Bestest Friend and I are doing a blog project. Every day we will write a blog post on a pre-determined topic chosen by a random noun generator. The theme for the twenty-eighth day of the month is "Meaning."
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Last year, I bought a Harry Potter Lego advent calendar and it made every December evening a little special to stop whatever we were doing and build a little something. I'd never really had an advent calendar before, but I decided that this year I was going to research them and buy a really special one and advent calendars are going to be a holiday tradition for me, like the great ornament search each year. I want my advent calendar to be meaningful, though. Here were my top five contenders. Which one do you think I actually bought for myself?
1. Bonne Maman 2022 Advent Calendar ($39.99 for 23 fruit spreads and 1 honey) - What can I say? I saw this at Costco and was instantly transported into the thought of opening one of these each night at the end of dinner and having a little fruit spread on a cracker.
2) Wishing You Advent Calendar from the Sephora Collection ($45 for 24 beauty surprises) - I actually think this is kind of a bargain. I have been on a bit of a product moratorium for personal care products, so I wouldn't be mad to get all these little treats.
5) L'Occitane Classic Advent Calendar ($80 for 24 travel-size versions of L'Occitane classics) - I have some of the almond hand cream on my desk right now, am on my last bit of shower oil, and love the lip balm. I would definitely make use of every tiny bit of this, but it is a bit on the pricey side.
Ooh! I love the suspense! We used to get the Lego advent calendars, but we never did the Harry Potter one. Right now all we have is our cat advent calendar, which will be fun but not quite as exciting as the ones you have here (the cats will like it, but it's just a cat treat every day.)
ReplyDeleteI could picture you with any of these, but my guess is the tea one.
I bet my cat would love her own advent calendar! Maybe next year. (Who am I kidding? I'll get myself one next year again and she'll be left out again.)
DeleteSo many fun ideas! (I already marked my calendar for next year to check on Bonne Maman, I think my mother would love that.) I actually think it was the tea one that you got, but I hope it was the Bonne Maman, so you can tell us if it was good.
ReplyDeleteI got the Bonne Maman one for my Bestest Friend. I'll have to see how she likes it and report back!
DeleteMy vote is the tea one. But you can't go wrong with any of these! I got a cute advent calendar from Pottery Barn 2 years ago. It has little drawers for each day. The boys get 3 m&ms and then everyone 1-3 days I put a slip of paper in the drawer that says "pick a present." The first year, Paul got matchbox cars. Then last year and this year I bought a bunch of Christmas-themed books. I think we are probably getting to the point where we have enough Christmas books so I will have to come up with something different next year. This is the first year Will gets anything - last year he was too young for m&ms but he loves them now so will get to participate.
ReplyDeleteMy husband is one of five and he has very fond memories of them taking turns getting candy out of an advent calendar. It's a fun tradition and I'm sure they'll love it as they get older, too!
DeleteEvery year I ogle the beautiful -- and more and more plentiful -- options, but I have never bought one for myself. I do get my daughter one. We have done LEGO and Barbie ones for her in the past and I cannot remember which one we got for her this year. This year, my husband found one that is like a little mystery calendar that he and I can do together, so I'm excited for that! I bet you chose the tea one, so you and your husband can share... Or the Bonne Maman or the Harry Potter one. They all look so fun though!
ReplyDeleteOOOhhhhh... a mystery one is PERFECT. I hope you tell us all about it.
DeleteOoooh those look fun. I do advent calendars: the guys get Lindor ones, and I have always wanted one of my own - but I didn't want a chocolate one. Last year I got a tea one and hated it; I'm a simple girl and some of those teas were very unappealing. This year, though, I got a puzzle one! It's a jigsaw puzzle a day, and I'm so excited to start it.
ReplyDeleteI am marking down a jigsaw puzzle advent calendar as an idea for next year. I would love that!
DeleteWe had them for the grands when they were young. I will have to ask Sue if we had them for ours. I don’t remember. I sure did have them growing up, and we won’t be doing it any more with the grands not here as much. Or us at theirs as much.
ReplyDeleteYou should bring it back just as a little treat for yourself!
DeleteYES, YES, YES we do advent calendars.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was in university - and missing my family/plowing through final exams - I always bought a cheap chocolate Advent calendar. It made a huge positive impact on my mood, and of course each little chocolate meant I was closer to being done those blasted exams/term papers, and closer to my family and Christmas!
My son got the Harry Potter LEGO Advent calendar from a friend for his birthday this year + I had already bought both kids a Kinder chocolate advent calendar. Usually I get them cheaper ones because it's mostly for the fun of having something to open every day...but it also felt nice to splurge a bit and get them a nicer one this year.
I ended up buying myself a VERY cheap one this weekend, but I slightly regret not splurging on me, too. Note to self next year!
Okay, this comment is getting long, but there is more!
This year we're also doing Advent Affirmation Jars. I did this a few years ago and then shelved it last year because life was crazy. I cut out 24 strips of paper for each child and they each get a mason jar. In the lead-up to December 1st we write down things we appreciate/love about each child/sibling. Then each morning, they get to pick out a slip of paper and read some positive affirmation before they start their day. We had company stop by to visit today (a senior-citizen couple who adore/spoil the kids) and so I had them each write down something to add to the kid's jars. It's really fun, very low impact in terms of prep, and SUCH a nice way to start the day (especially since the kids can be kinda grumpy first thing after they wake up). It's also a nice way to have the kids think about what their sibling does well/positive qualities. Like today my daughter showed me one for her brother: You are very good at giving compliments. This is SO true. He is extremely encouraging and very genuinely tells people they're doing well with something. He came to show my one he had written for her, in his "unique" Grade-2 spelling: You have an excellent singing voice." <3
The HP LEGO advent calendar was amazing last year! I bet Levi will love it!
DeleteThe Advent Affirmation Jars sound like such a lovely project. I can imagine that it will put a pep in the step of everyone in the household for the whole day!
I'm not an advent calendar person but if someone gave me the Walker's calendar...I'd become an advent calendar person in short order.
ReplyDeleteYou just need the right incentive, clearly!
DeleteI still get my kids Advent calendars and they are 19 and 22. I switched from the wax chocolate ones to the Lindt ones very early because I am an idiot who likes to spend money, apparently. Then I sent y son a Reese's one in first year of college and he said it was the best thing I had ever gotten him. I got myself a David's tea one one year, but I sort of felt like Nicole - I liked the ones I liked, but I really didn't like some of them. Out of these, I think I'd pick the Bonne Maman or the L'Occitane.
ReplyDeleteBetween this Reese's advent calendar idea and Nicole's jigsaw puzzle idea, I'm racking up a list for next year already.
DeleteMy Husband just ordered Advent calendars - those chocolate ones. Although, he ordered two and we have three kids. Not sure how that's going to work out. I used to do Advent books where I got 24 books (combination of our own and from the library) and wrapped them up and we opened one every night. Then one year I stopped wrapping them and just put them in a bag and let the kids choose one. I'm not sure I have the energy this year. Plus, the library loan period is only 21 days and when the Library needs The Grinch Who Stole Christmas back before Christmas and I have to unwrap all the books to find it so I can return it... well it gets annoying.
ReplyDeleteI love the idea of Advent Calendars, but I feel like we are always so busy in December that we forget to do it. We always forget to do the Advent candles and there are only four of those!
Oh, no! Wrapping and unwrapping sounds like such a hassle. I think I'd just pay the fines to the library to avoid it!
DeleteI love advent calendars and these all look so fun! This year I'm doing the cheese and chocolate truffle calendars from Aldi. My husband and I also made our own beer advent - we each picked out 12 beers and will pick a random one every day :)
ReplyDeleteOh, a Harry Potter Lego calendar... that sounds like fun. I used to get advent calendars as a kid and my first boyfriend always made on for me every year, but I haven't had one in years. (Wait, that's not true, I got the Friends Advent Calendar from a friend a few years ago - that was fun.)
ReplyDeleteI don't buy one for me and Jon though - but maybe we should start that tradition? I like the idea.
You picked out some nice ones. I'd love the David's tea calendar - is that the one you got?
We usually have little socks pegged on a string and I fill them with 5 lollies - 1 for each of us but this year the girls have moved out and my son is out working a lot so I'm not sure what to do now.
ReplyDeleteOh, I really love the idea of researching advent calendars and treating yourself to one. We never did advent calendars growing up, but there are so many great ones now. Last year, I did an advent calendar for the cats and it had toys, which was fun. :)
ReplyDeleteI'm going to guess you bought the David's Tea calendar!