Every year when we were little we had an advent calender to open. At that time they did not come with a little chocolate behind the numbered door, just a picture - can you imagine anyone being excited about that now? Here are two old ones that I found in a box of Christmas stuff my mom gave me. I can actually remember doing the train one, I think I was around 3 or 4 years old. There is a paper lever on the bottom that you can move to make the train move. My brother and I always shared these, one of us would be even and one would be odd (I always thought he was odd, but there you have it, we took turns each year). I continued this tradition with my boys and for a few year they got the little calenders with a chocolate behind each door. 
Then my SIL made them this one, and we all love it. In each pocket is a decoration to put on the tree and I also put little slips of paper in with a message on. The message is usually something to do, such as, bake cookies, make gingerbread house, go skating, go sledding, make a gift, get tree, etc. A few days this month I haven't had the slip of paper in and the boys have let me know that this is a must-have. ;-)
This is a decoration that I made many, many years ago (BK - before kids) but I still love it. Can you tell what the carolers are made of?
Artistically flattened (?) pop cans. Fun!
3 comments:
I remember the chocolate-less advent calendars as well. I like them much better, as they were more exciting to look at as Christmas got closer, instead of having ugly plastic lined "holes" where the chocolates used to be. Usually the 24th had a double-door which made it all the more exciting! Wow -- things really were simpler back then, weren't they?
Rebecca :)
Well, you have a much more positive way of looking at it.
;-) Although I also remember being excited about those double doors. When I showed my boys those old advent calenders, and told them how excited we used to get about opening the doors, they looked at me like I was crazy. In their minds there wasn't much to get excited about. And I have to admit that, being a serious chocolate lover, I think I would have liked those old ones even more if they had chocolate in them - although not the yucky, waxy chocolate that they are likely to come with.
Oooooh, these carolers are so, so cuuuute ! LOVE them !
Hugs & smiles to you from NADINE :)
Post a Comment