Intro to Advent Calendars

 

Ever since I was a little girl, we got the Advent Calendars with 24 pieces of chocolate. It seemed the only variety they came in was little foil-wrapped Santas with cheap chocolate inside. But over the last five years or so, it seems there are more and more varieties of calendars. Now, there are name-brand chocolates like Harry & David and Lindt. There are also ones with cookies in them and lots of other treats.

Advent Calendars don’t stop at sweets, though. You can get wine calendars (with a little bottle for each day), or beer, or even tea and coffee. I have bought cheese-themed ones, too. I have yet to purchase, but am tracking, the perfume and/or makeup versions.

Basically, anything that can be made in trial size is being re-purposed for an Advent Calendar. Want to explore some new hot sauces? Check out 25 Days of Holiday Heat. And how do you feel about mini  lego sets in Advent calendars? What could go wrong there? One of the iterations I am keeping my eye on for next year is votive candles. Exploring twenty-four scents would be pretty cool.

This year, we decided to get our kids Christmas movie trivia Advent Calendars. Each day, they can read a fun fact about a holiday movie. I figure if nothing else, it may spark an interest in rewatching a movie, or seeking out a new one.

There are also Advent Calendars that have 24 tiny slots or drawers for a parent to custom fill. I have not taken on that project but I imagine it is one way to make sure the child only gets what they’ll like. 

Caveat Emptor: There are many products out there billing themselves as Advent Calendars that only have 12 days. That’s not Advent – that’s the 12 Days of Christmas! I actually got in a huge “discussion” with a salesperson who showed me a 12-day “Advent Calendar” and tried to tell me that they are one and the same. I was like Advent: 24 days and before Christmas; Twelve Days of Christmas: 12 days and after Christmas. I am not sure I actually cracked that nut. 

Anyway, I hope I’ve encouraged you to check out some of the new calendars. It’s a fun way to build up the season for children both big and small!

Thanks for reading!

Eve