Advent calendars have most definitely developed into an industry of their own, a far cry from the stale and waxy chocolate I enjoyed as a child. Every major chocolatier has come out with their own version of the advent calendar – from Lindt to Kinder through to Godiva, and not to mention the toy companies. Big players like Lego, Playmobil, Barbie, and Littlest Pet Shop, in an attempt to only name a few, have all given parents a great candy-free alternative to help their children countdown to Christmas morning.   Then, for all of the do-it-yourself-ers out there, there is this wide array of gorgeous examples of handmade advent calendars all over Pinterest.

Or you have me. The mom who doesn’t even realize it’s December until the first week is over and all of those beautiful advent calendars disappear from the shelves. Continue reading →