Mum makes her own 'expensive advent calendar' for her children for just £8 each

With today being 30 November, there is only one thing on the mind heading to bed this evening.

As tomorrow is the 1 December, that only means one thing - advent calendar time.

The countdown to Christmas is well and truly on once that first door has been opened, as some panic that they haven't even started Christmas shopping yet.

But these days, advert calendars can be rather expensive, especially during a cost of living crisis.

However, this one savvy mum has created her own for her kids costing just £8 each - saving more than £60.

Mum-of-two Karina Deade, 39, was concerned after her children started asking for advent calendars that were not the cheapest.

Macey, 14 wanted a beauty advent calendar, meanwhile Fabien, 10, asked for a calendar filled with toys.

SWNS

After seeing the price of them, the mum from Twickenham, London, decided to make them herself.

The mum filled boxes with 25 individually wrapped small gifts for each child.

Karina says she enjoyed the process of picking out the toys, and encouraged other parents to give it a go.

The pre-school manager told SWNS: "My children are used to knowing we can't keep up with everybody.

"I'm a single parent bringing up two kids and I work full-time so money is tight, but I wanted to make sure they didn't miss out.

"I didn't think the process was difficult - in fact it was fun, I was smiling the whole time I was making the boxes.

"I can imagine they'll love them - it's the excitement of having a small parcel to open every day."

Karina actually got the idea for the advent calendars at work when she spotted some paper bags for sweets in a large pack from Amazon.

The whole idea was cost effective genius as Karina obtained the boxes to put the presents in from a friend who was giving them away for free.

SWNS

The stickers were purchased cheaply online, with actual presents from the likes of Home Bargains, Poundland, Superdrug, The Works and ASDA.

Karina picked out the gifts based on beauty and toys that her children had asked for, and says she is looking forward to them opening it.

She said: "I didn't find it that difficult because I'm quite creative anyway to find ways to save money.

"It was really fun coming up with the gifts and I was smiling putting the boxes together because I know they'll enjoy opening them so much.

"I know they would have been so grateful for just a normal chocolate calendar - but they deserve something special like all the other children."