Small gift ideas for refillable advent calendar

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not to go all "true meaning of Christmas" on this thread, but less materialistic ways of celebrating Advent are worth considering.

Can you give us some suggestions?

[Anonymous]

Ulta is having a stocking stuffer sale today, everything is a dollar. Nail clippers, electronic screen wipes, lotions, all sorts of things.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not to go all "true meaning of Christmas" on this thread, but less materialistic ways of celebrating Advent are worth considering.

Can you give us some suggestions?

For starters, doing less of what is mentioned on this thread. Attend advent services and perhaps seek suggestions from your church.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not sure how much room you have, but slightly bulkier ideas: a pack of cards, a few cool postcards, cool pens/pencils/markers or other fun versions of useful things like binder clips or paper clips, Jelly Bellies in a favorite or weird flavor, a fancy version of a food they like (jam? peanut butter? even those little tasters of different salt), glass or metal straws (or boba straws if they’re fans), a non-disposable pair of chopsticks, stickers, trial size shampoo or face wash or lotion, printed-out photos and/or a small frame, pocket notebook or diary, and always yes to socks. One day’s treat or toy for your pet if you have one? Or one day with a bill or check they can give to their choice of charity?

If the calendar only has tiny spaces, you could expand to gifts of any size by putting in a note guiding them to where they’ll find the day’s hidden gift.

Genius. Not OP but I bought cute advent calendars without thinking about the teeeensy tiny spaces for each day. A few “larger” items sprinkled in ~scavenger hunt would be GREAT! I mean, i can’t even get a lip balm in the thing…

This is what I do. I don’t do it every year bc it’s tiring. The kids absolutely love it. I do put little chocolates or candies (gummy worms) in half of the little boxes…I think it makes it more exciting on the days when they get the scavenger notes. Sometimes I give legit gifts like pajamas (always wrapped). Usually it’s something small like inexpensive rings or earrings. Make up. Nail polish. I don’t do junk. It’s always something they’ll use.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not to go all "true meaning of Christmas" on this thread, but less materialistic ways of celebrating Advent are worth considering.

Can you give us some suggestions?

Advent wreath with candles at dinner
Traditional advent calendar with bible verses (if you're religious)
Daily meditations or other inspiring readings (if not religious)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not to go all "true meaning of Christmas" on this thread, but less materialistic ways of celebrating Advent are worth considering.

Can you give us some suggestions?

Advent wreath with candles at dinner
Traditional advent calendar with bible verses (if you're religious)
Daily meditations or other inspiring readings (if not religious)

Agreed. And listening to some religious Christmas music (again, if that's your faith). Advent was not meant to be commercial and gimmicky.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not to go all "true meaning of Christmas" on this thread, but less materialistic ways of celebrating Advent are worth considering.

Can you give us some suggestions?

Advent wreath with candles at dinner
Traditional advent calendar with bible verses (if you're religious)
Daily meditations or other inspiring readings (if not religious)

Agreed. And listening to some religious Christmas music (again, if that's your faith). Advent was not meant to be commercial and gimmicky.

Neither was a lot of holidays. So?

[Anonymous]

I'm really curious about something

Every year there is a thread where someone asks how many Christmas presents people's kids get, and when I post that my kids get 20 or so things (we have a lot of relatives) people make it sound like I'm a total outlier. But then here, people are posting that as of Christmas morning their kids have already gotten 24 presents.

Is that these are different people, or that people aren't thinking of lip balm or a lego minifig as a "present"?

[Anonymous]

I don't think of hairbands, nail polish, hand lotion, soap, etc. as "gifts." over the course of the 24 day advent calendar, there might be one or two things that I think of as gifts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm really curious about something

Every year there is a thread where someone asks how many Christmas presents people's kids get, and when I post that my kids get 20 or so things (we have a lot of relatives) people make it sound like I'm a total outlier. But then here, people are posting that as of Christmas morning their kids have already gotten 24 presents.

Is that these are different people, or that people aren't thinking of lip balm or a lego minifig as a "present"?

I’m op. I never say anything to those posts bc I give lots of gifts. I don’t give many throughout the year so I do go overboard at Xmas.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't think of hairbands, nail polish, hand lotion, soap, etc. as "gifts." over the course of the 24 day advent calendar, there might be one or two things that I think of as gifts.

So, maybe when I post that my kids are getting 20 gifts, and people act like I am a terrible materialistic parent, they aren't thinking the same thing that I am? Because I would absolutely think of nail polish as a gift. I wouldn't think of things like a bar of the regular soap we keep in the bathtub as a gift, but I also don't know that my kids would be interested in an advent calendar where they got that. If I was making an advent calendar or stocking for my college aged niece, and put some kind of special soap, like something with a cool scent? Yes, I'd consider that a gift.

I get confused by this every year, so I'm genuinely curious.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm really curious about something

Every year there is a thread where someone asks how many Christmas presents people's kids get, and when I post that my kids get 20 or so things (we have a lot of relatives) people make it sound like I'm a total outlier. But then here, people are posting that as of Christmas morning their kids have already gotten 24 presents.

Is that these are different people, or that people aren't thinking of lip balm or a lego minifig as a "present"?

I think there are two groups of people. Some more worried about excess stuff and some are more YOLO. Similar discussion in the elementary forum about birthday party favors

https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1013544.page

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm really curious about something

Every year there is a thread where someone asks how many Christmas presents people's kids get, and when I post that my kids get 20 or so things (we have a lot of relatives) people make it sound like I'm a total outlier. But then here, people are posting that as of Christmas morning their kids have already gotten 24 presents.

Is that these are different people, or that people aren't thinking of lip balm or a lego minifig as a "present"?

I think there are two groups of people. Some more worried about excess stuff and some are more YOLO. Similar discussion in the elementary forum about birthday party favors

https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1013544.page

I'm the PP here.

I am actually not a stuff person, which is why it always sort of amazes me when every year I end up falling into that same thread (OK also I should be amazed that I continue to participate in that same thread, because I know how it's going to go). I don't think of myself as someone whose kids have a ton of stuff, but every year I feel attacked.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not to go all "true meaning of Christmas" on this thread, but less materialistic ways of celebrating Advent are worth considering.

Can you give us some suggestions?

Advent wreath with candles at dinner
Traditional advent calendar with bible verses (if you're religious)
Daily meditations or other inspiring readings (if not religious)

Agreed. And listening to some religious Christmas music (again, if that's your faith). Advent was not meant to be commercial and gimmicky.

Neither was a lot of holidays. So?

It is literally a period of waiting. We've taken away the waiting. Just constant stimulation and accumulation of stuff.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not to go all "true meaning of Christmas" on this thread, but less materialistic ways of celebrating Advent are worth considering.

Can you give us some suggestions?

Advent wreath with candles at dinner
Traditional advent calendar with bible verses (if you're religious)
Daily meditations or other inspiring readings (if not religious)

Agreed. And listening to some religious Christmas music (again, if that's your faith). Advent was not meant to be commercial and gimmicky.

Neither was a lot of holidays. So?

It is literally a period of waiting. We've taken away the waiting. Just constant stimulation and accumulation of stuff.

Definitely a fair way to look at it. I elect to look at it as establishing a new tradition with my kids who are now teens and my time with them is fleeting. I elect to look at it as something that will bond siblings as they open joint teeny gifts. I elect to look at it as a brief moment to enjoy each other and the happiness associated with a new family tradition. I do NOT elect to look at opening a box containing a chapstick to equal constant stimulation.

I'm not criticizing you because, as I said, it is a fair way to look at it. I just don't see it that way.