Alternative advent calendars

[quiddity]

So I've been looking for something different for an advent calendar. I usually for a lego star wars one. Ut they are just sooooooo boring now with most of the days just random pieces rather than something you'd want.

Yesterday I saw a build your own rc drone in tkmaxx for £30 but it looked like one you could buy for under £15 fully built.

I'm into board games & usually there was one from europe which would have add ons or expansions for games but they haven't made one this year.
Then I found one called exit, which is a puzzle game one where you get a a little puzzle every day, building up to completely solve the game for Xmas. I may still get this one but... I found a huge one!

Tabletop gaming magazine have done one. Its actually 25 days of wrapped board games or accessories. The have gone all out on this. It's supposed to be £550 worth! It's still an expensive "calendar" at £250 but it's a one of, plus I'll be getting a decent bonus from morrisons shares when the takeover goes through.

[mitch84]

My husband usually buys me a wine one 😂

[ann&les]

Sounds great, treat yourself!
For the 2nd year on the trot, anyone I would buy a Christmas present for now gets an 'alternative' advent calendar. They were such a hit last year and I've really enjoyed sourcing the right one for everybody this year too!
Enjoy yours! X

[deeley]

One year we had one that built a small working radio. Was off Amazon I think

[Poppycat]

I get a huge amount of pleasure from the Jackie Lawson calendars. Last years was a Nordic theme and just builds each day. Still go in and play some of the games on my tablet now. You can send copies to friends and family instead of a Christmas card which is lovely.

Done Lego and chocolate in the past for the kids but now do a homemade one with random stuff, sweets one day, cinema tickets or a treasure hunt to find Christmas socks etc another. They love the treasure hunts the most and the clues are getting more cryptic as they get older.

I’d quite like the Yankee candle one, keeping dropping subtle hints!

[Gill H]

I agree, the Jacqui Lawson ones are so lovely. We have done them several years now.

I am an old fogey and can't get my head around expensive advent calendars. That's a lot of money to spend - more than I spend on anyone's Christmas presents, including my own!

When I was a kid you had two choices - Jesus or chocolate. These days I get a Divine chocolate calendar and feel very luxurious as I get Jesus and chocolate! And it's Fairtrade chocolate as well.

[All-smiles]

We have one of those wooden refill ones that I buy things for. Every Wednesday and saturday I've put together a larger gift that usually has a family activity like card making things, letter to santa set, polar express ticket(as we are going on one this year), making decorations sets from pound shop. Its so much fun and we make lots of memories! The inbetween days it's just a chocolate. Xx

[Gill H]

Originally Posted by All-smiles

We have one of those wooden refill ones that I buy things for. Every Wednesday and saturday I've put together a larger gift that usually has a family activity like card making things, letter to santa set, polar express ticket(as we are going on one this year), making decorations sets from pound shop. Its so much fun and we make lots of memories! The inbetween days it's just a chocolate. Xx

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What a great idea!

[WhereIBelong]

We do 2 now, our traditional fabric pocket with chocolate coins/heroes in every year for December - the kids are at uni now, but we still have to do our "tradition"...

and a reverse advent that we do in November.

(Every day you pick something to put in the food bank or put a pound in the first charity tin you come across, some people collect all 24 items together and donate all at once, some are a bit more haphazard like us)

[Tigger71]

Last year I bought 24 scratch cards an put in an envelope each. That was a big hit. This year I saw national lottery do an advent calendar scratch card for £5 so have bought that instead (scratch a square each day with a daily win opportunity).