Computer Advent Calendar, A+++ Would Buy Ten

125 Replies

I have a Christmas thing to recommend. My aunt sent us one of these a few years ago, and now we buy our own each year. It’s an Advent calendar for the computer—though I believe it would be more precisely called a “countdown to Christmas” calendar, since it’s for December 1-25 rather than a period of time including the four Sundays preceding Christmas. ANYWAY. It has turned out to be the funnest thing, and I love it, and the kids love it.

It costs four dollars, which was a hurdle for me at first, I’m not sure why. Actually, I think I know why: it’s because paying for something online means giving information and money online, and I feel squirrelly about that with any new company. If I could have bought a computer disc for $4 at the store, I wouldn’t have even hesitated.

I haven’t even told you really what this IS yet. First of all, it is a cute snow globe that sits in the corner of your computer screen, looking like so:

(screenshot image belongs to jacquielawson.com)

(art shown is by jacquielawson.com)

When you click on it, as you will do at least once a day, you’ll get this little menu:

(screenshot image belongs to jacquielawson.com)

(art shown is by jacquielawson.com)

If you choose “Enter Scene,” your whole computer screen will be filled with this picture:

(art shown is by jacquielawson.com)

(art shown is by jacquielawson.com)

See all the numbers scattered around? You can click on each number on or after its day: i.e., on the 3rd, you can click the number 3, and you can also still go to 1 and 2. Some days, clicking a number will take you to a short animation with music. For example, on Day 1 this year, there was a band gathering to play a Christmas song. Some days, you’ll instead go to an activity or game. For example, on Day 2, we got to DECORATE STAINED GLASS WINDOWS:

(art shown is by jacquielawson.com)

(art shown is by jacquielawson.com)

We were all FIGHTING to take turns to do this. There are also Christmas trees to decorate:

(art shown is by jacquielawson.com)

(art shown is by jacquielawson.com)

Again, lots of fighting about whose turn it is to decorate a tree. (I have to wait until they go to bed or school to get a turn.) There are three trees to decorate (and re-decorate: you can do it again and again, AND WE DO), and one of them (the one most recently decorated, Elizabeth says) [Update: she is wrong, it’s the one you drag the “Display” sign to], shows up IN THE SCENE ITSELF after you decorate it! The stained glass windows also appear in the scene! It is so fun. And then when you’re done playing you choose “Shrink Scene” at the bottom of the page, and it all disappears back into the little snow globe.

Although one countdown-to-Christmas calendar is $4, if you buy ten or more of them they’re only $2 each. I find this kind of deal difficult to resist, so I’ve bought ten of them. One is for me, and I will give the other nine to you. Leave a comment SOON if you want to be entered in the drawing: we’re already on Day 3! Probably this evening I will choose nine people, if I have the time; otherwise, tomorrow morning. [Update: definitely not tonight! Tomorrow!] The calendar is sent by email (you then go to the site from your link and download the calendar), so it can be to you in time for Day 4!

125 thoughts on “Computer Advent Calendar, A+++ Would Buy Ten”

  6. Elizabeth

    This sounds amazing! I would decorate stained glass windows and Christmas trees all day, if I didn’t have two children who would want their own turns… Fabulous! Please include me in the draw.

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    1. Vicki

      So fun! I could see myself sending this to great nieces and nephews that we don’t exchange gifts with but still want to acknowledge. Love it!

      Reply ↓
  7. Lisa

    I read about this somewhere and thought, that sounds really neat, but I don’t really understand what it is and wouldn’t want to pay money without understanding! Thanks for the review! I would love to be entered in the drawing!!

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  9. Sarah

    Oh I would love this! I bought a Lego advent calendar (build a Lego Christmas scene one day at time!) for my nephew and a looseleaf tea (try a new tea every day until Christmas) one for my husband but lo-and-behold, I don’t have one and am a little sad. But now. THIS!

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  13. Alice

    Ahhh I love it! You had already sold me on it before I even got to the end and I was like I AM GOING TO BUY THIS RIGHT NOW, but I will selfishly enter myself into the contest first ;-)

    Reply ↓
  16. Elizabeth

    Looks charming!

    Thanks for the helpful review (I agree with Lisa that I might not have understood exactly what it was otherwise).

    Reply ↓
  27. Kippy

    This looks like something I would find fun to do! Enter me in the giveaway, please. You have the most fun giveaways.

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  28. Melissa

    This is amazing! And since I haven’t managed to get a single countdown decoration out of the basement yet…I’m guessing it would be a hit at our house.

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  29. A Different Maureen :)

    So fun!! And I am an administrative assistant, so am on the computer ALL THE TIME (including now :)) – this would be perfect.

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  30. Elle

    Oh, please, please? Would I be able to forward the e-mail to my favorite person, for her to use instead of me? Stained glass windows and Christmas trees are our favorite things! And we could really use the hope and distraction that this would bring.
    <3 <3

    Reply ↓
    1. Swistle Post author

      I THINK so! I think she’d just need the code! Or if you win it, you could give me her email address and I could send it directly to her instead.

      Reply ↓
  33. Melinda

    I was totally ready to buy it myself and then got to the giveaway. This sounds super fun! What a fun treat, Swistle. Thanks!

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  36. el-e-e

    …if it means my kids might forget about the little boxes into which I have to put candies and treats every day, then YES! Sounds good!

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  41. Christina

    This looks so fun!
    I’ve been having trouble getting into the holiday spirit this year, though strangely, I am also much farther along in my shopping than usual. Not sure it’s worth the trade off.

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  44. Kim Stachowiak

    Thanks for posting about this! I’ll buy it if I don’t win, think my daughter would love it. Merry Christmas1

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  45. KateB

    We have had this in the past. Loved it! Our computer got too slow and haven’t thought to get that since we got the new computer. Thanks for the reminder!

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  52. Kristin H

    So cute! Would this keep my kids from fighting over the physical decorate-a-tree thing we have for counting down till Christmas? No! Would we still love it? Yes! : )

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  66. Lisa

    My kids would love this! I would give a copy to my mom since I’m going to buy this for them in just a few minutes because I can’t wait for the contest!

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  75. Lisa

    I think my 5 kids (and me) would love this! How fun! I have great memories of my own advent calendar (felt Christmas shapes pinned on a felt banner) from when I was young. I love this modern idea for the next generation.

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  80. michelleJ

    Yeah! My MIL has bought us one for three years now. I just had to pry my five-year-old away from the computer, he’s loving the trees and windows and all. (Don’t need to be entered, but thanks!)

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  82. Phancymama

    *I don’t need to win because my mom bought us one*
    Last year a friend bought us one of these (she bought 10 also) and we LOVED it. It was SO amusing though, my 4 year old could not get the hang of a computer mouse that I attached to the laptop because I thought the mouse would be easier. No, the trackpad was much easier. This year my mom sent us one.
    Also, my mom always sends us Jacquie Lawson birthday cards which my kids love love love, more so than paper ones.

    Reply ↓
  88. Alison

    What a neat idea!! I love that the tree you decorate shows up in the scene.

    It’s things like this, a fancy digital Christmas countdown calendar, that make me stop and think “WE ARE IN THE FUTUUURE!”

    Reply ↓
  101. Carrie

    That sounds so awesome! My daughter loves her paper advent calendar. It is the first thing she does when she wakes up in the morning. A computer version would blow her mind!

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  114. Kirsty

    This looks so much fun! If it’s possible for someone (meeeeee) in France to be included in the draw, I’d love to be… Thanks Swistle!

    Reply ↓
  115. Carrie

    This is so much better than the Lego calendar we get…which while cool for all of five minutes just eventually ends up in pieces in my son’s Lego pile in his room. To the tune of $50. I put my foot down this year and didn’t get it.

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  117. G

    This looks like so much fun and I don’t think I’d even share it with the kids. Maybe after school’s out in a couple weeks, I’ll let them play. (They have their own advent calendar/countdown things that we use every year. 3 of them, actually.)

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  119. Lindsay Aldini

    Oh this sounds charming! I think my daughters (especially my creative 5to) would be delighted! I’d love to win and check it out!

    Reply ↓

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