The Great Advent Calendar Debate: Am or Pm?

[Si Hunt]

We used to have big debates about this at school, and no-one ever knew who was right. My friend (more than one actually) used to insist that advent calendars should be opened on the MORNING of the day printed on the door (i.e you open door 1 on the morning of first December) but my parents always taught me that it was that evening.

To me, that still makes more sense. At least this way, the last door is opened on Christmas Eve, which seems to be more logical than finishing the thing on the previous morning (in those days there was never, EVER a 25th door). Also, for the chocolate ones (and bearing in mind these days that's the only sort there is) it makes much more sense to eat chocolate in the evening than for breakfast!

What did you do, and is there any documentary evidence to suggest which way is correct?

Si.

[Rob McCow]

It looks like today's yummy Choc-tor Who Advent Calendar will have to wait for the evening!

I agree that it's far better to have chocolate in the evening than in the morning, but when I was a kid opening the calendar couldn't wait. We didn't have chocolate ones anyway. No, we had classic, glitter-covered nativity scene calendars where you get an utterly random picture each day. A Star! A Train! A Sort of Blobby Thing! A Smiling Child! Sheep! And then the Two-Door (!) Christmas picture itself, Mummy and Baby Jesus on Christmas Eve. Ahhhh- how could you wait till evening?

[Pamela]

It has to be morning.
Then you have all day to enjoy the chocolate thing/little picture.

[Si Hunt]

I always loved the non-chocolate ones. There was something magical about the little card door that opened up. And how exciting was it getting a Big Door for the last one! But sadly my Mum started buying us chocolate ones and every year I really wished I had an ordinary one and yet I could never say without seeming ungrateful. I always thought "one day, when I'm old enough to buy my own, I'll get a proper one". Now I am, and they don't make them any more! It's an absolute tragedy. Who wants one themed around Mars or some TV program? I want angels and candles and blobby things and Christmas puddings!

The magic may be gone forever...

Si.

[Pamela]

awww Si. look at this and remember the good times

[Rob McCow]

Oh dear... it looks as though opening your calendar in the evening is going to be consigned to the Duck Pond of Unusual Activities!

The worst thing about chocolate advent calendars is when the bits of chocolate fall out behind the card and get heaped up at the bottom of the calendar. So for example, you'd get no choclates on the 8th, but about five chocolates on the 17th.

I'm appalled and astonished to discover that they don't make the old kind of advent calendar any more. So much for tradition! Let's all get fat and mentally challenged on fatty chocolates. Bah Humbah!

[Si Hunt]

I don't feel so strongly about it in terms of advent calendars, but I guess it does represent a sort of leaning towards making everything sweeter and more bad for you. We can't just have the excitement of an advent calendar, we have to invent a way of making it in some way detrimental to our kids health as well!

The other day we saw the grossest thing in Tesco. It was a chocolate sandwich. Someone had somehow made a sort of chocolate-flavoured bread, with chocolate paste as the filling, and it was packaged up and put with the rest of the sandwiches! It sometimes seems like nothing can be left alone with *******ising it. And the supermarkets are supposed to be promoting healthy eating...

Si.

[Si Hunt]

Sorry, the starred out word was *******.

Si.

[Si Hunt]

DAMNIT!

Si.

[Wayne]

When i was a kid we opened ours in the morning. We didn't have chocolate ones either. Just glittery ones with little pictures inside.

[Trudi G]

MORNING! MORNING! MORNING! It's the only time Christian gets to eat chocolate on a weekday AND at breakfast!

[SiHart]

Morning is best I think, but maybe it's not as important these days.
We always had the picture ones when I was young. That never seemed to make them any less exciting though. My Grandma and Grandad always used to send us one every year.

This year is the first time in years I've had an advent calendar. It's true!

Si xx

[Anthony Williams]

Yup - I agree! It's got to be in the morning!

Ant x

[Si Hunt]

Gah, you're all freaks!

My Mum buys me and Simon one each every year!

Si.

[Pip Madeley]

Morning before school, of course!

I've resisted buying the Doctor Who one this year, mind. I'll wait a few days, when they're reduced.

[Larry]

oh boy it's been one hell of a long time since I had an advent calender but we all ways opened ours in the morning as for the chocolate bits you get in them noe I can't help thinking the chocolate tastes a bit crappy..

[Paul Clement]

It's always been in the morning in my house. Never even considered making the poor blighters wait till the evening.

[Stephen Morgan]

The worst thing about chocolate advent calendars is when the bits of chocolate fall out behind the card and get heaped up at the bottom of the calendar. So for example, you'd get no choclates on the 8th, but about five chocolates on the 17th.

FIVE chocs on the 17th, sounds good to me

[Pip Madeley]

My mum's given me the Who advent calendar. That's nice of her.

Did anyone struggle with today's question?

[Trudi G]

There was a question?

[Andrew Curnow]

Looking at the poll results, I feel a tad guilty at having added my vote to the 'Morning' option. To be honest, though, I don't think it's ever, ever, ever occurred to me to wait until the evening. Sorry, Si!

[Pip Madeley]

There was a question?

Obviously you didn't waste time in getting to the chocolate

It asked which captain did the Doctor and Rose meet in World War 2...

[Andrew Curnow]

Kirk?

[Trudi G]

Oh yes - i remember now, we could barely see it! This morning was a long time ago....

[Pip Madeley]

Kirk?

I said Pugwash, myself.

We could both have been right, I guess.