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Author Topic: New Advent Calendar Scheme  (Read 6042 times)

Offline Indianna

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New Advent Calendar Scheme
« on: October 22, 2009, 15:23:19 »
I was just checking out Playmobil.de to see what sort of advent calendar themes we might see next year in the US and it looks as though there is a whole new design that eliminates the little individual boxes.  Here are some pics from playmobil.de:

4160 Dragonland Advent Calendar

4159 Pony Farm Advent Calendar

I have mixed feelings about this development.   ???   One the one hand, those little boxes can be a pain to assemble and they are always falling off the calendar background, but they are charming little individual "gifts."  On the other hand, doors are a more traditional advent calendar concept and there may be a big savings in one's own assembly time and holiday-related labor if they are completely assembled in the factory.

Also, I am rather sorry that over the past few years the trend has been away from holiday-related advent calendar themes and more focused on whatever new theme that Playmobil is pushing, such as "Dragonland" which just doesn't say "Christmas" to me the way that Santa's Workshop or the Angel Bakery did.   :'( 



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Offline Richard

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Re: New Advent Calendar Scheme
« Reply #1 on: October 22, 2009, 16:57:46 »


I totally agree with you, Anne!

The recent Advent Calendars from Playmobil certainly don't seem to be in the spirit of the Christmas Season ... :(

So, just for you (and the other folks who also love Christmas), I've resurrected the "Old Photos" topic and added the final pictures. The last of the old photos just happen to be about the Christmas Holidays! Click HERE!

All the best and Happy Holidays a bit early,
Richard

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Offline Indianna

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Re: New Advent Calendar Scheme
« Reply #2 on: October 22, 2009, 17:21:35 »
Thanks, Richard!  Your wonderful photos definitely put me in the Christmas spirit!  Though it is a bit early . . . .  ;)
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Offline Richard

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Re: New Advent Calendar Scheme
« Reply #3 on: October 22, 2009, 17:38:24 »


Quote from: Indianna on October 22, 2009, 17:21:35

Thanks, Richard!  Your wonderful photos definitely put me in the Christmas spirit!  Though it is a bit early . . . .  ;)



Christmas will be here before we know it, Anne ... ;)
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Offline Rasputin

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Re: New Advent Calendar Scheme
« Reply #4 on: October 22, 2009, 18:25:24 »
I agree also . The little boxes were a big hit in our house . The set up time might have  been there but the fact that each kid got his revolving turn to open a little surprise was well worth it . I also agree with the loss of Christmas in the whole concept . How Christmas-ee is a thief being chase by the police ?
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Offline Tiermann

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Re: New Advent Calendar Scheme
« Reply #5 on: October 22, 2009, 18:51:19 »
You mean you wouldn't be delighted to receive a trash can as a gift?

I agree the non-holiday themes are odd. I don't mind the Fairy ones so much, though those would be better as some sort of Easter/Spring seasonal item.

The pony farm would would be fine, but it could use some more winter or Christmas decoration to it
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Offline reylocann

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Re: New Advent Calendar Scheme
« Reply #6 on: October 23, 2009, 03:57:24 »
The last advent calendar I bought was 4155.  I really think they should have kept up the "generic" calendars along with the themes even if they did change the format. Personally, i have no interest in investing in 2 or 3 calendars a year, so I don't buy any of them.  Also, I don't associate unicorns and pirates with Christmas.   If they still had a generic I would buy it...
I, too, find assembling the boxes, etc. rather time consuming as we have all the calendars starting with [3850] Advent Calendar I.  In fact, back in 2005 I suggested  they ought to produce a background to incorporate all the sets.  My rep and the North American VP thought that was a great idea...
So much for American ingenuity!  Ha Ha Ha 
Maybe we should flood the head office with emails demanding they bring back our beloved "Christmas" advent calendars!
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Offline Rasputin

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Re: New Advent Calendar Scheme
« Reply #7 on: October 23, 2009, 04:32:31 »
I still do get them even though they are a bit off the Holiday Spirit. I must say though since we do not have snow in our area the ones like 4155 "Christmas in the Forest" or 4151 "Animals' Christmas" are quite special. The only thing though is as a collector I am a bit biased and look at the parts that I will be getting and see how well they fit in to what I may be working on at the time. If the set has a bunch of Holiday only stuff I would be less inclined to get it, i certainly do not need any more Christmas sleds . I would love to see one with a whole bunch of Elves just because I want more of them in different colors but it would make for a very boring calendar ( oh look another elf, great that makes 24 wee ).

It is also about time Playmobil changed the 3 wise men they  are getting a bit old. Maybe they could put a little life into the theme and cheer people up a bit. The three little kings again, photo w/Santa , the tree decoration sets  or maybe a whole new set like Christmas office party  :confetti:

 One that I like a lot for the parts is 3974

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Offline Indianna

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Re: New Advent Calendar Scheme
« Reply #8 on: October 23, 2009, 13:11:47 »

Quote from: Rasputin on October 23, 2009, 04:32:31
. . . .  a whole bunch of Elves just because I want more of them in different colors but it would make for a very boring calendar ( oh look another elf, great that makes 24 wee ).

This is my problem with Santas - we must have a couple dozen of them but at least there are several different styles - I would love to have more elves, though, especially in different colors/designs!


Quote from: Rasputin on October 23, 2009, 04:32:31
One that I like a lot for the parts is 3974



This set does have some great parts - that stove, the red grandfather clock, plus Santa in his "work clothes."  It is also one of my favorite sets (of all themes) because it was partly responsible for my lengthy love affair with Playmobil.  Several years back I found two open and incomplete sets at a local discount/salvage chain here in New England (Building 19 :love: .)  One was the 3974 Santa's Workshop and the other was the 3667 Small Castle at a combined cost of about $30.  This seemed like a lot of money at the time but that was before I had developed my Steck obsession ::) and before I was aware of the whole Playmobil line (up to that time we only had a few small sets that my kids had received as gifts.)  Anyway, the 3974 was missing the calendar and boxes but did have the background and all the pieces so the backdrop went inside the castle and it became Santa's workshop which was found under the tree on Christmas morning.  For several years after that, we had two different advent calendars each year until my kids got bored with it.  I still keep up the tradition with my young niece and nephew, though, and they seem to enjoy them very much in spite of the non-Christmassy nature of the new ones. 

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Offline Richard

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Re: New Advent Calendar Scheme
« Reply #9 on: October 23, 2009, 14:00:02 »


After reading everyone's comments, it occurred to me that Playmobil may be missing an incredible opportunity.

I hesitate to mention it, for fear that Geobra might just do it. And, if they did, I would be hooked. I would have to buy every one of them. And, I really don't need another "must have" collection!

HELLO, EVERYONE IN ZIRNDORF. PLEASE DON'T READ THIS!

Playmobil's missed opportunity is Advent Calendars depicting Christmas in each and every country. One from Denmark, one from Russia, one from England, one from France, one from Italy, one from Austria, one from Brazil, One from Mexico, one from the Caribbean, and the list goes on and and on and on ...



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