How do you use an advent calendar?

[kilee]

Now see we always start w/ the highest # and countdown. That always let the kids know how many more days until Christmas.

On a side note I cannot believe it got to be 12/1 and I forgot about these. I've done one w/ ds every year. Also, started it w/ my neice and nephew last yr since they were old enough to understand. Looks like I'll be braving the weather today to go get 3.

 

[aprilgail2]

Oh No! Not conflicting opinions. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Well, since I am North does that mean I should start on 25? LOL.

Nahhh...I am in NY and we always start on day #1, never heard of anyone around here doign it different.

 

[SillyMe]

Disney makes an Advent calendar? What a great idea, I'm going to go to the Disney store today to see if I can find one. Thanks for the tip!

Yes! I got mine at Magic Kingdom, but my Disney Store here doesn't have them. In fact, I never knew they made them until last week. I have a hard time finding Advent Calendars around here, period. I usually get them from Dunderbak's, a German restaurant in our local mall.

 

[luvflorida]

And what do you tell your 16 year old when she asks why the Advent calendar isn't hanging up so she can put the little felt toy in its little felt pocket, and you know you threw away the felt calendar after Christmas last year, along with the little felt toys that go in each pocket, because it was so old and you figured she was too old for it now, and she would never miss it this year?

Yikes! I didn't think she cared one way or the other about the calendar! We've used it for maybe the past twenty Christmases, since our oldest was about five years old. It was ripped and I think a few of the toys were missing, and we used candy or something for some of the pockets. Last night, she asked where the calendar was. I stammered something about having to go down to the basement and find it. I think I'm in big trouble here.

edited for spelling

 

[SillyMe]

And what do you tell your 16 year old when she asks why the Advent calendar isn't hanging up so she can put the little felt toy in its little felt pocket, and you know you threw away the felt calendar after Christmas last year, along with the little felt toys that go in each pocket, because it was so old and you figured she was too old for it now, and she would never miss it this year?

Yikes! I didn't think she cared one way or the other about the calendar! We've used it for maybe the past twenty Christmases, since our oldest was about five years old. It was ripped and I think a few of the toys were missing, and we used candy or something for some of the pockets. Last night, she asked were the calendar was. I stammered soemthing about having to go down to the basement and find it. I think I'm in big trouble here.

Quick! Go buy a new one. Just tell her that they replaced the felt toys with chocolate because she's a teenage girl with hormones now.

 

[goofygirl]

Online Advent calandar:

http://www.edow.org/spirituality/advent/index.html

Each window features a piece from a nativity exhibit, it's pretty cool.

 

[luvflorida]

Quick! Go buy a new one. Just tell her that they replaced the felt toys with chocolate because she's a teenage girl with hormones now.

I like your explanation!

Actually, I did see a cute wooden, box-type calendar at the Christmas Tree Shop. If I buy it and put yummy treats behind each door, maybe she'll forgive me.

 

[BeNJeNWaFFLe]

Nahhh...I am in NY and we always start on day #1, never heard of anyone around here doign it different.

I'm with you. I always start on #1.

This thread reminds me that I haven't had an advent calendar for a couple of years now. We used to get these 3D ones that were shaped like houses. Me and my brother would alternate opening the windows. I have to go to Hallmark today, so maybe I'll see if they have one.

 

[CarolG]

We've been using an Advent calendar with 24 pockets for years. It came with a little mouse that you're supposed to move from one numbered pocket to the next through Christmas Eve.

Well with two children, it got too difficult to keep up with whose turn it was to move the mouse. So we found another mouse and had one son move his from 1 to 24, and the other move his from 24 to 1.

You'd think they'd get too old, but they kept this up until the oldest left for college. Then the youngest moved BOTH mice everyday. Now he's in college, too, but I'd better get the calendar out before he gets home from college next week!

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Technically--most advent calendars seem to be misnumbered...at least for Catholics.

our first Sunday of Advent can happen in December..or sometimes maybe late November..I recall that sometimes the girls would be ready to do theirs, but then we'd be off by a few days.

Ours is a storybook calendar. We have a $4 mini tree from Walmart--we stand up the calendar and then each day of advent is a story that we read and then hang on the tree.

But you start at #1 on Dec 1st for most Advent calendars.

(ETA: On ours--since it is the story of Christmas..if we worked our way backwards--Jesus would be born....then the mary would be traveling to Bethlehem...then the Angel would speak to Joseph. It would be Christmas in reverse ).

 

[#1MMFan]

I think he would put on a kilt and start with number 1 b/c I told him to.

I don't think he'd bother with the kilt, but he would start at number one.