Quick-thinking Team Graig Llwyd saved a popular Christmas tradition by creating innovative advent calendars for the people they support.
Service Manager Jennifer Jenkins sprung into action after a last-minute dash to the shops proved fruitless when their usual calendars had all sold out.
She and her team snapped up cups, wrapping paper and oodles of sweet treats and headed home to get crafting.
With assistance from some of the people they support, the team created 24 wrapped advent cups with chocolates for each individual at Graig Llwyd.
Instead of being disappointed by the homemade version, people supported at the Values In Care service are loving their 2022 ‘calendars’.
Jennifer said: “My heart stopped when I realised that all the advent calendars had sold out – it’s one of the most popular Christmas traditions here.
“We knew we had to come up with a plan b, so we piled our trolley high with boxes of Celebrations, Heroes, chocolate Santas, gold coins, and Quality Street.
“Each cup has a sweet treat inside, and every morning the people we support have to break the wrapping on the cups to find their advent gift.
“They are loving the surprise every day – and we’ve put extra treats in for a Christmas Eve bonanza.”
The cups are having a second life after each advent day as people supported at the service are using them in their crafting.
Jack and Samantha have both been collecting them to repurpose in future activities.
Jennifer added: “Jack loves to collect things, and he’s going to have a good number of cups to use in his future crafting.
“Samantha has already been busy with her cups and has made a walkie-talky toy with them already.
“It’s lovely to see the people we support use their imaginations and come up with ways to give the advent cups a new purpose.”
