Over the top advent calendars

Have bought myself the M & S one, I have got the youngest Grandson a playmobile one and look forward to seeing his face when he gets a little gift each day. Older Grandchildren and Children have chocolate advents from Thorntons (at least I know the chocolate will be nice) It is Christmas after all, and as long as it stays in December I shall ,are the most of all it has to offer????

I bought an Advent Calender for my daughter's cats ... . It has paw shaped cat treats - who could resist?!

I've been asked to get a 'traditional' (i.e. non-chocolate) advent calendar for one DGC this year - it's been a real job to find one at a reasonable price, and it's still cost more than twice as much as one with chocs in... As they say, 'Go figure'..!!

My iPad likes cats! Sorry Felice

Just your own, feline. Everyone’s own post is that colour.

Not sure why my post have a lilac background ????

I have bought a Lego one for DGS 20€ for 24 little lego sets.
It will also double up as his gift from St Nicolas at the beginning of December, he loves Lego and it will be added to the collection after Christmas.
He has a traditional one with the pictures behind the windows which came from Germany when he was born.

If people have the money to spare and will use the contents, they should buy them.
However, none of these are ADVENT calendars. They really have nothing to do with Advent. I doubt that 80% of purchasers know what Advent actually is. It’s an example of sellers trying to push their products in a different package but hijacking a religious term in order to market them.
The original pictorial calendars were designed for children and provided an inexpensive treat which helped to tell the Christmas story.
These calendars, whether filled with quality treats or useless tat, are nothing to with Advent.
They should be relabelled as December treat calendars.

Each to their own. I love keeping Advent as a time of quiet reflection and enjoy all the traditions of preparing for Christmas. We do not put a tree up until the last weekend before Christmas - always have a real one and keep it up until twelfth night so don't want to get it too early, but during Advent, bit by bit, I put decorations on windowsills and build up tea-lights. Since meeting DH(2) we have bought each other chocolate Advent calendars ... never used to, but I do love the indulgence of a little treat every day.

I like the idea of advent calendars like the M&S one because it gives you a chance to try out new products for far less than normal.

Lots of good reasons to buy them on this thread.

If you don't like them, don't buy. The shops are full of stuff we don't like all year round.

I've got a Hotel Chocolat advent calendar which has got two truffles for every day in December. Not expensive and a tasty daily treat for DH and me

I try (not very successfully) to be a bit more prayerful during Advent but must admit that I just don't 'get' Advent calendars and don't buy them for my GCs

Well I did it! There were a couple of things I couldn't get in town yesterday, so I went online and ordered them..... together with the advent calendar
There are some things I probably won't make use of, but my daughter will, and some of them could make nice little 'extra' gifts.

I would have liked the Boots No7 one this year but Breakdown cover for car is due (same price) you can guess what won, yes my car, maybe next year

A retailer's bandwagon; anything to get you to buy. If you want it then OK, but it does devalue all the ones without such "attractions".

I just don't buy stuff i don't want and save being horrified for child abuse and acid attacks and the real horrors of this world. Cardboard filled with toot............just ignore it.

It’s a commercial racket that people get sucked into. I’m even anti chocolate advent calendars. I remember when it was a joy to find a star or a nativity scene behind the window.

When my first grandsons were born I made an Advent Calendat out of an old denim curtain. I punch-needled a Father Christmas face then knitted pockets with intarsia numbers, and each pocket had a little knitted tree ornament and filled with a chocolate coin for each day It comes out every year and is now 15 years old and still going strong. But my, how much more the chocolate coins cost now!

Don’t like, don’t buy - simple.

Being “horrified” though is a bit melodramatic.

I saw a toiletries Advent calendar in Lidl for £20. I actually thought it would be a lovely gift for a teenage girl. Tesco have a strange Advent calendar which is a little box of cereal each day. It's £4.

My DS bought his 9yr old a Smuggle AC at £25. madness!

Best present once was F&M box of 1/4 bottles of champagne.

Only buy for my gd. Think they are just for children. I have one though that was thrown in the rubbish bin from the school where I worked so I rescued that it’s so sweet with pockets and little felt figures which you place on the Christmas tree above. My gd is now 17 still loves it

Definitely go back and get a M&S advent calendar Bathsheba - if you can't treat yourself at Christmas when can you??

Bought it last year and really enjoyed my little treat each day. Really good value, still using some items and have bought it again this year. Bought my Mum one as a Xmas present and she is thrilled.

Enjoy the little treats in life! For £1.45 a day it is well worth the money.

I was offered one of the M&S advent calendars today, but I didn't buy one, probably because my DH was there because I didn't think I would make enough use of it. But now I'm cross with myself and wish I'd gone for it. Might have to go and spend some more in there. And this time I'll go on my own