The Advent Calendar Through the Years

     Tis the Season once again – the season for endless mugs of hot borovan, eating too much food, spending (too much??!) time with family, and preparing for the Day of Giving by draining your bank account to buy gifts at the Neopian Bazaar. Y24 draws closer, and we prepare to ring in the New Year with friends new and old. It really is the most wonderful time of the year!

     But everyone in Neopia knows what the month of Celebrating is really about – The Advent Calendar, of course!

     There’s no need to explain what the Advent Calendar is: everyone in Neopia knows about the magic Advent Calendar, found in Happy Valley on Terror Mountain. The Advent Calendar has been giving out gifts to Neopians since before some of us were even born – This reporter has run the numbers, and if her calculations are correct (and forgive her if they are not – this reporter isn’t great at math…) in its 21-year-history, the Advent Calendar has generously given out 1,395 presents to Neopians young and old, and a whopping 464,802 NP*! You can’t deny that’s impressive!

     (Some statistics for you: the most NP the Advent Calendar has ever given out in a year is 32,805NP, in Y19. The least is 10,216NP in Y6. The average amount of items the Advent Calendar gives out in a year is 66, and the average amount of NP the Advent Calendar gives out in any given year is 22,133. And interestingly, the Pant Devil seems to be drawn to the number 10, as he appears most often on Day 10, usually to steal a Rod of Supernova. How rude!)

     But everyone knows, as much as we don’t like to say it: some gifts are better than others, right? Some years you get exactly what you always wanted, and some years … regifted Torn Gym Socks. And so you might be wondering, what are some of the best gifts the Advent Calendar has given out in its long and esteemed history? Luckily for you, this reporter has done her research, and is here to try and answer that very question.

     So In no particular order, here are some of the best types of gifts the advent calendar gives away:

     Festive Paint Brushes

     One of the most exciting things you can ever find in the Advent Calendar is a Paint Brush! The Advent Calendar has given away several in its 21-year-history, from Plushie Petpet Paint Brushes to Snow Paint Brushes and of course, Christmas Paint Brushes. There’s nothing better than a Christmas Paint Brush so you can really dress for the season!

     Adorable Petpets

     Trust me when I say that all your Neopet really wants for Christmas is a new friend, and what better way to make your Neopet’s dreams come true than with a special Petpet? The Advent Calendar has given away Petpets like Plumpy and Christmas Fir Petpets, and it’s always so much fun to unwrap these adorable pals!

     Cosy Accessories

     Let’s face it, Terror Mountain is COLD this time of year, and there’s nothing better than coming in from a Snowball fight or a game of Rink Runner to snuggle up and get cosy under the fire. From an Ugly Christmas Sweater to Festive Special PJs to a Quilt Cape, the Advent Calendar always knows how to keep us extra warm and cosy all through The Month of Celebrating.

     Books to Read by the Fire

     And if we’re getting cosy in our Quilt Cape and our snuggly Festive PJs by the fire, we’ll need a good book to read, right? The Advent Calendar has given quite a few good reads over the year, from Tropical Holiday Tales, to Ponderings for the Holidays, and of course, Classic Neopian Holiday Tales. Because if we’re stuck inside during a snowstorm, we might as well try and earn a Neopian Book Award!

     Yummy Treats

     For all that the season is about togetherness, generosity and love, we all know what it’s really about, right? That’s right: EATING TOO MUCH. That’s why our Neopets are always so happy when the Advent Calendar gifts us something yummy, like an Apple and Brie Omelette, some Jingle Bell Sugar Cookies, delicious Cocoa to Share, or, best of all, That Slice of Cake You Always Wanted!!

     Practical Necessities

     Okay, hear me out: we don’t always like getting practical gifts in the Advent Calendar, but sometimes practical gifts are really the best gifts: things you wouldn’t get for yourself, but that you really need. Some of the best practical presents the Advent Calendar has gifted us over the years are some Knit Gloves, a New Year Calendar, and even a Can of Oil. Most importantly, one year the Advent Calendar thoughtfully gifted us a new Festive Holiday Toothbrush, so that we could take care of our teeth despite all the aforementioned Yummy Treats. Thanks, Advent Calendar!

     Now, for all the great presents the Advent Calendar has given us, we can’t deny that sometimes there have been some, shall we say….less appealing offerings. While we’d all prefer not to dwell on these disappointing occasions, here are some items from the Advent Calendar Hall of Shame:

     Dishonourable Mentions

     - A Bag of Coal. What did we do to deserve this? We’ve been good Neopians!

     - Snot-Covered Cookies. Ewwwwww!

     - Old Soggy Boot. Hmmm….no thanks.

     - Toy Car without Wheel. What am we meant to do with this, exactly?

     - 1/3 Plain Omelette, 2001 Gee, thanks…

     - Unwanted Fruitcake, 2012 I DO NOT WANT THIS. THIS IS UNWANTED.

      So there you have it, my fellow Neopians: a comprehensive guide to the history of our beloved Advent Calendar. What gifts have been your favourite? Merry Month of Celebrating, everyone: and don’t forget to watch out for that Pant Devil!

     *Note: Figures are accurate as of Day 29 of the Month of Storing. Avatars are counted in the figures, despite only being able to be unlocked once per avatar. Items stolen immediately by the Pant are counted in the tally – it’s not the Advent Calendar’s fault the Pant Devil stole them! It still counts as giving!