COUNT down to Christmas with a home-made advent calendar.
It will be cheaper than buying one of the fancy ones, more eco-friendly as you can use it year after year, plus it will pack a more personal punch.
Get into the spirit with these adventurous ideas.
IT’S IN THE BAG: Make your own advent extravaganza, with red and white craft twine, £2, from The Works, and 24 envelopes or paper bags.
I like the Smiling Santa Gonk Bags from Truly SweetCandy at etsy.com, £2.99 for 25. Fasten the bags to the string with wooden pegs.
You can get 16 Christmas tree-shaped pegs from partyrama.co.uk, down from £2.99 to £1.49.
FESTIVE FILLS: If you don’t have the time to start from scratch, you can buy containers to fill with personalised presents.
Some of the prettiest ones will also double up as decorations.
Check out Red Star or Christmas Stocking advent calendars, £15 and £16 from Hobbycraft.
Some of the prettiest ones will also double up as decorations.
ART ATTACK: Creative types can go to town on The Works plain wooden Christmas tree advent calendar, down from £18 to £13.
Surprise the kids on December 1 or enlist their help to decorate it.
You can paint it, cover it with paper, stencil festive scenes or keep it simple.
TINY TREATS: When it comes to filling your calendar, anything goes. Of course kids love chocolate, but you can mix it up with other treats that won’t go to waste.
For Lego lovers you could buy a single kit and split it into individual parts, one per day in the right order. Mini beauty queens will love hair bobbles, lip balms and face packs.
SEND A MESSAGE: Instead of gifts, why not give a little inspiration instead? You could put little messages in each day.
These might be reminders of memories, motivational quotes, photos or funny jokes.
You could also make an activity advent calendar, with a suggestion for something you can do together each day, from festive baking to watching a film.
Deal of the day
YOUNG builders will love the Lego Minecraft The Ice Castle building set, on sale for a cool £33 at Asda, down from £45.
SAVE: £12
Cheap treat
TUCK into a great saving on a Christmas treat – a 600g tub of Quality Street is down from £5 to £3.50 at Sainsbury’s.
SAVE: £1.50
Top shop
BANISH winter chills and help your home stay toasty with the luxe velvet draught excluder, from Graham and Greene, £39.95.
To keep the heat for less, shop for Dunelm’s version, £14.
SAVE: £25.95
Shop and save
TREAT someone special to Victoria’s Secrets body mists or lotions, at £15 each or two for £22 or four for £36 at victoriassecret.co.uk.
SAVE: £24 on four
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