There are huge stocks of advent calendars on the supermarket shelves in the run up to Christmas. Those parents hunting for a dairy free or vegan calendar will be faced with a tough challenge as all the colourful attractive calendars seem to be full of dairy milk chocolate and other sweets. Few parents will want their children to miss out on fun and treats. With just a little thought advent calendars are readily available for those avoiding sweets, chocolates or other allergens
A Variety of Dairy Free Vegan Advent Treats
For a vegan alternative the choices are:
- Be creative and make your own!
- Hunt down a commercially made vegan advent calendar containing vegan candy, such as those made by Moo Free. http://moofreechocolates.com/
- Buy a traditional calendar which has empty pockets, door or draws which can be stocked at home.
- Buy a calendar whose door open to just pictures, without sweets or novelty gifts.
- Buy a novelty advent calendar that contains toys such as the Lego Star Wars calendar.
- For older kid gadget calendars such as phone apps and online calendars might be more suitable.
Re-Useable Advent Calendars
Not only are they environmentally sound in the long run they can work out to be good value for money. The calendars have pockets, draws or little cupboards in which to hide treats.
A good tip for any home stocked advent calendar, only fill each draw or pocket the night before it is due to be opened if you have very young or inquisitive kids.
What to Put in a Sweet-Free Advent Calendar
A good way to build up to Christmas can be to fill the advent calendar with interesting and inspiring Christmas decorations, perhaps for a small tree or to put around the house. The decorations can be used again next year and with this theme one can avoid the need to buy 24 presents or sweets for the kids to enjoy before December 25th. Tiny decorations can look grood on a tiny tree.
Low Budget Advent Calendar Treats
Younger children love stickers. For December they can have a sticker book and enjoy having a new set of stickers every day to put in their book. This can be a very inexpensive and enjoyable treat as budget stores sell packs of 100s of stickers for next to nothing.
Advent Calendars with Dairy Free Chocolate for Christmas
For those who want what almost everyone else seems to have there are vegan versions with chocolates behind the doors. In the UK Moo Free calendars are available by mail order online and from Waitrose. Celtic Dairy Free Chocolate Squares are available for £2.50 from Tesco.
Deborah Percy - BSc. MA. Managing Director of a heating & plumbing business. Interest in maths, science & research. Mother of 3, including twins.
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