Need a budget friendly advent calendar idea for DD13

[SnoWhiteRabbit]

My DS9 is getting the Star Wars lego advent calendar & DD11 getting the lego city advent calendar...DOnt want to leave my 13 yo out -- need something fun for her -- but she's not into legos. We also do the chocolate advent calendars so just Hershey kisses or something like that wont work.

Any ideas -- either that you've seen in a store or that I can make myself? I was thinking something little like earrings, but that will get super pricey by the time she reaches 24....

 

[moonpie85]

My DS9 is getting the Star Wars lego advent calendar & DD11 getting the lego city advent calendar...DOnt want to leave my 13 yo out -- need something fun for her -- but she's not into legos. We also do the chocolate advent calendars so just Hershey kisses or something like that wont work.

Any ideas -- either that you've seen in a store or that I can make myself? I was thinking something little like earrings, but that will get super pricey by the time she reaches 24....

What about $1 elf lipglosses and $1 nailpolishes?

Easy to find mini versions this time of year

 

[libinatorsmom]

I got my DD a cute Advent Calendar with little pockets from Target Dollar spot and I am getting little things to put in each one... the pockets are small.. But I picked up some Hello kittygel pens, Stickers, little nail polishes, little candies, a dollar coin... Her elf is actually going to put something in it everynight so she wont see everything... But its going to be pretty cute... I looked at some of the prepackaged ones but I thought this would be better for her and since her elf is going to be doing it she will probably get some silly things in there as well

 

[poohfriend77]

What about $1 elf lipglosses and $1 nailpolishes?

Easy to find mini versions this time of year

That's what I was going to suggest too, but 24 of that type of thing might be overkill. Maybe just $1 (bill or coin) for most of the days, with a couple lip glosses and nail polish. Then you could just add one or two "bigger" items like the earrings for a $5 gift card for Claires/fastfood/etc.

 

[luvmy3]

You can do a clothesline Advent calender using funky socks.

You will need twine, clothespins, and socks.
Number the clothespins 1-25, hot glue them onto the twine.
Use them to hold each sock.
Fill the socks with anything you want to give your dd. I do a mix of fun, silly and practical things. My kids love "opening" a sock to see what is in it.
Here are some filler ideas
cool pen/pencil
notepads
bookmark
chapstick/lip gloss
eye shadow
nail polish
make-up brushes
shaving cream
razors or blades
candy
gum
jewelry (inexpensive)
small $ GCs to McD's, bookstore, etc
Plus, she'll get to keep the socks too.

 

[englishteacha]

Dollar store items, gum, lip gloss (you can get multi packs in different flavors), cool pens/pencils, mini candy bars...

 

[goofyredraider]

I made a basket of little things for my 10 yo (I know slight age difference):
I got : smelly erasers, fun pens, nail polish, lip gloss, funky notebooks, etc. I bought some in multi-packs and broke them apart to spread throughout the days.

I wrapped 24 little things individually in some fun girly Christmas tissue paper from the $1 spot at target, label each one with a hot pink dot label with the date on it she is supposed to open it on, and arranged them in a hot pink bucket I had from the dollar spot. I didn't spend NEAR as much as I did on the Star Wars Advent calendars I bought for my boys on this one...and I love this so much more. It was fun to make!

 

[pandamom]

My DS9 is getting the Star Wars lego advent calendar & DD11 getting the lego city advent calendar...DOnt want to leave my 13 yo out -- need something fun for her -- but she's not into legos. We also do the chocolate advent calendars so just Hershey kisses or something like that wont work.

Any ideas -- either that you've seen in a store or that I can make myself? I was thinking something little like earrings, but that will get super pricey by the time she reaches 24....

I have been trying to figure out a solution for this exact issues for weeks! DD11 is getting the Star Wars Lego Advent calendar but haven't been able to find anything comparable for dd13. DD13 doesn't really care for legos, makeup, etc. Coming up w/24 little useful gifts is a real challenge. Think I'm going to give up and just give a $1 or so a day. We have a really nice wooden advent calendar with a tree and ornament cabinet -- each day you open a different drawer and hang that ornament up. Usually dds take turns each day hanging the ornaments but this year I think I'll let dd13 do it by herself and put money in each drawer. Good luck!

 

[PrincessMom98]

My DD13 will get an iTunes gift card for a song a day this year. Not as much fun, but it is what she wants. My DS8 is getting the Lego city calendar and Ds6 is getting the Star Wars one. Last year I did small jewelry for DD, multi pack earrings from Kohl's helped cover several days. I have also done a craft one for DD, where I bought her paints and brushes and beading things.

 

[moonpie85]

I have an unrelated question as this is our first year with an advent calendar. Do we start with the 24 and count down or start with 1 meaning December 1st? Is it preference or is there a proper way? Also is there a time of day you are supposed to do this? I really figured it would come with some kind of history or something that would tell me all of this but it didn't and now momma is left wondering.

Thanks

 

[maggiew]

We open the "1" on Dec. 1st, the "2" on Dec. 2, etc. We just do it whatever time of day we remember!


For the OP, one of the other posters got me thinking. Can you get one of those little Christmas trees at the dollar store and a little pack of ornaments (mini). Then your DD could hang up an ornament each day? By the end of the month she will have a little decorated tree? She could put the tree topper up on Christmas Eve?

Maggie

 

[pigletto]

You guys are making me feel really inadequate about the 3 dollar Mr Men advent calendars I bought with the yucky chocolate inside
The kids never complain though so I might as well stick with what works

 

[Zhoen]

You guys are making me feel really inadequate about the 3 dollar Mr Men advent calendars I bought with the yucky chocolate inside
The kids never complain though so I might as well stick with what works

You could always carefully open the package at one end, pop out the "yucky" chocolate from the molds, then re-fill them with better chocolate you melted in the microwave...it's really easy. Then you just glue the end back together... I agree, most chocolate advent calenders have disgusting "chocolate" in them. If you want to get fancy, use different candy bars to melt into the molds so they find different flavors on different days... white nestle, special dark, milk chocolate, mint chocolate, orange chocolate... it could be fun...

in fact, I think you've just inspired me... I think I'm going to do that for the bake sale next week...

 

[NYEmomma]

I made this for DD -- it's made out of matchboxes, scrapbooking paper & brads:

The boxes are quite small but I fit stickers & temporary tattoos and Christmas barrettes in them. I also do slips of paper with fun activities that we're going to do like baking Christmas cookies, going to Tuba Christmas, looking at Christmas lights, etc.

 

[moonpie85]

I made this for DD -- it's made out of matchboxes, scrapbooking paper & brads:

The boxes are quite small but I fit stickers & temporary tattoos and Christmas barrettes in them. I also do slips of paper with fun activities that we're going to do like baking Christmas cookies, going to Tuba Christmas, looking at Christmas lights, etc.

That's adorbs

 

[book_junkie]

OP, you might let her pick or make a longer lasting advent calendar that can be reused and fill it with trinkets like the others suggested... She could decorate it (maybe something like this:

and then the drawers can be filled with chocolates or nail polish... Or if you go to Claire's or someplace you can find those clusters of earrings (like 6 pairs on a card for $8.99 or something) and break them up into single pairs each day...

My husband and I take turns each year- we put chocolates or small little presents.. he gets chocolate, I get origami...

 

[leight]

A few years back I bought a wooden advent calendar at target's 90% off sale. I was tired of looking for the candy ones every year. I alternate putting items, candy, coins or a note with an activity in ours. One child opens evens and the other odds(I only have two!)... so I make sure that they pretty much get the same things just at different times during the month.

It can be as simple as a coupon good to bake christmas cookies or run to Sonic for a shake. Its fun because they never know what they will get.

 

[KelliLee702]

Any ideas -- either that you've seen in a store or that I can make myself? I was thinking something little like earrings, but that will get super pricey by the time she reaches 24....

I made this last year for a family.

6-8 feet of clothes line or ribbon
24 clothes pins
24 small kiddie socks and/or mittens (mixed)

Paint the clothes pins white and then use a paint pen to write 1 - 24 on them
then hang the mittens and socks on the "line" and hang the line on the wall.

You can fill them with whatever you want and use it year after year!

I saved up all those "unmatched socks" and clearance xmas socks and mittens from the dollar store.

Have fun!

 

[SnoWhiteRabbit]

Thanks for the great ideas and inspiration. LOVE all the suggestions! Thanks for the beautiful photos. I think I will try to make something more permanent for next year, but this year I think I'm going with the wrapping tiny gifts, numbering them with dot stickers and putting them in some type of pretty container. She will be so happy & I'm really happy about doing something special for her! (I was just having a hard time visualizing something and getting started)

Thanks & Happy Thanksgiving!