Talking Allergies

Hi.

In the almost 4 years my DD has been allergic to peanuts/treenuts, I have yet to find a safe advent calender. For some reason this has always bothered the heck out of me, as I am usually quite good at easily finding safe alternatives to unsafe stuff.

Does anyone know of one for the 2007 Christmas season?

I am in Quebec, Canada.
I would be willing to drive to N.Y state if a safe one existed.

Thanks

This is the 2nd year I have found a nut-free advent calendar from a British company called Kinnerton. I have seen them in specialty food shops. I got mine in Merrickville, ON. You could try contacting them to see if they would deliver.

http://www.mustard.ca/

1-877-768-7827

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daughter: 6 years tree nuts, peanuts

www.kinnerton.com

When I contacted them a few years ago they would send to Canada. Their chocolate is good, too.

As for Advent Calendars, have you considered non-chocolate ones? I've seen a few that can be used every year. Playmobile has some gorgeous ones for about $25.00 .

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self: allergy to sesame seeds and peanuts
3 sons each with at least one of the following allergies: peniciilin, sulfa-based antibiotic, latex, insect bites/stings

I can't tell you a specific source for these 2 ideas, but maybe it will help (especially if you know how to sew!).

Years ago, my mother sewed our family an advent calendar that has a pocket for each day. It was a pre-printed fabric that she bought at a fabric store. This way, you can load the pockets with safe treats for each day (candy, or even little toys).

This year, my parents found an advent calendar of books at a thrift store. I don't think there's a brand name on it, but it's pretty neat! It's got a tiny book for each day, and then a bigger book for the 24th.

I know it isn't chocolate, but maybe these ideas will help.

Marla

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*Son, 5 years old: Asperger's, allergic to eggs, peanuts, and mustard seed (outgrew dairy and soy)
*Son, 23 months old
*Hubby: allergic to cats and trees (non-specified types)
*Self: allergic to penicillin

Ideas for Advent calendars:

Online calendars

http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk ... l#calendar

http://www.boowakwala.co.uk/calendar/fr ... endar.html

http://www.christmassantaclaus.com/advent.asp

http://french.about.com/library/blxm-adventcalendar.htm

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DIY Advent calendars

http://www.kids-corner.org/pdf/cal_advent07.pdf

http://familycrafts.about.com/cs/miscch ... 0600a.html

http://www.fashion-era.com/Christmas/ch ... esigns.htm

http://www.etsy.com/view_transaction.ph ... id=6368580

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Moderator
Daughter: asthma, allergies to egg, milk, peanuts, tree nuts, most legumes (not soy) & penicillin. Developing hayfever type allergies.
Husband: no allergies
Me: allergies to some tree that flowers in May
Cat: allergic to beef, pork and lamb

Hello,

For advent calendars, we usually use a lego or playmobile calendar with little boxes to open every day Also, we have used in the past a German "poster" that has little flaps to open on specific days and also a fabric Santa hanging with little pockets. One could put something safe in each - I guess it would depend on your child's allergen. We simply have never bought the supermarket chocolate calendars.

http://shop.lego.com/Product/?p=7907

http://www.amazon.com/Playmobil-Advent- ... B000GWFAGG

My kids really enjoy them and have never complained.

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Jacqueline Labossière-Jager
Stittsville, ON

son - born 1998, allergy to peanut, nuts, sesame, shellfish and kiwi; a bunch of allergies to plants, animals, etc. and asthma
daughter - born 2003, no known allergies

Hi.

Thanks for all the great replys.

Kinnerton says they don't sell any of their nut free chocolates in Canada and there is no way to purchase them over the internet.

I really had my heart set on one of those chocolate advent calanders for this season.

mtlmom

The link and number I posted were for the store near Ottawa where I purchased a Kinnerton advent calendar 2 weeks ago. You could try contacting this store. Maybe they would send one to you.

Good luck!

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daughter: 6 years tree nuts, peanuts

I was at The Bargain Shop today and found an Advent calendar of Christmas stories. It is a box which holds 25 small books which can be hung on your tree after reading them for $8.77.
http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/Chr ... dpQDYWU%3d

I also saw a hanging Advent calendar at Hallmark which had small pockets for treats.

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Moderator
Daughter: asthma, allergies to egg, milk, peanuts, tree nuts, most legumes (not soy) & penicillin. Developing hayfever type allergies.
Husband: no allergies
Me: allergies to some tree that flowers in May
Cat: allergic to beef, pork and lamb

Last year, Starbucks had a chocolate advent calendar that had 'may contain' warnings for milk, and something else, but no mention of nuts and peanuts. While it didn't say it was peanut-free, nut-free, those allergens were not listed as 'may contain'

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11yo boy - peanuts nuts chickpeas
8yo daughter - peanuts, nuts, mustard, eggs, sunflowers (new! ), oral allergy syndrome
husband - pollen of all kinds
me - seafood,, oral allergy syndrome

I'm sorry I'm so late in posting this - it's already Dec 3rd, so too late for this year. Maybe it might work for next year (for those interested in non-candy Advent calendars)

For our kids, we have a fabric advent calendar with little pockets (it was a gift to our daughter when she was less than a year old). Instead of candy, we place little "clues" to locate little gifts. What we did this year was buy a small gift with many different parts (hopefully 24 parts (or more)). Each day, we place a "clue" in the pocket, and our kids go on a mini-treasure hunt to find the next part of the gift. For our son, he is absolutely "transportation-crazy", so we bought him an inexpensive car set (Canadian Tire $15) with a ramp, cars, a gas station, little people (stuff like that). For our "horse-crazy" daughter, we bought an inexpensive horse and rider (and many little accessories) play set (Walmart $15). They are both LOVING this, and can't wait for the next clue. My daughter has already requested a big treasure hunt for the morning of December 24th She has no idea how challenging it is for my husband and I to come up with these "rhyming" clues

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14 yr old daughter: no health issues
11 yr old son: allergic to peanuts, tree nuts, eggs, fish, sesame, sunflower, mustard, poppy seeds, green peas, some fruits, instructed to avoid all other legumes (except soy & green beans), pollen, cats, horses

Gem.

Thank you for the link.
I contacted them and they ran out of calanders a while ago. I will try again next year , but in the fall instead of last minute.

I know I'm too late...but we picked up great advent calendars from The Papiery (sp?) in downtown Ottawa. There's a window to open for everyday with a a picture that is missing something. It comes with a corresponding sheet of stickers. You have to put the missing sticker on the picture. For example - the picture is a sleigh and the sticker is a bag of toys.

They were ridiculously priced ($12) but my 4yr old loves hers and my 2yr old likes putting the stickers on too.

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4ye old DD allergic to sesame, peanut, raw egg , and mulitple environmental & seasonal allergies

2 yr old DS -no known allergies!

This is a little late for this year, but I made my grandsons Avent calendars three years ago. I used a square of quilted fabric, and decorated them in a Xmas theme with felt pieces I bought already made from the dollar store. I sewed or pinned 24 little bags with drawstrings to it, and used a fabric pen to number them from 1 to 24. In each bag, I placed a small individually wrapped Xmas chocolate ( Vadeboncouer -peanut, tree nut, and almond free factory in Montreal). I purchase the chocolate a year ahead and keep it in the freezer so their Advent calendars are always ready when December rolls around, and I don't have to go searching the stores for Xmas chocolates in November when the boys start reminding me about them.

It took some time to make 48 little bags, but you can buy some at the dollar store and dye them. They sell packages of 8 white bags for wedding favours. Another idea is to fill 24 little numbered bags with treats and place them in a Chrismas basket. I did that the year I made the Advent calendars, and used it as a table centerpiece. My husband enjoyed the chocolate.

After Christmas this year, I purchased a fabric snowman Xmas calendar with 24 little pockets for $8.00 from Wal Mart. This will be a gift for a peanut allergic child of a business acquaintance.

Grandmother of a 9 year old who is allergic to peanuts, tree nuts and amoxycillin.

Was on another forum and talking about advent calendars and what to put in them. Here are a few suggestions:
Stickers, temporary tattoos, coins, individually wrapped gum or candy (think about the Halloween candy that is on the market right now), shaped erasers, (look at loot bag options), coupons/tickets for something special (an outing to look at the Christmas lights down town, invitation to go and get the Christmas tree or to bake cookies etc), telephone nuber of a distant relative who would love to hear from the person etc.

BTW, if you don't have one yet and want one, now is a good time to think about making one...

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Moderator
Daughter: asthma, allergies to egg, milk, peanuts, tree nuts, most legumes (not soy) & penicillin. Developing hayfever type allergies.
Husband: no allergies
Me: allergies to some tree that flowers in May
Cat: allergic to beef, pork and lamb