Advent Calendars (yet another question)!

[swan01]

I really want to get our kids an advent calendar this year (DD is 5, DS is 3), but I would like to get one that is mildly religious (follows the nativity story). The ones I have seen online have pirates, unicorns, My Little Pet Shops, etc. (Granted, DD would love nothing more than a Pet Shop advent calendar, but it just rubs me the wrong way ;)). Any suggestions? Thanks!

[maybeebaby08]

Not sure how old your DD is, but this is the one we're getting. It's new this year and I think its so cute! Plus I like that its reusable. You could even stick little gifts/candies in the pockets if you wanted to give her something to open each day.

http://www.fisher-price.com/fp.aspx?st=900000&e=storeproduct&pid=51245

[ett]

We have this one from Alma's Designs.

http://www.amazon.com/Almas-Design-Nativity-Advent-Calendar/dp/B0000296OX

[alien_host]

You could get one with little pockets or doors and put a note in each day with an activity like:

Set up the nativity set
read XYZ story about the Nativity
donate a toy to toys for tots
make christmas cookies
watch XYZ christmas special
pick out a Christmas tree today
have hot chocolate and watch XYZ movie
attend Christmas Eve mass

I usually hide the Baby Jesus from our nativity on the 24th and DD puts it in the nativity set.


The advent calendar can easily be "teachings" or activities rather than "stuff". Personally I mix "stuff" (trinkets, stickers) with activities and have been doing that for 2 years. DD is 4 and this will be our 3rd year with an advent calendar.

[mnosky1]

We have this one- my intent was to put a little candy in each door but never di. My DD LOVES taking out the magnet piece each day and playing with the scene. She will be 6 this year but we've had it for 3 years.
http://www.amazon.com/Kurt-Adler-Nativity-Calendar-Magnetic/dp/B0002TUVEO


The FP one is new this year but I was considering that one for my 1 year old too. Kurt Adler has a fabric one too.

I also usually get a paper one from a Christian book store that has a bible verse under each flap - they are about $2-3 and you can even reuse them if you reclos eteh flaps.

And we had the playmobile one last year - not religious but a winter scene (Santa I think).

[mamicka]

We have this one- my intent was to put a little candy in each door but never di. My DD LOVES taking out the magnet piece each day and playing with the scene. She will be 6 this year but we've had it for 3 years.
http://www.amazon.com/Kurt-Adler-Nativity-Calendar-Magnetic/dp/B0002TUVEO


The FP one is new this year but I was considering that one for my 1 year old too. Kurt Adler has a fabric one too.

I also usually get a paper one from a Christian book store that has a bible verse under each flap - they are about $2-3 and you can even reuse them if you reclos eteh flaps.

And we had the playmobile one last year - not religious but a winter scene (Santa I think).

We have this one & love it... but that price is outrageous! $90? We bought ours from Constructive Playthings for ~$25.

[pastrygirl]

I have that Kurt Adler one, too, and got it for around $40. You can definitely find it for less than $90!

[new_mommy25]

I usually just buy the cardboard ones where you open the door and there is a religious scene. They are a few dollars each. I have bought them at Borders or other book shops, boutiques, etc.

[Seitvonzu]

wow- those nativity advent calendars are really cute....

i saw these two and thought both were cute- the tree and the nativity. we had a tree growing up and my brother and i took turns getting the ornament out each day-- every other year we got evens or odds-- and the coveted SANTA on the 24 th :)

it was just the act of sticking the ornament on the tree- not gift or anything. it was enough for us.

we bought the playmobil nativity people this year or i'd be tempted by those calendars...
we also got the christmas playmobil scene. we also do an advent wreath and special prayer/reflection each night and also an advent story at bedtime. that's alot of advent for a not yet two year old!

fisher price has lots of nativity stuff this year- if i'd seen the same set last year, that's what we might have. oh well, we're playmobil stocked now! :)

[designermama]

Bronners.com, my favorite Christmas store, has quite a few advent calendars, although they're mostly of the paper kind.

[o_mom]

We have this one & love it... but that price is outrageous! $90? We bought ours from Constructive Playthings for ~$25.

We also have that one and paid way less than $90. I think it was around $35 from SkyMall last year (eta: looked it up and it was $41 shipped, best price I could find at the time. The first one we got was scratched so they sent another one free and let us keep the first one, which is nice because now I have extra pieces just in case. :) ).

[kristac]

Saw this one today:

http://www.hearthsong.com/hsong_assets/images/shop/catalog/701828e.jpg

Looks like it includes 24 nativity pieces :)

http://www.hearthsong.com/product.asp?section_id=2008&search_type=featured&search_value=4905&cur_index=&pcode=2691

[Melaine]

kristac, that one is ADORABLE!!! My kids would love it. I guess I will go check the price now.

ETA: $40, that is really not so bad and I love that there is a piece for every day. Totally re-usable! Hmmmm....

[WatchingThemGrow]

There is an advent calendar at Sam's that looks nice. Friends use What God Wants For Christmas (http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/product?item_no=299313) and really like it.

We have the Little People Nativity which is perfect for the 3 and under set. I don't worry about them reenacting on their own with LP. I don't think we're ready for Playmobil yet.

[ourbabygirl]

I posted on this a few days ago... I got a wooden one from Joann's Fabrics. I also called Michael's but they really didn't have any.
Joann's has many different styles, all for $49.99, but they're 40% off (as is much/ most of their Christmas stuff) until the 14th. So it was around $30. I got a nativity-style one, though they also have a snowman one, a Santa one I think, a green house one, and maybe 1 or 2 others. I typed up and printed off the activities for each day and stuck them in all the little cubbies last night, so I'm all ready for December :)!

Have fun picking one!