Whether you like it or not there is no denying that the shops are starting to fill up with festive treats and gift ideas. I love the run up to Christmas and as a family we really enjoy the advent tradition of counting down the days from the beginning of September. We have an advent candle that we burn for a short time each evening and of course we buy the children advent calendars. There is so much choice out there these days when it comes to advent calendars, from the common chocolate filled ones, to those filled with toys or beautiful wooden calendars you can fill with your own surprises.
If you follow my social media channels, you will probably be aware that I have somewhat if a stationery habit, so it's no surprise that I've become a big fan of the Smiggle brand since I first discovered them at a blogging event last year. I'm absolutely delighted to hear that the fun Australian stationery company will be opening their first Manchester store in the Arndale Centre in November! We were sent the fabulous 2015 Smiggle Advent Calendar for a sneak peak before the festive season and I have to say we were very impressed!
This fun calendar is filled with over £40 worth of Smiggle products and retails at just £25 which I've found is competitive for a filled advent of this kind. As well as 25 fantastic goodies you also get a special mystery envelope that gives you the chance to win one of ten £250 shopping sprees! Wouldn't that be amazing?
The calendar itself is a really colourful design that is appealing to look at and will look great on display with your festive decorations throughout December. Both the design and the contents will appeal to both children and stationery loving adults alike. I actually think this would be perfect for a teen who may see themselves as a bit old for a chocolate calendar but would appreciate the funky surprises each morning in December.
The contents varies from day to day but includes novelty erasers, stamps, keyrings, pens, pencils, mini toys, a notebook, and even a fabulous mini calculator! All in the unique Smiggle design.
I don't want to spoil the surprise for those of you that do decide to purchase the calendar but I know that it can be helpful to have an idea of the contents before spending £25, so i've given you a sneak peek...
I really enjoyed the contents of this advent calendar and I've carefully replaced each item so my children can recreate the joy I had in opening them each day throughout December. They are suitable for children of most ages (i'd say from about 3 + ) and many are the sorts of items i'd buy as stocking fillers or they'd choose to spend their pocket money on, so I'm happy in the knowledge that they will not just be opened and then immediately discarded.
This light up spinning top was one of my favourite items...
I would highly recommend the Smiggle Advent Calendar for stationery lovers of any age, as it's a fun yet practical alternative to chocolate filled advents that will put a smile on your face, for the first 25 days of December!
