When my children were little we used to do the Advent calendars with them that had tiny pieces of chocolate hidden behind little doors that were numbered with the days leading up to Christmas so you could open one door each night. We found them one day while at a German deli and thought they were just the cutest things! Each piece of candy was embossed with a Christmas theme item. The kids would try to guess whether there would be an angel, a stocking, or a tree on their piece of chocolate before opening the little door for that night. The entire calendar for 24 days had less chocolate as an entire candy bar so I never felt like the bad mom letting them have candy at bedtime.
Then about eight years ago I was shopping at an after Christmas sale and found these cute little Advent calendars that you could add your own gifts to year after year. I thought this will be great I can get away from all candy and it will be fun!
Well, I created a monster.
Think about it. I have to buy 48 little gifts each year (24 gifts each for 2 children) just for the Advent calendar. When they were little two Hershey kisses or a pencil was great gift. Now that they are older it takes a bit more. A Lego mini-figure one day, a bottle of nail polish, a few Hershey kisses for memories, and hair ribbons are among the items now. I have to shop clearance sales year round to find little items that are inexpensive so I am not spending $100 on Advent gifts.
But, it is not only the gifts. I made this into a game with riddles. Each night I hide the Advent item in the house and give each child a riddle, written on a small slip of paper behind each door, to solve to find their treat for the evening. I know the kids will remember this forever. They laugh and run around the house trying figure out where I am hinting their gifts are hidden. One such riddle was “They could have called this Clear Pond but they didn’t.” The item was in the bin of their Blue Lake clothes for summer camp. It took them quite awhile to find that one but it was fun watching them try to figure out if the clue had to do with water? Is it in the bathrooms? The kitchen?
This is one tradition we will keep and I hope when the kids get older and have families of their own they take their Advent boxes and do this with their families and realize just how much work it is and how much I really must have loved them. 😉
What's for Dinner Moms? 
Love the scavenger hunt idea! 😀
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Thank you! Keeps me on my toes thinking of new,places to hide them.
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Oh, this is a perfect tradition – I really like this. 🙂
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Thank you! It keeps me busy!
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A fun busy! 🙂
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This is an awesome tradition!
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Thank you!
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I love your advent boxes!
I have an old Avon Advent calendar with a little mouse the kids would move daily, but now #1 Grandson moves it, and like you I gave him an Advent calendar with little chocolates in it just like I gave his Mom when she was a girl.
I also have a Christmas tree advent calendar with boxes, but I only put chocolate kisses in it. You’re really going the extra mile! 🙂
I gave Baby Girl the Bare Minerals Advent Calendar this year. It’s been fun watching her open each window and find a beauty product.
I should take a page from your book and make one like that for her with little beauty items I find all year going forward. It might be less expensive. Something to consider!
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How sweet! Shopping the clearance sales all year (I always go down the aisles looking for red tags!) really helps keep the cost down.
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I have an advent calendar box like that! I’d buy a mixed bag of small candies to give a surprise each day to my daughter. I haven’t done that in probably 5 years though but I still set it out. Great memories and a good tradition your kids can pass on!
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Thank you! I hope they do continue it.
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That is awesome but you have created a real monster for yourself. I kept adding traditions year after year until I almost went mad. But I applaud your determination! What I found is that the kids eventually outgrew a lot of the “stuff” I thought was meaningful “Jesse trees”. straw in the manger, secret santas, cookies til they grew bored frosting them, homemade ornaments. Enjoy it while it lasts. I wish I had the energy you do
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Smile. The girl will be a senior next year. I don’t have them much longer. That’s what keeps me moving forward. I will miss it when it is gone.
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I love this tradition! It’s wonderful how a simple advent calendar creates so much expectation.
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Lol. It is so true!
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So special! I love this idea Marci
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Thanks, Lynn!
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I love your holiday spirit and special traditions!
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