Advent calendar

I don't know about you but I have a strong dislike for those 'chocolate' (I use the word in its loosest meaning) advent calendars that supermarket have had on display since October.

And it's not because I'm against giving my children a tiny morsel of chocolate after breakfast... that stuff it's not even chocolate!!!

It's more to do with how ghastly they look (what's Ben10 got to do with Christmas???) and with what to do with them for three weeks... it's clutter! 

There's nothing wrong with counting down to Christmas... hey that's the fun part... but I resent being told how to do it by the marketing team of Disney and the like.

So this year, I got organised and did my own calendar.

I collected 24 tins from kind and bewildered friends.  I painted them - the tins, not the friends.

I then hired Mr M and the boys, armed them with scissors and old magazines and told them to find lots of big numbers. (They're used to strange requests by now so got on with the job quite admirably).

I filled the lot in secret with sweets and little toys and stickers and chocolate and coins...

 

closed them with coloured tissue paper tied with white string

 

and now the boys can't wait to start.  They speculate on the content, argue about who's opening which number, try to shake the tins behind my back...

Surely that beats some cardboard and pretend chocolate shapes!
 

Comments

[Petit Filoux]

I love it!! It's so original!! And it's all large enough to put decent sized surprises in there too!

[dottycookie]

It looks fabulous! Who wouldn't want to tear into them? We do an activity advent each year - speaking of which I'd better finalise the activities and put them in ...

[Casey]

I don't like the superstore advent calendars either! this is a great and fun advent

[Teresa]

What a great idea. And at the end of the countdown it's all gone instead of being left with a messy looking piece of cardboard. I agree with Petit Filoux too, big enough to get something decent into.
Teresa

[Gina]

They are fantastic and infinitely superior to anything you could buy.

[sue]

What a fantastic idea may have to try that myself next year,I'm sure my lot would love it and they are all adults,supposedly!

Sue

[Floss]

Pure genius!

[Many a Mickle]

What a great idea! The display looks so inviting. Roll on 1 December! Completely agree about the 'chocolate' calendars.

[joanna]

Thats so cool.

[Ali]

I've been waiting and waiting for you to post this (and wondering if I could eat 24 tins of beans between now and Tuesday).

Just superb.

[Frogdancer]

That's an excellent idea.

[kristina]

What a fabulous advent calendar! So impressed. How do you come up with these great ideas? And I completely agree with you about the 'chocolate' ones...

K x

[Stephie]

This must be the funkiest advent calendar I've ever seen!

I showed my son a couple of advent calendars from my own childhood (that I've kept for more years than I care to remember); they're made from card, with a nativity scene and a bit of glitter and PICTURES behind the doors! (Donkeys, christmas puddings and crackers...). I asked him if he'd like one like mine and he said "what's the point of that then? I want a Dr Who one with chocolates please!" There's no going back now...

[Laura]

That is a fantastic idea!! I've seen lots of lovely homemade advent calendars but the child in me would want this one (nothing to do with how much yo can fit in a tin can opposed to a tiny cardboard thing!)

[julia]

The tins are a good idea. I made a calendar for my godson this year and used paper cups on which I glued christmas-y images.

[Julie Nelson Rhodes]

I love it: well done!

[SmitoniusAndSonata]

I love it , really attractive and mysterious .It'll be remembered a lot longer than something with a cartoon figure and fake chocolate ever would .

[claire]

Wow - I absolutely love it!

[Megan]

These are brilliant, Monica. Though painted friends would have been cute too.

I'm with you on those horrid store brought crap too. I *think* I've finally convinced the grandmothers to stop buying them.

[Kristy]

Love it!
I hate the look of the cardboard ones but my girls love them.So we do my version and they have a cheap chocolate one which I hide away!

[suesue]

such an adorable idea!!

[del]

Wow, what an amazing idea! You are too clever.

[Thimbleanna]

Ok. Now, that's the cutest, most original, most CLEVER advent calendar I've seen so far. Most Excellent!!!

[amandajean]

this is my kind of advent calendar!!! such a great idea!!!