I Haven’t Outgrown Advent Calendars

I’ve always loved advent calendars. When I was a child, I never had the kind with chocolates, just the traditional ones with a holiday scene and 24 windows to open–one each day from December 1 through Christmas Eve.

Look at this cute one I found for my office!

I gave in to my kids jaded sense of “cool,” and started getting them chocolate ones when they were teenagers. Even then, they would neglect the calendars for several days in a row. This year I ordered my daughter the Starbucks® advent calendar (it was a big hit) and sent my son back to college after Thanksgiving with one from Trader Joe’s (meh).

While it has gotten harder and harder to find traditional advent calendars, there are tons of advent calendars on the internet.

If you are looking for new Christmas cookie recipes to try, you might like the Cookie Countdown Calendar from myrecipes.com.

If the summer Olympics made you an Anglophile, you might enjoy this elaborate London Advent Calendar. It’s the only one I’m listing that is not free (it costs $3), but it might be worth it. Check out the “free demo” video and see what you think.

If you want something more on the kitchsy side, then this Advent Calendar from SantaGames.net may be for you. (Warning: you may want to mute your volume before you click through!)

If you want a calendar with inspirational messages and ideas of how to help people living in poverty around the world, check out the Episcopal Relief and Development Gifts for Life Advent Calendar.

For more inspiration from the blogosphere, these fellow FitFluential Ambassadors have some great blogging planned for December:

Monica is going to be posting a recipe for a holiday treat every day–check out her delicious ideas and drool-worthy photos at MoniMeals.com.

Jenny will be following her son’s Christmas Countdown at SimplyBeMe.com. Watching his wonder and joy surely will put you in the holiday spirit!

Do you enjoy Advent calendars?

Traditional or chocolate?