Use an Advent Calendar for Game Prizes!

Purchase a specialty Advent Calendar to use for gifts, party favors, or even game prizes at your next get-together!  Your guests will simply pick a number and "win" that prize!

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When I was a kid, my mom used to drag me to garage sales and I hated it (especially that time she forgot me at one...not kidding).

However, there was one exciting thing about these tortuous outings...the prospect of grab bags!  I generally couldn't resist the temptation of buying a mysterious prize in a paper lunch sack for "only" 25 cents!  I always expected to find something really great inside; however I was usually disappointed and wished that I hadn't spent my hard earned money after I opened the bag.

Well, I still love the idea of mystery gifts and I recently had this aha moment...

WHY NOT USE AN ADVENT CALENDAR FOR GIFTS, PARTY FAVORS OR GAME PRIZES?!?

If you haven't searched lately, there are ALL kids of Advent Calendars out there.  Chocolates, beauty products, coffee, tea, beer, Lego's...the list goes on and on.  I like to try a new game every Christmas and I typically need prizes to bribe my family to play.  Lightbulb moment - they all love hot sauce!  I found this highly rated Advent Calendar on Amazon to use for my game prizes this year:


It was nicely packaged and arrived quickly (thank you Amazon Prime).

Inside are little drawers with small bottles of hot sauce (bonus, cute names like Elf Elixer and Feliz Trinidad)!  The large bottle (Dec. 25th) will be the grand prize.

There is also a cute story similar to The Night Before Christmas that is all about hot sauce.  I love this kind of thing!  (My oldest will happily read us the story...with feeling!)

This year I plan to try a dice game called Tenzi (highly recommended by my co-worker, Lisa).  I think my family will actually like playing some games when they can choose a hot sauce prize drawer if they win!  I'm hoping an Advent Calendar with different themed prizes may become a new tradition for us every year.

2020 Update:  I will be doing this again, they liked it!  All of my "people" are over 21, so I ordered a wine advent calendar from QVC for this Christmas.  Look for them at your larger, local chain liquor stores, too.

Think outside the box!  This same idea could be used for birthday party prizes, baby/wedding showers, etc.  Instead of party favors, guests could pick a number from an Advent Calendar and that would be their take-home gift.  I LOVE THIS IDEA (and I can't believe I didn't think of it before).  Let me know what other fun Advent Calendars you find out there!  Karen

Gift Ideas | Christmas, Holiday | Christmas