Although we have always used some type of countdown to Christmas tracker, last year was the first time my family used an advent calendar. It was quite a novelty, but it began a new tradition for us. One complaint I have about traditional advent calendars is that the compartments or boxes are tiny, so there is only room for one small surprise inside. This requires the children to take turns, which is fine if you have two or three children. Once you reach four children or more, it seems like quite a long wait for each child to have a turn again. That is why this advent calendar from Time Enough For Love appealed to me. The boxes are 2-1/2" x 5", which is plenty of room for me to put three candies, 3 erasers, 3 Squinkies, 3 Trash Pack toys, etc . . . in each box.
Another thing I find unique about the Time Enough For Love Advent Calendars is that the numbered boxes are stacked. Once a box is removed, the rest slide down, making it much easier to know which day it is.
These advent calendars are sold ready-to-fill or already filled with fun high quality small toys. The toys are selected specifically for the ages and genders of the children (or adults) who will be using the calendar. Time Enough For Love only includes one surprise in each box, but you can always add more items yourself. For example, when I set up last year's advent calendar, there was only one surprise per box, so I added 3 small candies to each box. The child, whose turn it was got the toy and a piece of candy and the other two each were able to enjoy a candy as well.
These advent calendars could be used again in following years if they are handled gently. They are made of thin cardboard. I would love to see a similar advent calendar made of wood. I know the cost would be much higher, but it would be a wonderful keepsake to use for many years and maybe even decades.
The empty advent calendar sells for $19.99. This would be a great choice if you have many children and would like to put multiple surprises in each box. The filled children's advent calendar retails for $69.99. Time Enough For Love also offers advent calendars for adults and for families, which cost a little more. Visit TimeEnougForLoveCalendars.com to view the full selection.
In order to guarantee delivery by December 1st, you must place your advent calendar order by November 22nd.
Thank you to Time Enough For Love for providing a complimentary product sample for us to base this review upon.
