When I was a little girl one of my favorite things about this time of year was the Advent Calendar. Every day leading up to Christmas you got to open a wee door or reach into a tiny pocket to find a piece of candy, a miniature snowman or some other holiday themed surprise. In the spirit of that childhood tradition, I’ve decided to give you a virtual Advent Calendar. Each day between now and December 25th, I’m going to reach up into the Cloud of Chaos and pull out random yuletide treats for your pleasure, amusement and general holiday delight.

I missed yesterday. Today you get two.

Why not start with an actual Advent Calendar? I’ve always liked the Advent Calendar Elf from Garnet Hill. A bit homespun but very cheerful and, as with anything from Garnet Hill, well made. They have lots of other fun holiday gifts and decorations as well.

I did an extensive Google search in an attempt to find a more funky Advent Calendar for those who may be more into design than kitsch but still want to play along. Unfortunately, it seems that kitsch rules in this department. Lots of felt.

That wild goose chase did lead me to Design3000. This site has tons of great holiday stuff, including fun rotary candleholders that I haven’t seen since I was a kid. You light a candle and the heat and displaced air make the decorations spin. Fun! Yay! But I digress. Do check out this website, though. It’s very cool.

Another option is this Mini Advent Calendar by Pinkerton Design. I just love letterpress and this is designed to be sent as a card. You also could put it on a bulletin board or use it in a small space if you didn’t have room for a Danish elf.

We’re two days into December already. If you are ordering an Advent Calendar online, Fedex is your friend.

And for today’s treat, what Advent Calendar would be complete without chocolate?

Here are the Christmas Chocolate Penguins from Burdick Chocolate. If you are lucky enough to live near Walpole NH, Cambridge MA or New York NY, you could visit one of Burdick’s swoon-inducing store/cafes. Otherwise, they ship all over the world and holiday orders can go right up until a couple of days before Christmas.

Until tomorrow…