on a door with 24 big pockets so Ash is getting thomas books, a singing santa, die cast cars, and bob the builder kinder surprise type things in that too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helly Welly Posted December 2, 2008 Share Posted December 2, 2008 We have two Playmobil advent calendars which we alternate year on year. You get a piece in each box to build a Christmassy scene. We've never done the chocolate ones, it doesn't mean much except stuffing your face with chocolate first thing in the morning. We also have an advent candle which we fail to remember to light every year!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted December 2, 2008 Share Posted December 2, 2008 Our children have chocolate ones now, but when they were small we had ones with pockets and we would put chocolate coins in some pockets and little bits and bobs in others, but we realised it was costing us a fortune and cutting down on stocking fillers for Christmas day. I loved the calenders when I was a child that you peeled open the windows to find a glittery picture underneath, but then again there weren't chocolate ones then Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PurpleTree Posted December 2, 2008 Share Posted December 2, 2008 Our boys have a choccie one each, Daniel's is The Simpsons, Oliver's is just a snowy Christmas scene. I've got one that's a picture of the stable, and you add a character every day to make up the scene. It's even got 2 chickens to add! I would've liked to buy non-choc ones, like I used to have, with just a picture behind the door, but haven't found any. My mother-in-law has got a lovely one that she's been using sincemy husband was small. It's a Victorian-type street scene, where the position of the character on the front of the door changes behind the door eg the man is standing on the front, but has fallen over behind it. Does that make sense? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigmommasally Posted December 2, 2008 Share Posted December 2, 2008 I love this one from Lakeland, but I've already got a Nativity set, so this year I'm bringing a piece out each day sort of like the Lakeland one. http://www.lakeland.co.uk/F/product/40910 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
little chickadee Posted December 2, 2008 Share Posted December 2, 2008 We've got a lego one this year as part of my son's Christmas present. There are little lego people etc in it which helps to build up his lego collection. I would have preferred a nativity based one though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 2, 2008 Share Posted December 2, 2008 You have to remember I live in Essex We are not big on advent calendars BUT YOU CAN SEE US FROM MARS!!!!! Clark Griswald was definately an Essex Bloke!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emma Tarpey Posted December 3, 2008 Share Posted December 3, 2008 My mum has filled up our usual material type one with cadburys- much prefered to the paper one- alfie has also got one to (a special doggie one) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poachedegg Posted December 3, 2008 Share Posted December 3, 2008 We have a hanging Snowman with pockets for each day - I have put a quality street in each with 5 in 24th. Each morning we use the pop dice from Frustration and whoever gets the highest gets the chocolate.......you wouldn't believe the competitiveness for 1 chocolate!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scramble Posted December 3, 2008 Author Share Posted December 3, 2008 You have to remember I live in Essex We are not big on advent calendars BUT YOU CAN SEE US FROM MARS!!!!! Clark Griswald was definately an Essex Bloke!!! Another Christmas Vacation fan.... did your son help you put the lights up? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 3, 2008 Share Posted December 3, 2008 OH NO I AM Clark Griswald. Last year the first weekend in December James went out with his dad for the afternoon. I went out and bought an Armadillo and proceeded to go out onto the flat roof and string all the railings with lights and mount the flashing tree. Now the flat roof is over Mums house so she was in her living room hearing me stomp about up there - I weighed a good 15 stone then and she could barely hear me up there over the gale that was blowing - she was convinced I was going to blow off the roof! I was just determined to get them all up before James got home as a lovely surprise for him - I do sometimes think that maybe I have to much testosterone though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PurpleTree Posted December 4, 2008 Share Posted December 4, 2008 It's my birthday today, and when I came to add today's picture to my Advent Calender, (I've got one where you add a picture every day to make up a stable and surrounding area scene), guess what it was? A chicken! How appropriate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helly Welly Posted December 4, 2008 Share Posted December 4, 2008 Happy Birthday!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cooks Posted December 4, 2008 Share Posted December 4, 2008 I dont have one, but the kids both have a galazy one. Cheap and cheeful but I might have to rethink that when OS gets his train tracks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helly Welly Posted December 5, 2008 Share Posted December 5, 2008 I bought a new Playmobil calendar yesterday ready for next year, DD was dead excited Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
