OK, so, we’ve had a bit of a disaster this year with the Advent calendars. It wasn’t one of the usual troubles, either. I remembered to buy them in good time. I didn’t buy the wrong sort of chocolate (once we had all white chocolate, no one’s favourite – I totally blame the packaging – and once I got Dairy Milk for a lactose intolerant child. Oh dear).
I got the right number, four, though as usual I debated getting one for TL as well and then decided against. They are even all a similar size, the easiest way to avoid World War III every morning over breakfast for 24 days. And, the final guarantee of universal peace and happiness, they are the same make, meaning that they contain identical chocolate and there can be no quarrelling over quality issues. Everyone will be guessing whether their morning chocolate blob is a bell or a bow or a dove simultaneously.
So what on earth could be the problem?
Well, I assumed that Child 2 would go for the Nativity scene. Big tick. I thought Child Three would like the Frozen theme (gosh, that Elsa has some staying power). Right again. And I imagined that Child Four, at 9, would be keen on the Star Wars one.
But, erm, no. He wanted the whimsical Father Christmas. And I didn’t have the heart to say no. So this is what Child One, sophisticated and beautiful university student, is getting as her Advent calendar this year:
Well, the force will certainly be with her. As TL said, it is a good test of how grown up she actually is.
Actually, I might just pop out and buy her another one.