Advent Calendars

[luvflorida]

It's December 1st! Time to start the countdown. We are from Maine, so what could be more appropriate than a New England lighthouse.

Front view

Side view. Our family name is painted on the other side of the mailbox.

Back view

Since our own kids are all adults, I filled each little door/window with our grandkids in mind. Each drawer holds Lego pieces that, when assembled, will make this scene:

Took me awhile to figure out how many pieces to put in each drawer (so that each step makes sense) along with a photocopy of the particular steps to building the particular pieces that are in each drawer. I haven't shown the finished picture to the grandkids, so they'll have to guess as they go along as to what the final Lego project will look like. Should be fun!

When our own kids were little, we had a big, felt Advent calendar with pockets that held various stuffed felt toys (drums, teddy bears, rocking horses, balls, etc.) and each day they took turns choosing a toy to go in that day's pocket. We used that calendar for years!

So, do you do an Advent calendar? What does it look like and what do you put in it for each day? Share with the DIS!

 

[PollyannaMom]

oooh, the lighthouse is so cute, and I like the Lego idea.

I just got one like this -

http://www.amazon.com/Bearded-Christmas-Holiday-Advent-Calendar/dp/B00FUZVQQ2

this year. I filled it with candies, coins, and little notes.

In the past, we've had the paper chain ones where you tear off the rings, the chocolate ones with the little doors, etc.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

We just go with the printed scene on cardboard with doors you open for chocolate thing.

 

[luvflorida]

oooh, the lighthouse is so cute, and I like the Lego idea.

I just got one like this -

http://www.amazon.com/Bearded-Christmas-Holiday-Advent-Calendar/dp/B00FUZVQQ2

this year. I filled it with candies, coins, and little notes.

In the past, we've had the paper chain ones where you tear off the rings, the chocolate ones with the little doors, etc.

The Santa's beard calendar is really cute!

We just go with the printed scene on cardboard with doors you open for chocolate thing.

Chocolate is always good!

 

[thedonduck]

We bought the Disney advent calendar again this year!

 

[lizabu]

What a cute idea. I get the Lindt advent calendars. The kids are 12 and 14 and have started to get snobbish about their chocolate...lol.

 

[wiigirl]

We bought the Disney advent calendar again this year!

Us too.

 

[Donnainnj]

We have the old Costco Village Advent Calendar pictured here http://twitpic.com/sjx5l/full We put Chocolate Coins in them (also from Costco) We also use a paper one they give out at Church each year.
Donna

 

[Meriweather]

We have the Costco one that Donnainnj has and also and a felt Disney tree one (but I can't find a picture of it)

 

[sukhakuli]

We do the Lego Advent calender every year. I have 3 kids old enough, so one got the City, one got the Star Wars, and one got the Friends. They're super cute, we get them every year. And then we add the little pieces to our Lego winter village. We buy the winter village set every year, and we have the Lego Holiday Train set. It's starting to get quite extensive! Last year we mixed it with the Prince of Persia sets we have, to it looked like a little Bethlehem.

 

[kate_wdw]

LuvFlorida, I ordered that same calendar this morning! I love all the detail, especially the lights. LL Bean has had some very cute advent calendars over the years. I also have a log cabin one that they did a while back.

I like to put miniature ornaments inside to decorate a miniature tree and throw in some chocolate too

 

[Wanderlust]

The kids and I made something like this except we put in the shape of a tree.

http://www.twopeasinabucket.com/gallery/member/456803-bodudani/1686787-advent-calendar/?source=pinit

 

[laughinplace199]

We have this one:




But my kids don't call it an Advent Calendar, they call it "The Baby Jesus Game." They've called it this ever since DD14 was a toddler.

 

[luvflorida]

LuvFlorida, I ordered that same calendar this morning! I love all the detail, especially the lights. LL Bean has had some very cute advent calendars over the years. I also have a log cabin one that they did a while back.

I like to put miniature ornaments inside to decorate a miniature tree and throw in some chocolate too

The details on the lighthouse are really cute. I love the miniature lights, too, and the rocks all around the base. The drawers are quite deep, but easily removed to empty whatever treasures are put in them.

The kids and I made something like this except we put in the shape of a tree.

http://www.twopeasinabucket.com/gallery/member/456803-bodudani/1686787-advent-calendar/?source=pinit

That is really cute!

We have this one:




But my kids don't call it an Advent Calendar, they call it "The Baby Jesus Game." They've called it this ever since DD14 was a toddler.

Baby Jesus Game. Gotta love kids and the way they think!

 

[luvmy3]

I love that Lighthouse Advent Calender, I almost bought it last year but didn't. I wish after Dec 1st they'd lower the price

My MIL did the cutest advent calender for us a few years in a row. She bought socks, mostly holiday ones but some plain ones for the boys, and clothes pinned them to a string and filled each one with something. The kids loved it!