Really corny old Advent calendars with glitter!

I never had an Advent calendar as a child either, but I remember going to our little post office where loose cards were on sale for a few pennies. There was always glitter - it wasn't a proper card without glitter! The post office floor was covered in it! I have noticed in recent years that glitter (but not the full-on, in yer face glitter of old! Sigh) is making a comeback.

On a slightly different note, have you noticed the increase in REALLY expensive advent calendar ( £25 +) they have one with Happy land in , one with Hot wheels cars and for £49.99 you can get a wine one !!

You'll get no problems from me when it comes to discussing the C word! I love the buildup whenever it starts.

I have been reading some distressing things about glitter though and how it's just as bad as microbeads for the environment. So if I could make a plea for those of you who do arts and crafts to buy a biodegradable option (like this one maybe www.ecoglitterfun.com/) that might be the way forward? And try refrain from glittery cards and wrap this year. I'm not going to harp on about it but it's something that's only recently come to my attention and I thought others might like to know.

And yes N&G there are some crazy options. Last year there was a whisky one on Amazon for over a £1k!

D and partner still buy each other ones with chocolate.
I like a good old fashioned one too Witzend we have had one with wooden blocks that you turn to show different numbers for about 15-20 yrs which I still put out.

I always buy the four GC's an advent calendar.
Last year I snapped up four bargains early in September.
Of course, I forgot I had them, and bought fresh ones again in December.
So last year each GC had TWO.

Yes, Nanaandgrampy, they do all sorts now. I did buy the M&S beauty one for a dd last year - seemed v good value at the special price once you'd already spent £x. Dd was v pleased. No use buying for other dd - never been into makeup and whatnot so she'd never use it.

I buy GC Lego advent calendars, like they really need any more Lego

I don't like the ones that contain chocolate or anything else. Just a nice picture is all I look for. Also it has to be a nativity scene which is, after all, the whole point! Those others seem a world away from Christmas.

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I have kept advent calendars going back many years, and I love glittery ones. The worst one ever was a Ninja Turtle one my son wanted that just has pictures of pizzas under the flaps. One I have is a very traditional one that was from some German friends, and a little Moomin one from Norway.

I love the traditional ones and refuse to buy others. I still buy them for my girls, there'd be a riot in our house if I didn't.

I am aware of the eco problems of glitter, shiny wrap etc and try to buy responsibly.

I treat myself to a Jaqui Lawson every year, as she lives nearish.

I volunteer in a charity Christmas card shop and there is a large selection of Advent calendars. None of them have chocolate and the pictures may be traditional/modern scenes or religious themes.
Every year an elderly disabled lady comes into the shop and I offer to help her as she cannot see very well. My first question about Advernt calendars is "Is it for a little girl or boy?" and the answer is "It's for my 84 year old sister - we send each other an Advent clandar every year"
Some GPs come into the shop and buy several Advent calendars which are sent all over the world - lovely family tradition.

My OH loves a traditional advent calendar with scenes from the bible, but they are so hard to find that we just use the same one every year. Despite this we never remember what is behind each window so have fun guessing each day.

I like traditional, picture only, advent calendars, which transition from secular to religious as more and more doors are opened. They seem to be a vanishing species .

I adore the kind of Advent calendar I had as a child: the kind that only has pictures and am still tempted to have one.

Luckily here in Denmark a lot of shops send them out at the end of November to their customers and we can also buy ones that support children's charities, so we feel justified in spoiling ourselves.

I had a lovely Advent Calendar that I got at Sunday School picnic. It came out every year and had the Christmas story in full on the back. It had a double door for 25th, with the whole stable scene inside. Long since not a Christian any longer, but wish I still had it - none of the chocolates and TV tie-ins!

Well when I read the OPs first post I didnt think she meant advent calendar. What came to my mind was one of those glass domes that you shake to make the 'snow' swirl round!

We were always firm about the reward being just the picture, not chocolate. Ordered ours yesterday from Museum Selection, along with an Advent candle and lots of (unmentionable) cards. Never done it so early before.

I send a glitter one with pictures to grandchildren in USA every year.

My Mum is German, and back in the early 50s her sister would send a calendar for my brother and me. We frequently re-used it, but now and again we'd get a new one. They were not glittery, but had a traditional nativity scene which I can still remember. I felt very lucky and privileged that no-one else had one of these at the time!

When the school I worked at was amalgamated with the juniors. We had a clear out our old head had a lovely advent Calander she put on her office door each year. Found it in the bin with the little ornaments. I took it home and kept it fir my gd, she is now 16 and still loves it.

My eldest daughter buys me and her sister one every year. I never had one as a child but maybe they weren't around then?
Anyway I love having one and really look forward to seeing which one she has chosen for me

If you are near a Cathedral they will probably have a charity card shop with traditional glitter advent calendars too, ours has a wide variety to choose from. Agree the ones I buy have to feature the nativity or three wise men. Loved the one I got each year as a child, and the way the pictures behind the opened doors lit up when put against a window. Buy the grandchildren an Advent Candle too, but always bad at blowing it out before it has burned down too far!