DEBORAH CROMBIE: As a child, one of my favorite Christmas traditions was the annual trip to the German delicatessen in Dallas for imported German advent calendars. I don't remember that advent calendars were a big thing in America, in those long-ago days. But the German calendars, with their illustrations of cheerful snow-covered Alpine villages, were a much-anticipated treat. Every door or window had a little molded chocolate inside and the tension of waiting to open that December 1st door was almost unbearable.
Now, of course, in the modern era of commercializing everything, advent calendars are a dime a dozen (or a couple of bucks each at Trader Joe's) and most kids have grown up with them. And they have moved way past a little piece of candy for each day. Now you can get everything from tea and coffee to wine, dog treats to Lego, jewelry to skin care, with accompanying price tags that are a wee bit higher than $1.99. Yikes. Here are 59 recommended for this year from Today!
Whatever the price, the thrill is the same!
A few years ago I ordered a whisky tasting calendar, and while it was great fun to open the windows, I have to shamefacedly admit that I've never managed to taste all the little bottles. But you can age scotch, right?
Last year my daughter gave me a calendar from Anthropologie with all sorts of skin-care goodies–and the pretty box made great storage for loose papers on my desk.
But this year I gave in to temptation and ordered the calendar I'd been eyeing for the last couple of years. Made by Diamine, a British ink company, the Inkvent Calendar is a different color each year, with 25 inks (24 tiny bottles, a bigger one for the 25th) that are created just for that year's calendar. (Some of the most popular Inkvent colors are later released in full-sized bottles.) 2023's calendar is purple, my favorite color, and that tipped the scale for me.
Confession: I opened the first window the day the calendar arrived, because I just had to see one of the tiny bottles, but after that I managed to control myself until December 2nd!
So, dear Reds, are advent calendars part of your Christmas? Do you have a favorite? And can you resist the temptation to open a door before December 1st?
RHYS BOWEN: I love them in theory but I have to admit that I forget for several days then open five at once. My favorite has been the Jacquie Lawson calendars that are scenes from bygone eras. I love going into Edwardian houses, solving puzzles and just experiencing that sort of Christmas. When we did a Christmas market tour some towns were an advent calendar with decorated windows of all the houses.
LUCY BURDETTE: If anyone deserves an Advent calendar full of ink bottles, it’s you Debs! I subscribe to a bunch of Parisian newsletters and I saw one last week with astonishing calendars–all too much $$ to spring for. I did order a beautiful red felt calendar from Garnet Hill for our daughter and her family a few years ago. It hangs on the wall and is very festive. The first year I sent her a lot of little things to use in each square but I’ve slacked off since, so it may be causing her more trouble than it’s worth!
HALLIE EPHRON: Advent calendars sound lovely, but growing up, I never saw one, had one, or knew what one. We always had a tree. It was a big deal, going out with my dad on the eve before Christmas eve to find the perfect tree, bring it home, decorate it on Christmas eve, and come down to presents Christmas morning… that was Christmas. All smashed into 3 days. No advent calendars, no preamble.
JENN McKINLAY: I remember having one as a kid and my Mom was very excited about it (I think they were rare in the early seventies) and my brother and I ate all of the chocolate out of it in one day - we were the original Hooligans. Mom was NOT happy and that was the last Advent calendar we ever had. Truthfully, if I had one now I’d probably stress eat all of the chocolate on day one. Some things don’t change and my love for chocolate is one of them.
DEBS: That's so you, Jenn.
HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN: We never had one, but I longed for one, yearned for one. I thought it was the most fabulous idea, getting a wonderful little treat every day leading up to the big day. We had to browbeat my parents into celebrating -we’re Jewish, my mother would constantly remind us–but we didn’t care, we demanded a tree and etc. But we never got to have an advent calendar. Hmm. Is it too late to get one now? Could there be one with books? Or wine? Are there any rules?
DEBS: Hank you can get wine!
JULIA SPENCER-FLEMING: As many of you will remember, I spent part of my childhood in Germany - in Bavaria, to be exact, arguably the most Christmas-happy part of the country. And yes, we had Advent calendars - the one I recall best had tiny wooden ornaments behind each door. I suspect after one December of hearing my sister and I squabble over who got the chocolate, she went for non-consumable treats.
I love Hank's idea of an Advent calendar with books! Let's got on this!
How about it, readers? Any favorite advent calendars? Did you grow up with them? And who occasionally gives in to the temptation to have an early peek??
P.S. The Diamine Inkvent Calendar is available from most independent pen and stationery stores, but I ordered mine from The Goulet Pen Company, my fave of the online pen stores.
When our children were growing up, we always had an Advent calendar. One of the favorites was a magnetic board on which you covered the date with Christmas decoration. It still gets used every year . . . .
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea, Joan!. The last couple of years I gave my granddaughter one from Kiwi (the educational crate company.) Each envelope contained some part of a Christmas village, so cute when the village was complete.
DeleteI didn't have them growing up, not really a thing then. But, I loved buying them for my kids when they were growing up. They were ones with chocolate treats. Now, they have so many to pick from for kids and adults. For quite a few years, I bought granddaughter Isabella the Harry Potter advent calendars, where you got a small character from the book series from behind each door. I admit I bought myself a few of those, too. She seems to not be as interested in the character calendars much anymore, since she's fourteen. Oh, and Playskool makes some cute ones, too.
ReplyDeleteA couple of times I've bought daughter Ashley a nice calendar from L'Occitane. She loves the shea butter lotion from there anyway, and she's enjoyed the extra treats, and they have nice items in theirs. And, now I will have to look at all the Advent calendars.
I was tempted by the Harry Potter one, Kathy! :-) Love L'Occitane. That's a good idea.
DeleteMy favorite Advent Calendars have always been those that just reveal a tiny picture and a line from The Night Before Christmas…Mrs. Scrooge here says, “Bah humbug to chocolate, teas, wine, etc”. Ho, ho, ho. Elisabeth
ReplyDeleteI've never seen those. What fun!
DeleteWe never had Advent Calendars when I was growing up but I made sure that my son had one every year. We would make a guessing game out of it each day. What shape chocolate will it be today?
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DeleteWe never had one when I was a kid. The first I ever saw or heard of was when my older brother had kids and his wife made one. It was a felt Christmas tree with 25 Hershey kisses tied to it with yarn. Cute!
ReplyDeleteWe did not grow up with advent calendar and really never heard of them until I was on social media.
ReplyDeleteThey're a lot of fun, Dru.
DeleteNo advent calendars, never heard of them growing up. As an adult, I saw them in the store but passed on the plethora of chocolate advent calendars. But when we were in pandemic lockdown, I saw on FB that ANN MASON had a Bonne Maman advent calendar. Bonne Maman is my everyday jam so I wanted one! But no luck finding one in 2021 or 2022. YAY, I bought the 2023 advent calendar at the Marche Atwater in Montreal in late November. Montreal is a foodie city.
ReplyDeleteIt has been fun opening the windows to find the new jams every morning. Some of the flavour combos are weird (e.g. grapefruit & dragon fruit) but I have really liked some (apricot & banana, fig and cardamom). My problem is that I normally eat overnight oats for breakfast, it's a challenge to try them each day. So I had a backlog of 3-4 mini-jars until I baked some croissants (frozen dough from France) yesterday and feasted! Each mini-jar has about 2 servings.
P.S. December 11 mini-jar contained apricot with lavender spread.
Oh that’s great! I love the jam calendar!
DeleteI saw the jam calendar when I was looking at the best advent calendars! Bonne Maman is my favorite, too, so I may have to try that one.
DeleteWe never had one when I was growing up, but I was always fascinated by the idea of opening those little doors to surprises. I had no idea chocolate was inside! I thought it was all little quotations. Meanwhile, as an adult I've never had one either. I'm the type that would forget to open them and then open a few at a time. I could relate to Rhys Bowen's comment. I also was glad to hear her describe what's in the Jacquie Lawson calendars. I use the cards endlessly but haven't taken the leap to the calendar. Now I'm tempted - for next year, given that this December is fast going by.
ReplyDeleteDeborah, purple is my favorite color, too. I love the idea of the inks, because sometimes I draw with them.
The Jacqui Lawson calendars are really fun--you should try one. I've been having so much fun with the inks. I do a swatch with a Q-tip on some scratch paper, then I do a little labeled swatch in my ink journal, where I've made a special page for the Inkvent inks. So far I have filled a pen, but I will.
DeleteWhat a fun discussion. I have never had an Advent calendar with anything material behind the doors.
ReplyDeleteBut we always had them growing up, and the snowy scenes always seemed somewhat Germanic to this Southern California kid. We would tape them to a window because when you openef the little door, the scene behind would be on a kind of translucent paper and the light would shine through from the window. It was always so exciting to open the next door. We also kept them year on year but always got a new one each year so there was quite a collection after a while.
My mother quilted one for my sons, but all you do is move the star from day to day, and then on Christmas you put it on top of the creche scene.
Now I need to get the whiskey calendar for myself! I wonder if it's too late.
So glad to see there are some of us that always had Advent calendars, growing up, with pictures behind the doors, saving them from year to year. One year I hung all that I had saved and had at least ten doors to open. Elisabeth
DeleteEdith, if an advent calendar is not sold out, it might be on sale. Think positive!
DeleteI love the idea of the little scenes with the light shining through them. Magical!
DeleteAs long as I can remember we had Advent calendars growing up. And Advent wreaths. Some of my favourite things about the Christmas season. I continued the tradition when I moved into my first apartment. My favourite calendar was one I bought at the Washington Cathedral when I was in DC for a meeting. I like so I saved it and used it the next year. This year I bought my first chocolate one (at Silver Unicorn Bookstore Acton,, MA) While the chocolate is lovely I miss the scenes and little sayings. Next year back to tradition.I have a smaller traditional one in my office. Suzette Ciancio
ReplyDeleteThe little scenes and sayings sound lovely, Suzette. I don't think I ever actually cared that much about the chocolate--it was just the opening doors that was the thrill.
DeleteTo the best of my knowledge, I never had an advent calendar growing up. And I feel no desire to have one now either.
ReplyDeleteHow about a Heavy Metal advent calendar, Jay? I'll be somebody makes one:-)
DeleteAs a matter of fact they do have such a thing: https://www.metalmerch.com/en/festivals/w-o-a/w-o-a-2022/w-o-a-advent-calendar-stages_2072_12344/
DeleteWell that is interesting. The fact that it represents the Wacken Open Air festival, which is a 75,000 strong weekend in Germany that I have long wanted to attend makes it even more interesting.
DeleteA friend of mine is sharing his puzzle-a-day advent calendar on Facebook: each day is a small box of puzzle pieces that, together by the end, will form the entire puzzle. Fun -- and no calories!
ReplyDeleteI too have one of those this year and am slowly loosing my sanity. On mine, each little box is only part of the puzzle and all the pieces in that box do not fit together to make one section. Promise to report back if sane by Christmas. Elisabeth
DeleteElisabeth, report back even if not sane!!
DeleteSmiling out loud. Will do Lucy! Elisabeth
DeleteI wondered how the puzzle advent calendars worked!
DeleteGrowing up in a devout Episcopalian home, we celebrated Advent as a religious event. We did have Advent calendars in the 1960s, but chocolates, etc. were not in our experience. It was enough for us to be able to open the little windows in the glittering snowy painting each day (my little sister and I, as the youngest, got to alternate as the opener) and see the tiny PICTURE of a new and different toy. I don't think this would go over too well sixty years later! (Selden)
ReplyDeleteExactly, there was always glitter on them. Which made it even more special.
DeleteThis year I gave my granddaughter a NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS Halloween advent calendar. they have a Hans Gruber Falling from the Nakatomi Tower advent calendar that I was tempted to buy, because nothing says Christmas like DIE HARD . Maybe next year.
ReplyDeleteSnort, Jerry! We need to send the Die Hard calendar to Julia next year!
DeletePlease, PLEASE tell me where to get this!!!
DeleteWe had Advent Calendars back in the 50's and 60's. They were imported from Europe and were absolutely gorgeous. Each "door" opened and inside was a picture relating to Christmas. No toys, no chocolate. It wasn't until years later maybe in the 70's that I remember seeing toys in Advent Calendars.
ReplyDeleteNow it is much different. I just spent $50 (times 2) on Lego Advent Calendars for my grandkids. Each door has a Lego character from Marvel (one Advent calendar box) and Disney (the other calendar box). Not very Christmas-ey. But they have fun with them.
Even though we had imported German calendars, I don't remember ones with pictures, just chocolate. But we did get them from the German deli (Kuby's, if any Dallasites are reading this) and maybe they thought chocolate was more appropriate, being edible.
DeleteAdvent calendars and wreaths! As a girl, my family had one German advent calendar and we three kids had to take turns opening the double flaps every day. And my mother re-used it the next year. My kids EACH had a calendar with chocolates. I sent the kids and their roommates chocolate calendars all through college. Their Jewish friends called it "doing Advent", all the roommates gathering to open the day's door.
ReplyDeleteAdvent wreath on the kitchen table, dolled up with eucalyptus, holly, and small fake apples. And some little birds.
Perfect, Margaret!
DeleteMy grandchildren have loved the Jacquie Lawson digital Advent calendars over the years. I’m now down to three grands who are still young enough to find them exciting!~~Emily Dame
ReplyDeleteEmily, I am a grown up and I still find Advent calendars exciting. LOL. Diana
DeleteI like them, too, but didn't get around to getting it this year.
DeleteLike Julia, I am an Episcopalian and have an Advent wreath— yesterday I lit 2 candles for the second Sunday of Advent. We kept Advent when I was a child too—mom would lead us in a few prayers as we lit the candles on Sunday evenings. Since Christmas doesn’t begin until Christmas Eve, we would get a tree on Dec 22 or 23– but we celebrated the 12 days of Christmas and got more presents on Jan 6, Epiphany. Godmother Jackie got us an Advent calendar one year, a large hanging one with cute little toys in each pocket. It was only really great that first year.
ReplyDeleteI love the advent wreath. Such a lovely tradition.
DeleteOh boy, I love Advent calendars. Another subject I could talk forever about. . . We always had them growing up. I assumed it was a Catholic thing (my Mom converted when she married my Dad) but here I find out it was from her German Lutheran upbringing. She's a kid at Christmas and the advent calendar was always a big deal to her.
ReplyDeleteOurs were always pretty simple. Just usually a picture of a winter scene (often very glittery though) and you'd open it up and there'd be a picture of a bell, or a candy cane, or an angel. Two fancy ones stick out in my mind though. One year my Mom got an advent from the Met in New York and it had that big beautiful Christmas tree as the main art scene. Even if you've never seen it in person, it is familiar from Christmas cards and art books. Every day was another piece of art from the Met. Another year, we got one that had beautiful little wooden ornaments inside. They were all little elves dressed in bright felt in different positions and playing with toys, etc. I think my parents still have some of the ornaments.
So that's my Advent memories. Advent calendars are definitely fancy and big business now. I've gotten ones for myself that are tea samplers, but I know I'm getting a lot of tea for Christmas, so this year I went with "Crab Facts." Yes, really! It's designed like a giant scratch off ticket. Every day a new crab fact and no clutter to deal with after Christmas. All the money goes to a science charity, so that's nice.
For the kids, I stick to theme ones with little knickknacks inside (candy would never last in our house). This year it's Lego Star Wars and Disney minibooks. I do tend to regret it come about March when I'm cleaning and I step on a random Yoda figurine. . .
Jill, I had one from the Met, too!! I'd forgotten. So beautiful, and inside each window was a tiny wooden Christmas ornament. We even did a miniature tree for them for a few years. I still have them, somewhere...
DeleteSome of those ideas for calendars are as far from the birth of the Christ child as possible, aren't they? So funny, how this idea has caught on, especially in recent years.
ReplyDeleteI think we had one that my mother saved with our Christmas ornaments and we put out every year, but my memory of it, and of the one I had when I was a young married, was of inconsistent use. We were never organized about opening the windows.
Our bank manager is a single woman, age 38, who posts photos of her trip to Aldi every year with a guy pal, in their quest to score the best advent calendars. Which is how I even knew they were a thing now. She especially likes the kind with whiskies in them. (She is a Bourbon collector.)
As for Advent itself, I always loved the serenity of the ceremony of lighting a new candle every Sunday, although once I was an adult I no longer went to church. However, since the 1990's I've followed Diana Gabaldon--originally on a writer's forum on Compuserve--and she has always observed Advent, lighting the appropriate candles on the wreath on her kitchen counter in Scottsdale.
One of my daughters is in Germany this week on business, and she said the Christmas market is fantastic. I just wrote to her to be on the lookout for Advent calendars to take pictures of for me.
DeleteAh, I see I've missed a great social media opportunity! I could have been posting my ink-a-day, because of course I've done swatches. Next year! And I had no idea that Aldi's had fancy advent calendars.
DeleteOh, I'd love to see the German Christmas markets. Although there are several wonderful ones in London that I have been to. One is front of the National Gallery every year.
DeleteHolly and her husband went to one in Athens over the weekend, and it looked amazing.
DeleteWe have one here in Cincinnati for the first time this winter, but we have not yet been. I've heard it's a really good start!
Always had Advent calendars growing up. And I love the anticipation of opening a new door on the calendar every morning. The chocolate Advent calendars seem to be recent. I bought an Advent Calendar with a portrait of Hogwarts from Harry Potter then I discovered it was a Chocolate Advent Calendar. I still have my Advent Calendar.
ReplyDeleteA Bookish Advent Calendar sounds like a wonderful idea! Wish I had thought of this on the first day of December. Perhaps next year?
Diana
DIANA: Author Tosca Lee posting about a Book Lover's advent calendar on her FB page. The bookish items included bookmarks, reading stickers and other related treats. FYI, BEWARE OF SCAM: One friend bought one Book Lover's advent calendar online. It was a cheap knock-off with ZERO items inside the doors!
DeleteNext year, Diana! And the Bookish advent calendar sounds fun, Grace.
DeleteNext year, Deborah! And I agree that the calendar zounds fun, Grace!
DeleteI was barely aware of Advent calendars until discussions here brought them into focus. Hank's mother and mine had one phrase in common. But, we never had a Christmas tree and laughed our heads off when some comedian called his a Chanukah bush. I helped decorate a Christmas tree at a friend's house when I was in high school and it was a lovely experience!
ReplyDeleteMy parents did allow my grandmother to spoil us on Christmas since Chanukah was frequently over by the time we arrived in NYC to spend school vacation at her house.
I remember, as a child, being awed by the houses decorated in colorful lights that you could see through the trees on our trip down the Merritt Parkway. Then the whole city would be decorated in tinsel and bright lights with garlands stretched across the NY streets from lamppost to lamppost. Every shop window featured snowy scenes, sights and sounds all celebrating something that we weren't really a part of. But parts of Christmas are enjoyed by everyone. We visited the tree in Rockefeller Center and my gramma took me to see the Rockettes. Christmas reminds me of lots of special times.
Chanukah bush! I love it!
DeleteI don't know how my mother discovered German-style Advent calendars with a snowy town scene, 25 little doors to open, and a lovely picture behind each one, but my sister and I shared a calendar like that each Christmas when we were growing up. It was always the same calendar, carefully put away after Christmas Day and brought out the next year. That was part of the fun, trying to remember the different pictures from the year before.
ReplyDeleteIt wasn't until I moved to Switzerland as an adult that I learned that Swiss children had Advent calendars with a tiny present for each day. Most of the mothers in my neighborhood made their kids' calendars: they bought small colored sacks, numbered them, put something to eat or read or play with inside each sack, and hung them up on ribbons in the living room for their kids to open each night. Almost everyone here has an Advent wreath with four candles, too; it's traditional to have one on the table even if you aren't religious. And we have Saint Nicholas Day (December 6), Saint Stephen's Day (December 26) and Epiphany (January 6), which are all celebrated. Christmas in Switzerland is a BIG DEAL. Maybe it's because winter's so dark here--after all, we're at a higher latitude than Quebec City!
I think it's a lovely way to celebrate the dark days, in any tradition.
DeleteWe had one when I was a kid. My mother put Hershey kisses in it, if I remember correctly, and we had to rotate through us four kids as to who got to open the door that day. To avoid fights. Or was it my grandmother? Might have been Grandma. It would be more her thing.
ReplyDeleteFor some reason, The Hubby is fanatically against them. Thinks they're too commercial. But we've never done the Advent wreath either. Julia, as Catholics, beer or wine would be just fine for us in that tradition!
Yes, they are commercial, but maybe less so than so much of the Christmas hullabaloo. A small treat.
DeleteLiz, half my family are Catholics; I know how happy they are with beer and wine! :-)
DeleteA couple of years ago, I delightedly bought the See's Candies Advent Calendar. Sadly, though, I wasn't as excited about the chocolates found behind each door. Too many plain milk chocolates (I prefer dark). So I haven't bought that again. However, two years ago I bought the Vahdam Tea calendar, and that was a winner. To my surprise, there was not one, but FIVE gourmet tea bags behind each door--all different flavors. I still have some of them and remain a Vahdam fan. Recently I bought 100 bags of Turmeric Ginger tea, my current favorite, on a Black Friday sale..
ReplyDeleteWhen my boys were young, we would buy them an Advent Calendar every year, but eventually they aged out of it--just couldn't be bothered. I still find the concept attractive, though.. . .
The tea calendar sounds really fun, Margie. I'm going to look that one up!
DeleteI grew up in an area with lots of German immigrants, and our treats at Christmas always came from the German bakery. My Mom would buy one Advent calendar for my brother and I to share. The ones I remember best were illustrated by author and artist Tasha Tudor, whose books I adored. Their doors opened to reveal a tiny woodland creature or a toy, and Dec. 24 had double doors and was usually a manager scene. The overall design was also wonderful, as were all the ones from Tudor's pen. She particularly liked to include Corgi dogs. These days I find the holiday so over commercialized and stressful that a calendar containing wine sounds pretty appealing.
ReplyDeleteOh, a Tasha Tudor calendar!! I adored her work. I'm sorry I missed out on those...
DeleteThere were no Advent calendars in my childhood.I'm a cradle Episcopalian and had an Advent wreath and candles. We had a lovely little service before Sunday dinner with each child getting a chance to light the appropriate candles, or reading the lessons.
ReplyDeleteOh, that's lovely. I was brought up Presbyterian and I don't think we did anything fun. Lutherans and Episcopalians definitely know how to create memorable and meaningful traditions.
DeleteI love advent calendars and wasn't raised with them, but do look for one every year for myself. aprilbluetx at yahoo dot com
ReplyDeleteMy niece has a tradition for the holiday season where she wraps 25 books, some new and some beloved favorites, in brown paper. The kids get to pick one book each evening for a family read. I love this on so many levels and both of her kids (teen and tween) talked to me about how much they love this.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful idea!!
DeleteI am definitely down for a book filled Advent calendar - although, i could likely make several out of my own TBRs.
ReplyDeleteHa. Me, too, Jenn.
DeleteCradle Episcopalian so yes to both Advent Calendars (grandmother) and Advent wreaths (mom). Back in the day when I was married, we did advent wreaths, and put up the tree, but I don't think it was completely decorated until the 24th. Today the winter holidays celebrated on Nome St are Bodhi Day (8Dec) and Yule. No little chocolates but lots of candles and incense.
ReplyDeleteAll for candles and incense, Coralee. They make every celebration better.
DeleteI currently have 8 advent calendars, ranging from wine to chocolate to cheese, and yes, the Jacquie Lawson one too, which I always forget about. One has little charms I get to add to a necklace every day! It's meant for a child and I got it on sale last year - and clearly, I am a child when it comes to Advent calendar love! Next year, I want a bookish one and maybe that Occitane one.
ReplyDeleteEllen, if this was an Advent calendar contest, you would win!
DeleteI love Advent calendars. I grew up with the kind that have a scripture quotation behind each door. Many years ago, one of my sisters and I started sending them to each other each year, just before Advent began. I think we were in college at the time. I don’t remember when we stopped. I’ve been buying my own for a long time now. Some years I don’t have one, because I don’t like the choices available. I didn’t get one this year, and I miss it. It’s not too late, though…
ReplyDeleteDebRo
No, you just get to open the first half all at once!
DeleteJulia, I love your suggestion! You know the saying we bandied about the vestry - whenever three or more are gathered...
ReplyDeleteI had advent calendars as a kid, but you opened the doors and saw scenes. No treats. I buy the Jacquie Lawson calendars every year - currently working my way though the latest. Debs, YES! What a great calendar. Inks! Checking it out next year. Are they for eyedropper fills?
You could do eyedropper or converter fills, Kait. I haven't tried one yet but it looks like you might get two converter fills. (I use a syringe for my eyedropper fill pens, having learned the hard way that eyedroppers are really messy!)
DeleteOh, never thought of using a syringe. Thank you! Most of mine are piston fills or converter, but with the bottles so small.... syringe sounds perfect. Can you tell I'm planning for next year!
DeleteI was raised Lutheran so that explains why we had one all the way back to the early 60s (probably even earlier but that’s when I became aware). Ours was the same calendar every year - pictures of some probably German Christmas scene. I was not entranced after the first year…. Now if they’d had chocolate behind the doors, I’d have been all over that. Nowadays I am more of a chocolate snob so cheap, no name chocolates wouldn’t do. I gave my son and d-i-l a See’s candy Advent calendar this year ($50!!) and they have repeatedly thanked me so it must be good! I would love a tea calendar and my husband would like the whiskey one! Next year… I do love the Advent wreath. In the church I attended as a child, they had a huge pine bough wreath with big fat white candles and one big fat red candle in the middle. I loved church during Advent because of the candle lighting and the music - all Christmas hymns I knew. — Pat S
ReplyDeleteI saw the See's calendar! I thought about getting that one for my friend in Kansas City who loves See's, but she if of the Jenn school and would probably eat them all in one day.
DeleteMy son actually texted me to say how much they’re enjoying it. He’s not loving his job right now. I said, “It gives you something to look forward to each day -besides no longer being at work!” — Pat
DeleteI haven't had one as an adult. My parents still have the one we had when I was growing up. And my brother and I would squabble about who got to open the doors. It told the Christmas story a little bit every day leading up to Christmas Eve, so we could reuse it every year.
ReplyDeleteI hadn't heard of any adventure calendars with a little gift inside until the last few years. But I've never gotten one since that seems wrong to me. What I grew up with is the "real" advent calendar, you know? Funny how we get accustomed to those traditions, isn't it?
So true, Mark.
DeleteYes to Advent wreaths as a cradle Episcopalian. Advent calendars never made it to our family. Frankly my big brother and I always fought over the toy in the cereal box so you can imagine how we'd have reacted to a calendar with goodies.
ReplyDeleteThis is Pat D.
DeleteMy 6 year old grandson has an advent calendar that gives him a little book each day. The they can read each one at bedtime. It's pretty sweet. Chris Wallace
ReplyDeleteGrowing up in the San Fernando Valley in the '30s and '40s, I didn't know advent calendars existed. However. . . we live near a Danish town, Solvang, and my mom and I loved the restaurants (aebelskivers, yum) and shops, particularly a needlework shop called Thumbelina's. We learned to do counted cross-stitch as a result. On November 30, 1963 my mother and dad showed up late in the evening with traditional cross-stitched calendars she had made for my three sons, aged 8, 6 and 3. Each date had a ring sewn on, with a tiny wrapped gift attached. You can imagine the delight of three kids the next morning--and my horror the next year when I realized I was responsible for 72 little gifts. Fortunately, my mom helped with that. The story doesn't end. Over the years I've stitched dozens of these calendars, for friends, daughters-in-law, grandchildren and their husbands and wives and children. Right now I'm three great-grandchildren behind. It's a family tradition for which we thank my mom, Thelma--or not. Lenita
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful tradition, Lenita! And a lot of work to keep up with the gifts! (And yes to Solvang and aebelskivers!) — Pat S
DeleteMy friends, Tim and Victor, send me the Bon Maman advent calendar each year. Except for this one! They were too late, so they ordered a tea one, and it has been delayed.
ReplyDeleteBut I have faith and will wait patiently
We have an advent wreath too, a gorgeous Fontinini one, packed away in the attic. Guess it’s a bit late for this year. However we went to Lessons and Carols yesterday, our way to begin the season each year. It was lovely If you get an opportunity, listen to King’s College Cambridge on Christmas Eve It will be on NPR
I attended Lessons and Carols last night also. I love that service. I first heard it so many years ago on NPR. Also on NPR I first heard David Sedaris’ hilarious Santaland diaries.
DeleteI had the Bonne Marie jam one in 2021 from my daughter and it was such a treat. This year I got my 20 month old grandson a Sesame Street tiny Christmas book one. He loves it. Bas Bleu catalog had a great William morris design bath and lotion one I treated myself with last year. I love purple and the ink one is very different.
ReplyDeleteLove Bas Bleu, love William Morris. Will have to check this out!
DeleteI haven't had an Advent Calendar since childhood. Now I'm asking myself WHY when they're so much fun--especially the non-traditional ones like the Ink thing. Next year for sure!
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