Reverse your Advent Calendar and Make a Difference
Monday 2nd December 2019Advent is upon us and in homes across the country, cardboard doors will be opened in the traditional countdown to Christmas.
Recent trends have seen Advent Calendars move towards luxury brands offering treats like miniature gin bottles and make up, some costing in excess of £150. This is a long way from the pictures of sheep behind cardboard doors that many of us will remember from our youth.
The idea of Advent Calendars date back to 19th Century Germany where chalk marks were made on doors between the 1st December and 24th December. This allowed people to physically mark the ‘coming toward’ of Christmas as they prepared to celebrate the birth of Christ.
This idea of preparation and waiting has been lost in many of the Advent Calendars available today. Children (and adults) no longer use the calendars as a countdown to Christmas but are instead rewarded with a gift each day.
But just as some look to luxury, others are choosing to reverse things this Advent – with a calendar which gives back. You may have heard this described as a reverse Advent Calendar. The idea is simple; instead of opening the door to a chocolate or picture, you do the giving.
For every day of Advent you put a donation into a box so that by the time Christmas is here you can have a collection of goods ready to drop off at the Lalley Centre to help communities in North Manchester this festive season.
Reverse Advent calendars are a great idea, and an easy way for you to help someone else this Christmas.
How to make your own reverse Advent Calendar
- Set out a bag and fill it with a new in-date item – including food, toiletries and nappies – every day.
- Get collecting!
- Drop the bag off before 6th December and between 10am-4pm if you’d like your donations to be distributed before Christmas
Remember that you should be donating non-perishable tinned and dried food and don’t forget that foodbanks also accept essential non-food items such as toiletries and hygiene products.
If you’re planning to donate any festive food or gifts, it’s worth doing so earlier in the month so volunteers have time to sort and distribute your donation
The Lalley Centre is a project run by Caritas Salford.
Based at St Malachy’s RC Primary School in Collyhurst, the Lalley Centre brings together schools, parishes and the local community with Caritas in an area of considerable social deprivation. A team of paid staff and volunteers provide one-to-one advice and access to other support and welfare services. Other agencies also offer drop in sessions and individual support. They run a weekly foodbank on a Wednesday morning, and have a wonderful community allotment.
The Lalley Centre’s address is: St Malachy’s School Basement, Eggington Street, Collyhurst, M40 7RG. The team can be contacted on 0161 205 2754.
