Does anyone use these with their kids? What age did you start? Tell me anything you care to share about how your kids reacted, how you explain it, why you do it, etc.
I was raised Catholic, but I don't recall ever doing an Advent calendar outside of school. Meaning, we had one at school, but never at home. And I don't think there were any "prizes" per day, but it's all very hazy, honestly.
Now that I am living in a nominally Catholic country, it seems that the stores are practically brimming over with Advent calendars already. They are filled with your pick of chocolates, Playmobil figures, and all kinds of other stuff. It feels kind of gimmicky, but I could be convinced that it's a necessary lead-up to Christmas...
Post by karinothing on Oct 16, 2012 7:48:45 GMT -5
We had them at home growing up (I went to public school). We always had the ones filled with chocolate. It is one of my favorite Christmas season memories
We had the ones filled with chocolate too. And my mom had one she made that had lollipops tied to it and every day you got one. I have been thinking about this a lot too. I want to start something for the baby so they can have memories like i had growing up but i dont know what to do.
Post by dulcemariamar on Oct 16, 2012 8:05:30 GMT -5
A few years ago, my DH surprised me with an Advent Calendar. I dont know if they sell them in France, but I was a big cloth calendar with pockets for each day and a Santa Claus on top. Every year he fills it with fun size candy bars.
We always had the ones with chocolate, when I was a kid. I bought one of the playmobil ones on sale earlier this year, so I think we will introduce the concept this year.
We had two at home. One was a felt Christmas tree my mom made with little daily pockets on the bottom. Each day you pulled out a little ornament and hung it on the tree. Each kid had a lollipop one like pp mentioned- a long ribbon with lollipops every day we hung on our door.
I found an advent train at LL Bean a few years ago. It's an adorable wooden train with little boxes and trees for each day. Some get candy and some get change.
My sister's kids were getting the Playmobil ones last year, and they are awesome.
We just did the cheap chocolate ones when I was a kid. I'd like to do something more ambitious for DS, but the Playmobil or Lego may win out for ease.
Plus, kids love them. I would happily make my kids a homemade advent calendar filled with hand-selected surprises. But anything Lego or Playmobil is way more exciting to them than whatever I could come up with.
We have the elves leave the new advent calender some place hidden in our house the night of November 30, with clues to find it. It is a fun way to kick off the Christmas season.