A more sustainable way to count down to Christmas
Discover a fun reusable advent calendar idea that reduces waste and lasts years
James Skidmore
November 23, 2021
The countdown to Christmas is one of the most exciting times of the year for children, and advent calendars have become a huge part of the festive tradition. These days, many children receive multiple calendars filled with chocolate, sweets or plastic gifts.
While chocolate advent calendars are undeniably fun, they also come with a surprising amount of packaging waste and encourage habits that perhaps don’t need to become part of the daily breakfast routine.
After years of buying traditional advent calendars, I decided to create a reusable alternative for my children using something they love even more than chocolate… LEGO!
The packaging problem
One of the biggest issues with traditional advent calendars is the amount of packaging they contain.
According to Valpak’s EPIC packaging database, a typical chocolate advent calendar includes significant amounts of cardboard, plastic and aluminium packaging for a relatively small amount of chocolate. Compared to buying the same chocolate in standard bar form, the packaging footprint is dramatically higher.
The experience of counting down to Christmas is what makes advent calendars special but that experience often relies heavily on single-use packaging.
The cost of convenience
Advent calendars are also a surprisingly expensive way to buy chocolate.
The chocolate itself is often heavily marked up compared to buying standard bars, meaning consumers are effectively paying for the packaging and novelty element rather than the product itself.
Of course, the fun and excitement are part of the appeal, but it raises the question of whether there are more sustainable ways to create the same festive magic.
Our reusable LEGO advent calendar
Several years ago, I decided to try something different and created a reusable LEGO advent calendar for my children.
Using second-hand LEGO sets bought online, I separated the pieces into 24 small piles and paired them with printed building instructions divided into daily stages. Each day, the children add a few more pieces to gradually build the final model by Christmas Eve.
The reusable calendars themselves have now lasted for nearly a decade, and because the Lego is often second-hand, very little new packaging or material is required.
Why reusable traditions matter
The beauty of reusable advent calendars is that they can become part of a family’s Christmas traditions for years to come.
Whether filled with toys, activities, notes, crafts or small reusable gifts, they create excitement without generating unnecessary waste every December. They can also encourage creativity, patience and anticipation in a way that doesn’t revolve entirely around chocolate.
Final thoughts…
Christmas traditions evolve over time, and advent calendars are no exception. While there’s nothing wrong with enjoying festive treats, reusable alternatives can offer the same excitement while reducing packaging waste and encouraging more sustainable habits.
For our family, the reusable LEGO advent calendar has become part of Christmas itself, and despite the occasional chocolate calendar still appearing from relatives, LEGO continues to win every year.
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this blog are those of the author, James Skidmore, and do not necessarily reflect the views of recycle-more, Valpak Limited, or any other organisation.