Our daughter has this thing about buying an advent calander for her mum each year, birthday late November. They have all been very expensive and generally useless, most items in the bin.
Often thought of things to suggest for the future but always run out of ideas. Even thought of possibilities from a sex shop but as we are in our 70s these might also fall into the usual categories.
Best ideas?
Oh, I could play this game all day.
My current best suggestion would be the Fortnum & Mason unfilled Advent Calendar for nearly ÂŁ200. Yes, you heard me: unfilled.
At least it would save you the effort of throwing any of the contents away, I suppose.
Itâs going to be tough to trump that one.
This years is an advent calander from Lindt. Very big glossy box but the clue is the near zero weight.
Personally I detested the advent of Advent calendars containing chocolates, which i think was the first commercialisation with gifts a good few years ago now.
Once I got used to the idea, divorcing it completely from Christmas, but rather as a festive day count, I ceased to mind. Then a couple of years ago someone gave me a gin Advent calendar (a double measure of a different gin every day), which was an interesting novelty, though as I prefer not to drink every day, I instead saved them and had some each weekend.
The ones you made yourself were the best.
Showing my age there !
Perhaps suggest that next year she gives some money to the local food bank, or your wifeâs charity of choice. Why spend money giving something they donât want to someone who doesnât need it, when it could be used to support people who really would benefit. These overpackaged calendars full of rubbish that goes straight in the bin are just so wasteful. That said, I wouldnât say no to a calendar with 24 cans of different beers.
Nope still the best advert calendars are home made 
.. although we give our two adult kids small commercial chocolate filled advent calendars - its more a token family gesture reminding them of when they were little children.
We use an advent calendar candle with dates on the side that burns down to the 24th.. its a nice build up to Christmas Day and the candle reminds us of the peace and sacredness of Christmas through which Advent counts down to.
âWhen all this comes trueâand it surely willâthen they will know that a profit has been among them.â
Iâve had a beer advent calendar the last 3/4 years. Skipped it this year as itâs a lot of pressure. But definitely recommended at least once in your life.
With the homebrewers association every year we find 24 participants who all brew a beer, bring a crate of it, swap, and everyone goes home with 24 different ones. I have a commercial one this year as well (Southern German beers).
Regarding the pressure, while I do open it every day, I donât feel obliged to also drink it every day. But when drinking, I do stick to the order they came in.
Just cancel Christmas,
One of the Ferrengi rules of acquisition? 
This is the best idea ever and one I subscribe to already. Itâs a made up event anyway
Slightly less kinky, but perhaps Victorias Secret has an âadventâ calendar too.
There are various âWhisky Advent Calendarsâ - 25x3cl miniatures. Typically ÂŁ99-ÂŁ125 and there might be one or two 14/15yo with most being NAS or 12yo and under. Given that most decent 12yo can be purchased for around ÂŁ40, why pay 3x that for a gimmick.
One of the items I lost in my divorce was an advent calendar bird house. It had 24 little doors each with a small post outside it. You took one bird out if its little spot each day and put it on the post. Reusable each year and of course you could randomise the little birds which were all different. All made of wood.
Only if one deliberately misspells one particular word, as our new religion correspondent has done.
I got myself a Lego âStar Warsâ advent calendar. Not very serious at allâŚ..
Itâs not so much that, itâs the probable needless duplication.
