"Advent" Calendars

[Nick]

So The Boy needs an Advent Calendar, largely, it has to be admitted, for the chocolate lurking within. So I agree to purchase one from Tesco. There is a choice of 2: the Bratz Advent calendar or the Daleks (“exterminate”) Advent calendar.

Call me old fashioned, but neither of these seems very “seasonal”. I refuse to buy either and go a hunting.

Simpsons, Spiderman, Barbie, Thomas the Tank Engine, even en effing High School Musical Advent calendar (  ), but nothing remotely relating to Christmas. Not even a Santa in site.

I asked in M&S and Woolies and got blank looks.

I am not remotely religious but WTF has Advent got to do with Spiderman?

We have been completely assimilated by corporate brands.

[Barman]

Agreed...

Meanwhile at chez Barman 'we' are playing the Xmas carols CD for the first (and hopefully last) time this year... 

[Shy Talk]

 Saw a car to -day with a xmas tree strapped on the roof . What a tosser !!! Bet Slade was being belted out all afternoon whilst that was being errected .

And another thing why haven't we got a "Spew" piccy thingy It will be needed as Xmas gets closer.

[Snoopy]

We have 

And on topic ~ our advent calendar went up last night so that was a "surprise" when the children got up this morning. It is home made, nonreligious, in the shape of a Christmas tree (about 24 inches high and similar across at the widest, with little hand made tassels, bells, baubles etc and each of 24 little pockets has three chocolate coins in. The children draw "lots" to decide who will open the first pocket and share out the coins. The one that drew number 1 opens the fabric pocket today ~ number 2 gets to do it tomorrow and so on. This way we avoid all arguments about whose turn it is or who gets the biggest choccy ~ cos they are carefully placed to ensure three of the same size on each day ~ leading up to the BIG ones for the last days ....  before Christmas Eve reveals the biggest.
After Christmas the Calendar gets put away until next November 30th when Mrs Snoopy moves all the ornaments around it and places the pockets in different places, loading them with chocs on the way.

Simple really ~ bugger the profiteering b@st@rds at the marketing companies ~ my children WILL know the meaning of Christmas

[Barman]

We have 

And on topic ~ our advent calendar went up last night so that was a "surprise" when the children got up this morning. It is home made, nonreligious, in the shape of a Christmas tree (about 24 inches high and similar across at the widest, with little hand made tassels, bells, baubles etc and each of 24 little pockets has three chocolate coins in. The children draw "lots" to decide who will open the first pocket and share out the coins. The one that drew number 1 opens the fabric pocket today ~ number 2 gets to do it tomorrow and so on. This way we avoid all arguments about whose turn it is or who gets the biggest choccy ~ cos they are carefully placed to ensure three of the same size on each day ~ leading up to the BIG ones for the last days ....  before Christmas Eve reveals the biggest.
After Christmas the Calendar gets put away until next November 30th when Mrs Snoopy moves all the ornaments around it and places the pockets in different places, loading them with chocs on the way.

Simple really ~ bugger the profiteering b@st@rds at the marketing companies ~ my children WILL know the meaning of Christmas

Can we be in the draw? 

[Nick]

We have 

And on topic ~ our advent calendar went up last night so that was a "surprise" when the children got up this morning. It is home made, nonreligious, in the shape of a Christmas tree (about 24 inches high and similar across at the widest, with little hand made tassels, bells, baubles etc and each of 24 little pockets has three chocolate coins in. The children draw "lots" to decide who will open the first pocket and share out the coins. The one that drew number 1 opens the fabric pocket today ~ number 2 gets to do it tomorrow and so on. This way we avoid all arguments about whose turn it is or who gets the biggest choccy ~ cos they are carefully placed to ensure three of the same size on each day ~ leading up to the BIG ones for the last days ....  before Christmas Eve reveals the biggest.
After Christmas the Calendar gets put away until next November 30th when Mrs Snoopy moves all the ornaments around it and places the pockets in different places, loading them with chocs on the way.

Simple really ~ bugger the profiteering b@st@rds at the marketing companies ~ my children WILL know the meaning of Christmas

Good plan. But we have to make a tunic (?) for the nativity play. One can only do so much. ALong with choir practice..........

[Snoopy]

Having done it we simply recycle the same one year on year.
We do the same with the costumes. Work on the principle that all Nativities will involve a jew/shepherd/arab and simply have an old striped dressing gown, a rough piece of rope for a belt and a checked tea towel (head-dress for the use of) stashed away with the Advent calendar.

Interestingly (or probably not) when we moved here the youngest was only a few months old and was awarded the part of the Holy Child in our first nativity at the local chapel. His big sister managed to wangle herself the part of Mary on the grounds that no-one else would be able to keep her 11 month old brother still and happy for the duration. The Church-goers were thrilled and not a little surprised on the day to discover that it was indeed a real baby and not a doll. This year he is Joseph and will be wearing the same dressing gown that I donated to his first Joseph. The vicar simple pops round to borrow from our stock of suitable costumes.

You need a tunic my boy? Just call with sizes and we'll see what's in the cupboard.

And NO! BM you may not ~ even I do not get a look in at the Advent Chocs.

[Barman]

Having done it we simply recycle the same one year on year.
We do the same with the costumes. Work on the principle that all Nativities will involve a jew/shepherd/arab and simply have an old striped dressing gown, a rough piece of rope for a belt and a checked tea towel (head-dress for the use of) stashed away with the Advent calendar.

Interestingly (or probably not) when we moved here the youngest was only a few months old and was awarded the part of the Holy Child in our first nativity at the local chapel. His big sister managed to wangle herself the part of Mary on the grounds that no-one else would be able to keep her 11 month old brother still and happy for the duration. The Church-goers were thrilled and not a little surprised on the day to discover that it was indeed a real baby and not a doll. This year he is Joseph and will be wearing the same dressing gown that I donated to his first Joseph. The vicar simple pops round to borrow from our stock of suitable costumes.

You need a tunic my boy? Just call with sizes and we'll see what's in the cupboard.

And NO! BM you may not ~ even I do not get a look in at the Advent Chocs.

[Landlady]

I love Christmas and eagerly anticipate the 1st Saturday in Dec - which lucky lucky me was the 1st of Dec - because that's when I get all the decorations out and make TLHOTP look it's festive best 

As for Christmas Carols yes they HAVE to go on when decorations and the tree are being dressed and now that I know BM hates them they'll be gong on much more.........

No old bah humbug from me - I love Christmas !!!

[Bar Wench]

I have an enchanted forest! And a High School Musical advent calender.  Mr Wench has a Transformers advent calender.

[Barman]

Utter shite... 

[Snoopy]

Ah ~ life slowly returns to normal

[Bar Wench]

The family is back together. 

[Landlady]

I have an enchanted forest! And a High School Musical advent calender.  Mr Wench has a Transformers advent calender.

Sounds lovely - BM is only crabby because I forgot to buy his choccy advent calendar this year 

I might have to grovel to him a litle in a while and ask him to take some pic's and post them of the bar decorations, then we can all tape them to our PC's and feel full of Christmas goodwill     

[Barman]

I have an enchanted forest! And a High School Musical advent calender.  Mr Wench has a Transformers advent calender.

Sounds lovely - BM is only crabby because I forgot to buy his choccy advent calendar this year 

I might have to grovel to him a litle in a while and ask him to take some pic's and post them of the bar decorations, then we can all tape them to our PC's and feel full of Christmas goodwill     

Tape them... not set them as backgrounds or wallpaper or anything techie like that then?