Over the top advent calendars

Absolutely agree, GrandmaKT

Totally agree, I'd go further and say not even chocs. Although I'm not religious I like the ones with old fashioned nativity scenes.

It's lost its original meaning altogether.

I have a daughter-in-law who has a December birthday, so I was delighted to get her a nail polish advent calendar and know that she will get a little gift every day throughout her birthday month. It's tough having a birthday just days before Christmas.

I have bought the M&S calendar for myself.
I obviously wouldn't buy it for a child who needs a traditional advent calendar but make absolutely make no apologies for ondulging myself.

More money than sense .

And I just had an e-mail from Fortnum & Mason advertising six Christmas crackers for
£500.

I had one bought for me last year and I really looked forward to the little treat every December morning. It was really good value for money. I have bought one for my DiL who’s just finished chemo. I love the idea of giving her a little treat every morning to brighten her day. I imagine her opening it each morning and I like to think it might drip feed a little happiness.

Yes I have treated myself to the M and S one and am looking forward to the 1st December!!

I agree that things are getting out of hand, and it really has nothing to do with Christmas, which I look forward to celebrating in the old familiar way.

But I must admit that I'll be buying that M & S calendar. I treated myself to one last year and it was terrific value. I don't feel guilty, as I'll use just about everything in it, and will have willing takers for the few things I don't want.

M&S advent calendar might be good value but it’s hardly an advent calendar, just a sales gimmick. I like the old fashioned nativity ones and have bought those for the little ones.

Anybody remember the Christmas ‘Father Ted’ episode when the young childlike priest has an Advent calendar and opens it on Christmas Day excitedly saying ‘Look Ted! It’s a whole lot of people standing in a stable...whoa! I wasn’t expecting that!

I do remember that M&S gave away a beauty box 'worth' £85 one year if you spent over a certain amount (excluding food).

It wasn't in the form of an Advent calendar though.

I still prefer the Advent wreath of my youth, with a candle to light each Sunday

Lovely DD gave me the advent calendar that Aldi were selling last year. A different skin treatment every day. My skin looked great by Christmas Day but it would be too much faff to keep it up all year!

A few years ago GS1 had a Playmobil advent calendar. Every day you got another figure or prop for a nativity scene. I think it was quite expensive but it was great fun.

Bought one for my sister's birthday in October, big name products but are they really worth the money ?

My daughters have treated me to the Boots No7 Advent calendar and I can't wait for Dec 1st to start opening it. (But they know I will pass on stuff to them that I'll never use!)

Not sure how I feel about them - I think it all changed when they started to make chocolate calendars. As a child I used to look forward to seeing the pictures each day with the nativity scene always behind the biggest door on the 24th. I don't remember my sons having chocolates in theirs in the 70's either but my granddaughters did and I've bought them for my little grandsons this year. I looked at some of the new gift ones when shopping the other day and one didn't even have 24 days. I've not seen the M&S one but have to doubt the supposed real value of any of them.

It is not given to me to be picky but I feel we must look on advent calendars in their position in things.
My D is now 52 and I had never heard of advent calendars until we moved house when she was 2.
Our neighbour who had no children bought her one for the first Christmas in our new home. They were certainly not widely available as they are today.
She and her brother who followed later always had the window type opening with a cracker, a bell , a tree ornament and the crib scene on Christmas day all their child hood.
When chocolates came in I do not remember but come in they did followed by cartoon characters and tv shows.
Now come the expensive ones featuring cosmetics and alcohol.
It is progression and progress, we are not tampering with hundreds of years of tradition.
I have bought, for myself the M&S one and I look forward to my little treat everyday through December, which has no religious context , just me pampering myself.
As the advert says at the age of 80 " I deserve it".

You definitely do Ann - enjoy them all

You certainly do deserve it annsixty Come December I hope you enjoy your little treat every morning. You can smile and think I hope morethan’s DiL likes this and that it makes both you and her smile.

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

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.