Sequential Gifts Beyond The Chocolate Frontier
December 8, 2024 8:36 AM   Subscribe

"'Tis the season for advent calendar shopping (Can you believe how close Christmas is now?) There are those who march to the beat of a different drummer boy – and that’s where these wild, weird and wonderful alternative advent calendars for 2024 come in."

I invite you to post links to whatever advent-calendar-y type stuff bangs your gong, from any tradition of any kind. I somehow missed Advent calendars (as in, the existence of them) growing up, so I've always thought them fun, strange, and perhaps perplexing. This year I got an "Inkvent" calendar from ink maker Diamine, and I'm finding the daily door-opening and noodling a delight.
posted by cupcakeninja (9 comments total) 8 users marked this as a favorite
 
After not finding an art supply Advent calendar I liked, I put together my own (I used some things I already had and bought some other supplies for cheap). The goal was less to acquire more art supplies and just branch out and use some things I don't normally use (I've been making small pieces of art every day since February). Each day, I have 3-6 of one type of art supply (like colored pencils or acrylic markers) and I have to use that in my day's art.

I tried to be fairly kind to myself and match up colors a bit, but there have been some odd color combos so far. I mostly assigned things randomly to each day, so I have no idea what I'm going to get until I open the bag.

It's been fun so far and I hope the novelty doesn't wear off before it's over.
posted by edencosmic at 10:51 AM on December 8 [4 favorites]


+1 for the fantastic title!
posted by Greg_Ace at 11:04 AM on December 8 [1 favorite]


I have that radio advent calendar from a couple of years ago, but never opened it (if anyone in the UK would like it free, let me know). I posted a few days ago about the Ashmolean's online advent calendar, which is a pleasant and low-key thing. Jae has an online sapphic romance calendar with giveaway chances and actual etexts; I'm not following it this year but have enjoyed it in a previous year. If you are a Fallen London player (I'm not, but used to be), they have an online advent calendar.

I do have a couple of actual advent calendars this year, both gifts, but haven't opened them yet and am quite happy to stay in Christmas denial.
posted by paduasoy at 2:05 PM on December 8 [1 favorite]


There are many cannabis Advent calendars in Canada -- but Canada Post is on strike and other delivery services have been unable to keep up with parcels. Anyways, here's a couple: two hundred bucks ; $78 ; DIY boxes; $97.50 ; there's more, including a New Jersey site that is only for medical users I guess.
posted by CCBC at 2:54 PM on December 8 [3 favorites]


I wish the advent calendar advent calendar was real, I'd be into it.

Drops Design does a pattern a day.

I'm making a "doom advent calendar" per Ask A Manager, for January.
posted by jenfullmoon at 5:54 PM on December 8 [4 favorites]


Last year we had a puzzle advent calendar from EXIT games which was excellent.

This year I put together a tea and chocolate advent calendar, which is far less taxing!
posted by Braeburn at 12:05 AM on December 9 [1 favorite]


I got a tea one for myself for a couple years, and this year downshifted to a more straightforward one where it's just a little picture behind the door you open up (this one is movie-themed - the main illustration is Santa holed up at home watching a movie thanks to an old-school projector, and the pictures behind the doors are all scenes from different movies).

We always had just pictures behind the doors when I was a kid, not candy or anything like that. That ALREADY seems exotic.

Just for fun: there's an Irish Youtube channel called "Try" where it's different Irish people trying random things. Each year they pick up three alcohol-themed advent calendars and assign pairs of their presenters to each one - where they go through all 24 of the offerings in one go.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 3:38 AM on December 9 [1 favorite]


My sister gifted me a reusable advent calendar a few years ago. The kids love it, but it's a challenge to restock it in time. I've had to awkwardly say we can't do it yet because I haven't loaded the day in time.

We do things like "let's make ginger bread!" And "let's go look for lights!"- the first one is "let's put up the Christmas tree!".
posted by freethefeet at 4:18 AM on December 9 [3 favorites]


Funny to see that beer and sock advent calendars are on this list. My partner once made a sock advent calendar for me that was FANTASTIC, and this year I made a beer advent calendar for him.
posted by rednikki at 10:53 AM on December 9 [1 favorite]


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