The day-by-day contents of three different advent calendars

 

Normally, Bert and I don't really bother with advent calendars. 

He's never had one in the past, and I have had a Star Wars chocolate one years ago that my dad bought for me. It probably wasn't very expensive and whilst the chocolate wasn't amazing, it was actually alright. But not so good that I could be enticed to buy myself a calendar in the following years (dad had the same one and he never bothered buying anyone another so I think he really didn't like the choc haha). 

But this year, with 2020 being the absolute dumpster fire that it is, I ended up buying three advent calendars. 

 

I bought Bert the LE2000 Harry Potter coin one from Zavvi UK.

 

And for myself I bought the Café Tasse chocolate one from the Dille & Kamille website, as well as the Primark Harry Potter calendar (which, incidently, was cheaper than the chocolate one because Primark). 

And I still spent under €30 on both combined! Bert's was rather pricier at just under €73, shipping included. 

The chocolate calendar was just under €15 and the Harry Potter one was €12. 

Let's get into it!

Day 1 

 

I got milk chocolate with coffee flavour, which might be my new favourite chocolate! And a teeny tiny Ravenclaw stamp, which is fun.

I am using these unboxings to teach myself video editing, so here’s this little video I did. I’m also editing these, much shorter, little reels on my Instagram :). 

 

Bert was really happy with his coin, because he got Hermione Granger, who is his favourite character (and he low key collects Hermione themed things). 

 

The back of the coin. If they end up all having the same background, I obviously won’t be posting more photos of it. The coin is a lovely pewter colour, but you know, afternoon natural light is pretty crap, and indoor lighting isn’t much better. Who am I kidding, its rubbish! 

 

We are both very impressed with the level of detail in this coin. Obviously it's only day one, but it's off to a very strong start indeed. If they all end up looking like this, this calendar will have been well worth the money. Especially considering its an LE2000!

 

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Day 2 

 

 

 

Today was a bit of a meh for me. 

I don’t like dark chocolate, not unless it happens to be Peppermint Toads. 

It’s ok though, because dark chocolate is Bert’s fave so he got to have the chocolate. 

Primark is well..., an eraser is a bit lame really. 

But as you can see in the video, the cats enjoyed batting it around. I’m not worried about them biting bits out of it and eating it because they are very careful about picking it up in their mouths. That and they’re all habitual eraser thieves. If there end to be 4 of these I will give some to my nieces. 

Its actually a really good eraser, so I will have to make sure the cats can't get at it again! 

 

 

Bert got a Hedwig coin in his calendar. And just look at those details! Its incredible how much detail there is in such a small piece!

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Day 3

Well day three was pretty much a repeat from yesterday for me. 

With sole difference that today’s eraser was a Slytherin one… 

I also had some technical difficulties, so today’s video is Instagram format shot on my phone, and not proper landscape shot on my DSLR. I did figure out how to add sound though! And it is featuring not one, but TWO befuddled cats! Just watch it for the cats :).

Because clearly all the lockdown-not lockdown-covid madness is getting to us, Bert accidently opened day 4 instead of day 3. 

So spoilers: day 4 is Dobby. We'll simply have to find out who day 3 is tomorrow, on day 4. Oh well!

This calendar is really proving to be worth it’s money, again, so detailed! 

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Day 4

 

Today did, thankfully, not bring me dark chocolate. Instead I got milk chocolate with coconut, which was rather enjoyable.And a random roll of gold foil washi tape in my Harry Potter calendar. It's actually surprisingly decent quality, even though there's not that much of it on the roll. But hey, I like washi tape, so today isn't a bad day at all :).

 

For today's video, I also unboxed (better said: attempted to unbox) a bunch of things that came in the mail today. So there's a bit more to it than just advent calendars, but that also means you get MORE cat shenenigans :) 

After yesterday's mix-up, Bert opened up day 3 of his calendar and that was Hagrid! It's not his favourite character, but just like the other coins, it's nicely done! Not the best one so far, but definitely not a fail either!

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Days 5 and 6

Due to a lot of things on the 5th of December, I didn’t end up having time to edit anything, so I figured I’d just put Saturday and Sunday together and make a weekend post out of it. 

On Saturday I got white chocolate with coffee, which I ate far too soon. No one can blame me, for it was delicious! 
As well as a Gryffindor eraser. Much as I love these erasers quality wise, its getting a little silly. I think its safe to conclude there’s still a Hufflepuff one in there somewhere. 

Today I thankfully did not get an eraser. I got the Slytherin stamp. I quite like these silly little stamps. 

And for the 3rd time, I got dark chocolate! Seriously, that’s half the days I’ve opened this calendar I have gotten chocolate I don’t like. Good for Bert, but it’s getting more than a little annoying!

As for the coins. On Saturday Bert got Severus Snape and today, he got The Knight Bus. Very, very cool.

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Day 7

Well today wasn’t very good! 

First I got another chocolate I don’t like (thankfully Bert doesn’t mind caramel choc, but it’s not his fave either) and I got a highlighter in my Harry Potter calendar. Stick a Hogwarts sticker on it and hope it sticks (which it doesn’t really). I don’t terribly mind a highlighter, because let’s face it, they are practical, but at the same time. I don’t know I’d like something a little more exciting, you know (serves me right for getting a calendar at Primark I suppose). 

Bert got his first what we consider as a fail. Today’s coin is Draco Malfoy, but it doesn’t really look like Draco at all. 

Which is disappointing considering how well done the other coins were. Hopefully the rest won’t be a fail like this one! 
But hey, at least Kiwi is back to participating in unboxings :).

 

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Day 8 

It was a bit so-so really. There was more dark chocolate for Bert and two pencils for me in my advent calendars. I will likely give the pencils away mind, because I have a LOT of pencils as is and I really don’t need more.

Bert got Ginny Weasley today, its for sure a nicer coin than some others he got the previous days, so there’s that. Book Ginny > movie Ginny, though. 

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Day 9

I rather liked what I got today. I like milk chocolate, and obviously I like multi coloured pens like these. There’s actually some neat shades in there I had never seen in a biro/ball point pen before, so that’s also fun! I will for sure be using that ‘till it either breaks down or runs out :).

Bert sure as heck didn’t expect Argus Filch in his calendar, but there you go. And love him or hate him, the coin is a pretty good likeness! Its cool they are putting obscure and more unpopular characters in the calendar too, and not just fan favourites. 

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Day 10 

Alas, more dark chocolate! Raspberry flavoured this time. Once again, it was given to Bert, who really enjoyed it, so there’s that! I do like the two lightning bolt shaped paper clips. I’m also a bit Thor fan, so I find them fandom multi functional :D. 

Bert got Ron Weasley in his calendar today, and this one is also a bit of a vague one. It’s not as badly done as Draco to be sure, but it’s also not the best likeness either.

This isn’t a calendar item, but my friend Xander sent me a lovely little Christmas package with a Marauder’s Map card and some Norwegian milk chocolate. It was beautifully wrapped, so of course I had to include it! Because you know, it’s still a Christmas themed unboxing!

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Day 11

 

The dark chocolate strikes again! Even with added coffee it can’t seduce me into eating it! Seriously Café Tasse, where are all your delicious milk and white tiny chocolates? Primark wasn’t much better, because whilst I quite liked previous Ravenclaw and Slytherin stamps, I am not keen on this tiny Hufflepuff one. It just doesn’t show up well, and the badger is positioned weirdly on the tiny pad, so it’s next to impossible not to get a weird half circle over it from the edge. I sure hope that when the Gryffindor one appears it’ll not be a bit of a fail like this one!

 

Bert, however, lucky dude, got a GOLDEN SNITCH coin today! If you know me, you know me I have a soft spot for golden snitches and I have quite a few of them, so yeah, not gonna lie, kinda want to steal this for myself. I won’t though, I’m not going to break up Bert’s advent 2020 coin collection! I will totally borrow it for pictures though! :). 

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Day 12 

 

Lo and behold, the tiny Gryffindor stamp! Its still not as good as the Ravenclaw and Slytherin ones, but it’s not as fail as the Hufflepuff one either! The chocolate I gave to Bert because urgh, no. 

 

Bert’s calendar seems to be picking up steam again as well because he got a hippogriff. We’re assuming it’s Buckbeak. We both quite like hippogriffs so he’s not mad at this, at all. 

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Day 13 

 

Well, I ate the chocolate, but it wasn’t all that good, alas! Not the worst either, mind. The oversized Hogwarts paperclip is kinda meh, but at least that’ll be useful at some point I presume.

 

The dementor from Bert’s calendar is really well done. I’m starting to get the idea they’re better at doing things and creatures than people. 

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Day 14 

 

I didn’t expect to get it. I mean, I had hoped for it. But there it was: MATCHA CHOCOLATE! Which is one of my favourite chocolates OF ALL TIME! I don’t even care that the clip things are a bit rubbish, there was matcha chocolate!

 

Bert got Sirius Black. This is not his favourite character so he’s on the fence about it. I think it’s fine, it’s alright. Excuse the cat hair, it is unavoidable with two white tabby cats. 

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Day 15  

 

I’m sure everyone saw this one coming by now, but the chocolate went straight to Bert! Stickers are well, stickers. I’m sure I’ll use them up or give them to a friend.

 

Neither Bert nor myself are especially fond of Sybill Trewlawny (even though I have a divination tattoo, it doesn’t feature her though!), but (even though this isn’t the best photo), this coin is really nice! 

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Day 16

 

Much as I like these golden wand pens, I have three of the things by now, so I am definitely going to give one to a friend for sure! They are really good pens though, they write really well, and they look cool! Milk & nougat is actually one of my favourite Café Tasse flavours, so needless to say, today was a very good calendar day!

 

The basilisk is another one we never saw coming for this calendar, but look how amazing the details are! Definitely another winner! 

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Day 17 

Well, a magnet is always practical I suppose. But the chocolate, that was another one for Bert. Bert has for sure been eating more chocolate than I have from this calendar!

 

And another unexpected character! Not entirely sure why they didn’t put Griphook on the coin instead of Head Goblin, but there you go. Considering he’s holding the sword of Gryffindor, it’s safe to assume this is Griphook, indeed. 

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Day 18 

 

Well, tiny pencils are alright I guess. I’m not hype about this as I own a metric ton of colouring pencils, but I’m sure I have a friend that will like these! Milk chocolate is also alright, so it was an alright day when it comes to calendar things!

 

Gotta love Luna Lovegood! This is probably one of our favourites so far! 

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Day 19 

 

Last one of the erasers! I’m actually not mad at these, because they’re really good! The chocolate, well urgh, another one for Bert!

 

Quirrell! Yet another character that was unexpected. Its really cool how they keep on putting in characters you wouldn’t see coming! It’s for sure a good mix between popular and more uncommon! 

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Day 20 

 

Well, a ruler is always good to have I guess, even though I don’t really use plastic rulers, but I’m sure it’s good to have as a spare. Aaaaaand, yet ANOTHER chocolate for Bert. 

 

Good old Mad-eye! It’s a really good likeness. There have been a few coins that were either so-so or downright rubbish when it came to portraying a character, but the last few days have been really top notch again, hopefully they’ll keep it up! 

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Day 21 

 

The sharpener is actually really practical, because Bert often uses a pencil (a reject pencil from a mystery art supply box, but I digress, at least someone likes it) but he doesn’t have a sharpener anywhere near it. And now he does! Milk and crunchy caramel is not my fave chocolate, but it’s also not the worst. Bit of a mixed bag today, I guess. 

 

Bert was actually really disappointed with this coin, as he is NOT a Dumbledore fan at all, but I think it’s a really cool coin! Its certainly a good likeness, even though the photo does not do it justice.

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Day 22 

 

I got thumb tacks. Which would be alright, were it not for the fact that I have TWO boxes of thumb tacks (one of flat ones, one of the well, not flat ones). But you know, they’re thumb tacks, I’ll just chuck them in with the flat ones. And another milk chocolate, at least it wasn’t a dark one, I suppose.

 

Bert got a Minerva McGonagall coin today, so now he has both the previous and the current headmaster of Hogwarts. Frankly, she’s so iconic I feel like they could probably have found a better image of her, but at least it’s a fair likeness so there is that.

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Day 23 

 

Whilst I had, as everyone no doubt has guessed at this point, zero interest in the chocolate, I quite like the memo pad that came in my Harry Potter calendar today.

 

Ah yes, Tom Riddle, better known as Voldemort. He who must not be named. Bert was half surprised he showed up, but after Quirrell, I was wondering when he would! 

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Day 24: 

Christmas Eve and the end of the chocolate 

 

Today is the last day of the Café Tasse advent calendar and to be honest, I’m glad to be done with it at this point. Most of the chocolate I didn’t even like, so thankfully Bert was around to eat it! Bit of a disappointment to be honest, and today’s was no different! I do like the little to do list pad that came with my Harry Potter calendar, which has one more day left in it!

 

Unsurprisingly, for the last day of Bert’s coin advent calendar, it’s the boy who lived himself: Harry James Potter. I don’t know why they made this coin so shiny. Surely just making them all the same would have been fine. And it’s very hard to photograph! This is actually NOT the last day of this calendar, believe it or not.

Day 25: the last day of calendar goodness!

For my final calendar day, there’s this little notebook! 

Bert’s calendar in theory also stopped at 24 days. But the packaging also holds a folder to take out AFTER you've taken out all the coins, so we’re counting that as day 25. It’s quite an ingenious system really. We also like how the coins came in a plastic casing that pops right back into the folder, because that way you could take them out each day, and put them away safely. Ok sure, it’s a lot of plastic, but no one wants scratched up coins. Plus I don’t think a lot of this plastic will end up chucked as most people will just keep it to protect their coins, whether or not they’ll be using the folder.

And that's it, merry Christmas to those that celebrate it!

Would I buy these calendars again? 
Possibly. 

Definitely not the Café Tasse one mind, there was just way too much chocolate I don’t like in there to my liking! I’d rather just buy 25 small Café Tasse chocolates I actually like and make my own calendar, that way I’ll have one I enjoy each day.
I probably won’t get another Primark stationery calendar again, I really don’t need more of these random small stationery things.
If Zavvi does another coin one next year and Bert is still into collecting Harry Potter coins, I will for sure get him one of those.
We might get different calendars, we might get none. Or I might just make my own for Bert (which will likely be a bag with 25 small gifts rather than a pretty calendar but hey, still counts!). 

Time will tell!

I will probably do another month long (ahem) calendar unboxing post again, and hopefully I will be better at it in 2021 than I was this year!

But mostly, let's hope 2021 will be a better year!

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