h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I bought my Advent calendar today.

Last year I left it to the last minute, so ended up with a choice between the really expensives ones or nothing.
That won't happen again.

This time, I've got one of the cheap ones that taste like cardboard. Because it's part of the nostalgia and fun.

Mum would buy us calendars every year, up until a few years ago, when she suddenly decided that 30 was too old for that stuff.
They were always the horrible kind that tastes nothing like chocolate, but the whole point was to open a window every day, not to have nice chocolate to eat.

So this year again, I will be opening a window every day, first thing in the morning, from 1st to 25th December, and eating the chocolate-cardboard thing behind it.

Just wanted to say that I have never looked at a calendar before sticking a chocolate in my mouth. But whatever works for you is great for me.

*leaves some real for SF*

We were never allowed a chocolate calender, and my mum bought me a card one this year with a picture of a tractor on it (because adores them).

I quite like not having the chocolate ones. The ones I've seen all have a little plastic tray that obscures the picture underneath.

I'm very nostalgic for the advent calendars of my youth - back in the 70's. They were generally the nativity scene, with lots of glitter, and you had to really look for the number. Then behind the door would be a picture of a present, or a star, or a candle. The 24th was always a double door and it was a picture of the crib with the baby Jesus. It was always exciting to open the door and see what today's picture was.

Deb

[Amy P]

.

Brings back really bad memories. The whole opening advent calendar/ hanging decorations thing put me off this period. Having two Sisters and a rather over-bearing Dad (at that time) meant I eventually took a complete back seat, to the extent I rebelled against this period of the year.

I'm reasonably versed on most popular religions, but still prefer to take a back-seat.

But then, being English, we aren't quite so staunchly religious as the rest of Europe.

As you know,SF, I'm not denigrating in my comments.

and

MMF

Oh, what a shame, MMF. <-- at your siblings and dad, not you.

Despite my own happy Christmases, I did go through a rebellion period, but I managed to make peace with it and just do the elements I choose. Well, that and the present giving, which I am not (apparently) allowed to give up ever, according to my mother.

How do you stand on s? Same emotion?

The thing I hated (hate) about Christmas was the commercialisation.

If ten people each bought the other nine a token present worth £5 that makes £450 thrown away as the chance of getting a present worth £5 that was going to make a difference to the Christmas mood is virtually nil. Result: a Christmas gift to the retailers and manufacturers.

I worked in a large office with 40 other people. Each Christmas the other 39 would hand over a card to each other person in the office. Although the cards were inexpensive multi card box sets, it still seemed to me to be a total waste of money. I have always believed that a card was something you sent to someone you would not be seeing before Christmas.

Eventually the office decided that instead of giving a card to the person sat next to them they would wish them Merry Christmas and donate the cash they would have spent, to a charity.

Gifts put pressure on people. What level of giving should you undertake? Gifts to close friends and relatives is understandable enough but at what point does it end? I have known people getting an unexpected gift from a neighbour frantically rushing off to the shops to buy them one back.

When people ask me for hints as to a present I would enjoy I tell them all the same thing. Nothing. If I wanted it I would already have it, and if I don't have it it will be because it is too expensive for me. And if it is too expensive for me, It would be too expensive for them.

There is only one exception to my rule. Homemade. Be it a painting, pottery, story, song or jam, if has been made by the giver it is received with thanks and kept forever. My forever anyway.

lego calendars here,not religious, big waste of money, but it makes the kids happy and they play with the contents for months!

Since all the kids have left home, I send them a parcel at the beginning of Advent with a calendar and some other pre-Christmas gift involving participation on their part, with partners and flat-sharers - e.g. ingredients for baking cookies, making glühwein - this year I'm going to get some lengths of straw and thread and send them the wherewithal for making the traditional straw stars. They can stick the stars on Christmas cards, on a tree or a single twig of pine. At least that's the idea.

When they were smaller we had advent calendars - different every year. See Tav's entry on how to make them. There are so many ideas - it seems silly to buy them. A87778282

If I do buy a chocolate one, I go for the top end of the market and get really good quality chocolate. And if anyone gets me one - it had better be of the same quality!

Just looked up those Lego advent calenders, they look really , but I think I'll stick with Dairy Milk ones - much cheaper and they look 'knitted' this year

Knitted dairy milk? You sure you're not looking in your sock drawer by mistake?

A few years ago the company I worked for came up with a great plan for Christmas gift giving. We had about 30 office employees, working in two separate divisions, so there were many others we only knew by sight.

The theme was to draw a name and buy a gift that they would have wanted as a child. There was a limit of about $20.00 for each gift.

The gifts were wrapped and opened one at a time and the giver explained their reason for selecting the item. The recipient then had a chance to explain their reaction.

At the end of the party the gifts were all loaded up and donated to a charity for poor children.

We had a lot of fun without going home with anything we did not want, and we had a chance to share with the less-fortunate.

Participation was purely voluntary, but I think almost everyone took part.

F S

That's a fabulous idea, FS!

Deb