I bought this house shaped Advent calendar several years ago on Christmas clearance but haven't really done anything to it. I had meant to decorate it up, but never got around to it. Oh well, it is fine in its simplicity. I thought this year was a good one to fill the little drawers with items that my family might be amused with. I decided to just put the numbers in a row, but I could have gone a bit wild and crazy and randomly assign the doors, then have the door opener wipe the chalk off as the countdown continued. I think I've had enough wild and crazy in 2020, so neat and orderly will be my little Advent calendar house.
This year with so little out of the house shopping and when I did venture out, it was use my list, gather, and check-out, I didn't get any of the premade Advent calendars sold in stores. Even when my kids were older, I still got them advent calendars, those rectangular boxes with the chalky chocolates misshapen into sort of a glimpse of a Christmas design. It's just as well I left them for people with kids, though I sure like the idea of the new wine and coffee calendars.
The calendar I always drool over every year is the one from National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. Each door or window opens to a charming victorian scene. This site, Dude, I want That, has many replicas of things from the movie. I don't plan to splurge this year, but if I ever come across something similar, I might just need to bring it home. There's a whole host of people who have tried to make their own version ala Pinterest, and again, nothing I plan to do.
Back to my house calendar. Here's a small selection of what I stuck in the drawers. Nothing special, nothing necessary, and nothing that will blow the socks of the drawer opener, but a little fun to count down to 12/25. DD2 had forgotten about this and liked the idea. I was limited to the size of the drawer so of course, candy was an easy thing to tuck in as was lip balm, ponytail holders, make-up, candles, and stickers. No need to remind me that the youngest is 19! It's all just for a bit of fun.
That sounds fun! I love your ideas. Something for your daughter to enjoy each day.
ReplyDeleteI did get one of the cheese advent calenders at Aldi again this year. We enjoyed sampling the different cheeses last year, and I carefully sliced each baby cheese into thirds each day, for the three of us who can eat cheese. :)
I thought by happenstance I would buy any of those novelty ones if i cam across but I shop so infrequently they were all gone before I even saw them on the shelves. How was the cheese version?
DeleteLove it, we can all use a bit of fun!
ReplyDeleteAnything for a smile, right? She did some peeking last night-kids are kids.
DeleteI used to buy those little chocolate advent calendars too. I gave them up a few years ago but got my daughter a 12 days of Christmas socks calendar from 5 Below for, you guessed it, $5. Works for us! JoAnn
ReplyDeleteA socks one would be very useful!
DeleteThat is a fun thing to do! I looked for the coffee calendar but could not find one here. When I was looking there were wine ones all over the place but I couldn't justify the price for wines I may or may not like.
ReplyDeleteCoffee would be a great option-I like trying new ones. Do you recall the wine price? Wine is only sold in liquor stores here so no calendars that I've ever seen.
DeleteThat looks like fun. This year I bought a reusable tree shaped advent calendar for the kids and put 3 mini sized candy bars in it (some have milky way, some 3 musketeers and some snickers). I didn't buy the cheap chocolate calendar last year and the kids complained. They didn't even like the chalky candy in them. This will be a compromise. :)
ReplyDeleteThe cheap chocolate is horrible, but the opening of the windwos was fun. My daughter had forgotten all aobu tthis house so thought it was fun.
DeleteAvon had one like that a long time ago, it had a elf that moved from pocket to pocket. I used to Bible verses in it for the youngest
ReplyDeleteWe have a wall hanging advent calendar, but it needs to sprucing up. It didn't survive the kids young years well. My MIL made it, and she would not be happy to knw it is not being used.
DeleteI think that's a lovely idea (I'd be hoping to score the Lindt chocolate ball personally!).
ReplyDeleteOh, there will be a few mor eof those in the drawers-a go to when I couldn't figure out something new.
DeleteToday, at the age of 55, I opened my very first Advent calendar! I mentioned last week that I'd never had one, so my daughter surprised me with one.
ReplyDeleteThat's really sweet of your daughter. It was always part of the sisters day shopping hunt to find them first for kids, and now for my sister's grandkids. No shopping day this year.
DeleteThats a really lovely idea for an advent calendar, much nicer than the cardboard ones.
ReplyDeleteI hope it becomes a new tradition for the next generation perhaps as well.
DeleteIt is a lovely idea having little boxes to fill. I think my brother had a mini gin bottle calendar one year. Last year I got the sprogs a shop brought Harry Potter 'trinkets' calendar - two weeks into December as I refused to pay the grand original price! Lulu x
ReplyDeleteA Harry Potter and a liquor calendar would be well received in my house.
DeleteI have never had an Advent Calendar. But, chocolate is good for every day.
ReplyDeleteThere are cute crafts to make them with TP or Paper towel rolls.
DeleteThat's a really good idea for a sustainable Advent calender! x
ReplyDeleteMuch better than more paper and plastic in the trash.
DeleteA question about the sausage balls you make. Do you precook the sausage or just mix in in raw with all ingredients?
ReplyDeleteGoing to try them today!
Raw meat-just like hamburger, and lal ingredients go in before baking. I add more apples to sausage ration because we like it that way.
DeleteThank you. Made them this afternoon and they are really good! Will make another batch to freeze to have handy!
DeleteHi Sam, how lovely you are doing a blogmas posts! It's so interesting to see how folk in other countries are doing their stuff. With less opportunity to shop and us all trying to keep safe, it's going to be harder this year to source things to pretty up our homes so sharing inspiration and ideas on blogland is fun. Betty x
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