24 advent calendar gift things - ideas please :)

[Rosendula]

A couple of years ago I decided I wasn't buying advent calendars any more because they're a rip off, and that I was going to make one with material and sew little pockets on for each day that I could put a small gift in. Well, 2 years later, it's gone 8pm on 30th November, and I'm about to start making it However, although I have the material for it, I haven't got around to little gifts to go in the pockets. So far, all I've come up with, in no particular order, are:-

1. make a little paper snake with googly eyes (Katie loves that sort of thing)
2. a lollipop
3. a few raisins
4. a crocheted hair net like ballet dancers wear
5. a few jelly beans

Can you help me out with some ideas please? I don't need them all tonight because I don't really have to fill each pocket until the evening before, so you see what sort of time scale I'm on. The gifts are for my 3.5 year old.

[snapdragon]

Finger puppets
pencil/crayon
knitted / felted / crocheted 'jewelry'
chalks (a packet can do a few pockets one or two at a time)



I made one for my boys many eons ago (with two lots of numbers and doubled pockets/rings to tie things on) generally had a food and a toy on alternating days - still have it somewhere

[old tree man]

Hi Rosie
how about strawberries dipped in chocolate for the early days though

[Urban Ayisha]

lovely! my mum used to do this for us when we were little

stickers
little mini stationery bits like pencil erasers
satsumas
chocolate pennies
50p piece etc
glittery glue things/pens
hair stuff, for girls...

most of these things are shop bought i do realise

[spitfire]

some great ideas in the former posts, here are a few of mine,

popcorn bracelet or necklace you can also use cranberries
folded paper dolls/cars. (you know the kind you fold paper over and over and them cut the shapes and they are all in a line)
sock puppet
clothes peg doll

[Milims]

What about one of those paper dollies with the paper clothes with tabs on - IYKWIM I used to love those when I was wee

[Green Aura]

A yoyo

A kazoo

An ocarina - loving carved from something you found in the garden

.....OK, I'll get my coat

[Milims]

A yoyo

A kazoo

An ocarina - loving carved from something you found in the garden

.....OK, I'll get my coat

Funnily enough all the noisy toys that my two were given at that age magically disappeared - only to reappear when we were moving house and took the radiator cover off!

[Rosendula]

Thanks for the ideas everyone. I knew I could count on you I haven't read them all yet because I've been kinda busy making this:

It's not perfect; in fact I'm hoping the picture is suficiently small for you to not be able to see the flaws Ah, who am I kidding? I don't care that it's not perfect, I made it myself and that feels good

In no. 1 I put a small package of raisins, which she enjoyed. Now I'm going to go back and read your suggestions.

OMG On previewing my post I have just noticed no. 16!

[Millymollymandy]

ha ha it's brilliant Rosey and the 16 just makes it all the more so!

[snapdragon]

Lol Rosie - maybe the gift in number 16 should be a mirror?