Chocolate advent calendar adventures

Today is December 1st, and you know what that means? It's the first day of my chocolate advent calendar! I couldn't resist picking one up last week when I spied them at the market. And I was so excited to get started with it this morning. Having a chocolate advent calendar is one of my favorite childhood memories. We never got to have candy, so getting a small chocolate each day for nearly a month was almost better than Christmas itself. One year, we got calendars that had an extra-large chocolate for the 24th. Each day I carefully opened the cardboard door to reveal the small chocolate inside, and savored it with my breakfast.

Every day, I edged closer and closer to the big one, until the morning of the 24th. I sat at the table with my calendar in hand, and as I attempted to pry open the door, I realized it had already been opened. Someone had opened it and then closed it again. And then I looked in shock: No Chocolate! My giant chocolate I'd been waiting a month for was gone! And who was the culprit? My brother, who'd eaten his entire chocolate advent calendar in one sitting on December 1st and couldn't resist eating mine as well. Honestly, I remember this as one of the most crushing disappointments of my childhood. Probably because my brother not only didn't get in trouble for eating his calendar, but he didn't get punished for eating mine either! And I, the patient older child who played by the rules, was just out one giant Santa-shaped chocolate. My calendar this year doesn't have an over-sized chocolate for the 24th. Nevertheless, I will be hyper-vigilant, lest my husband attempt a similar, nefarious trick to crush my chocolate advent spirit!

Posted on December 1, 2006

readers comments:

i never had an advent calendar as a child, but each year i enjoy leslie's advent at http://harpold.com/advent/

...says mathew on 12/01/06 at 11:04 AM

i should have added that she shares some recipes on some of the pages as well, and in the past she explained figgy pudding and other antiquated or ethnic christmas foods.

...says mathew on 12/01/06 at 11:05 AM

This "brother" sounds like a real problem. :)

...says Amy on 12/01/06 at 11:10 AM

I feel your pain.

When I was five, my dad and colleague ate my chocolate animals I had won for the best fancy dress ;( Mum only let us eat two chocs at a time and that the rest would be safe until the morning.

I think his colleague bought me a kids' sweet shop to make up for it.

But Dad never got punished and still steals choc to this day :)

...says Lab Cat on 12/01/06 at 11:38 AM

Now he's much better, and I don't think he eats nearly as much candy! :)

...says megnut on 12/01/06 at 11:39 AM

When I was a kid, we had an exchange student from Germany stay with us and his parents sent us the most charming advent calendar--a long garland with 25 small velvet bags tied to it, each containing a few chocolates and a small Christmas tree ornament. For years after that, my mom filled it up with new treats every December, and my sister and I were supposed to switch off days for opening. I must admit I take after your brother and snatched more than my fair share of the candy.

...says erin on 12/01/06 at 4:25 PM

Siblings!
My little sister finally admitted to stealing $10 from me when we were kids. She felt so bad about it she wanted to know if she could pay me back with interest. I, having absolutely no recollection of missing any money, laughed and told her we were even, given that I used to promise to give her a million dollars when I grew up every time I asked her to do something for me, like pick up all my toys. I got the better deal in this exchange.
Isn't it great that now that you're all grown up you can buy as many Advent calendars as you want?

...says Elise on 12/01/06 at 5:38 PM

Thanks for the reminder! I just finished my breakfast with a piece of chocolate from our Moomin advent calendar (my turn on even days). As a child, we never had chocolate calendars, but mom sewed us an advent calendar featuring Mother Christmas wearing an apron with 24 pockets. They could fit a whole lot more candy and exciting small presents than an ordinary chocolate calendar... And because my siblings were already in their late teens, I really didn't have to compete or share any candy with them. Little brothers rule!

...says Kalle on 12/04/06 at 4:02 AM

but mom sewed us an advent calendar featuring Mother Christmas wearing an apron with 24 pockets.

I love that idea, how cool! Now I want to do that, of course, I don't even have time for my gingerbread house, nevermind sewing my own advent calendar!

...says megnut on 12/04/06 at 11:04 AM

the only problem with chocolate advent calendars is that the chocolate is usually dreadful! althemore reason to make your own: this year, decorating 24 empty toilet rolls and stuffing them with foodie presents that go far beyond a simple chocolate... and as children we used empty matchboxes, stacked up into the shape of a house and decorated with cotton wool for a lovely snow effect - ah! if only I had the time to do this every year!!!

...says thepassionatecook on 12/05/06 at 8:51 AM

You can buy re-usable you-fill-it advent calendars now. I did last year. And I use the good stuff--like Fran's or Woodhouse chocolates. I just posted about advent calendars myself. A real treasure from childhood!

...says Ate-to-the-Bar on 12/07/06 at 7:47 PM

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...says Juliane on 01/04/07 at 6:22 PM

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