If you love Christmas like we love Christmas (like an elf on steroids!), chances are you already know it’s only two months until the big day and 35 DAYS until we get to whip out our advent calendars and start a socially-acceptable countdown to December 25. (Confession: we’ve actually been counting down since July, but that can stay our little secret.)
Want a step up from your usual cheap chockie-filled countdown? We’ve got some out-of-the-box Christmas advent calendar ideas that’ll get you, your fam and even your pets more excited for the festive season. If more excitement is even possible…
If you want to save some coin…
1. Personalised Advent Calendar Money Savings Box: Start a new tradition that your wallet will be very happy about, and squirrel away a little cash every day of December. This personalised advent money box comes with a pen that you can use to cross off each day as you go – then wipe it clean after Christmas, ready to re-use next year!
If you want your four-legged friend to feel festive…
2. Pet Treat Advent Calendar: Why should Buster miss out on all the festive season excitement just because he can’t eat chocolate? This super-cute advent calendar comes packed with either cat or dog treats and can be re-filed in years to come with a fresh batch of Schmackos. Our only tip: Beware wandering paws!
If you want to choose your own damn treats…
3. Fill Your Own Bauble Advent Calendar: Say no to weird-tasting chocolate with white bits on the edge. This hanging advent calendar lets you fill it with whatever bauble-sized treat you please. Use the red ribbon to hang it on a wall or mantle, or scatter throughout your Christmas tree branches for a fun find-the-bauble daily dance.
If you want less chocolate, more fun activities…
4. Personalised Advent Calendar Activity Tokens Jar: With 24 colourful tokens dishing out daily activities (like, use potatoes to print wrapping paper, make up your own elf language or build a cardboard sleigh), this jar is a creative way for the kids to count down to Chrissy. Personalise it with their name for a keepsake they’ll keep pulling out for years to come.
If you want something for your bearded bloke…
5. Christmas Beard Oil Advent Calendar: If Movember left your man with a bit of extra facial fuzz, this beard oil calendar will keep it looking fresh for all those silly season parties. Each day, he’ll get to discover a new variety from The Bearded Man Company’s range of natural, non-greasy essential oils. He might even find his new signature scent!
If you want to keep things simple (and small-space friendly)…
7. Personalised Advent Wooden Sign: Customise this wooden sign with the whole family’s names (even if Grinch-y Dad never gets that excited) and you’ll always know how many sleeps there are before Santa arrives, as you rub off the chalk number each morning and write the new one on.
If you want a chic fill-it-yourself style…
6. Gingerbread House Advent Calendar: Printed on gorgeous pre-creased brown card, these individually numbered gingerbread houses are easy to assemble (so no IKEA-style meltdowns), just the right size for a petite treat, and can be hung on the tree or placed along a mantlepiece. But most importantly, they’re suitable for kids and grown-ups!
If you don’t want to be limited by size…
8. Personalised Christmas Advent Calendar Hanger: This bespoke hanger (available in a Christmas tree, city skyline or festive holly design and personalised with your name) has 24 holes for you to hang little pre-Christmas pressies from. You won’t even need Santa to bring you anything once the December countdown is done.
PS. Create a magical Christmas Eve box and we’ve got all the gift ideas!
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