I've been making one-of-a-kind art houses and Advent calendars for nearly a decade now, and 2026 is my most extensive collection to date. Through the years, my Advents have been purchased as indulgences of total whimsy for fellow collectors, armchair travellers and kindred spirits who delight in the miniature scale, imagination, daily surprise and beauty of these unique curations.

The Teddy Bears' Picnic Advent is the most kid-friendly of all this year's Advent Calendars. I still recommend caution as the picnic basket is a true vintage piece with rustic finishes and some of the bears are very tiny and could potentially pose choking hazards for young children.

Adult collectors and children alike will delight in this daily assortment of 25 incredible artisan teddy bears presented in a mid-century tin picnic basket with closing lid and bentwood handles.

The basket has been upcycled with colourful vintage children's books illustrations of Goldilocks and the Three Bears to tie perfectly into the Teddy Bears' Picnic theme.

The basket contains 25 miniature bears, each packaged in a drawstring calico bag that I have left purposefully unadorned, so you can easily repurpose however you choose. The hand-stamped numbers are easily removable and readily visible, designed for you or your little one to open each day throughout December (or however you choose to enjoy it).

Most wonderfully, the teddies diminish in size with each passing day, starting with the largest bear (about 16cm long, so still very small) to the absolute tiniest at barely 2cm tall! 

Almost all of the bears are the work of one local maker and come labelled "Designed by Mary and Hand Crafted by Wendy Joy". Each one labelled also been given a name. A few do not have any labels, and I am not sure of their makers but they are all equally lovely quality.

At the end of your unboxing experience you will have your own collection of teddy bears ready to populate your doll's house, nursery toy box, bookshelf or miniature collection. 

Or, maybe you will choose to repack them in their tiny bags and repeat the Advent Calendar tradition next December!

A truly memorable and generous gift for a like-minded soul of any age who will savour the joy and surprise of opening a new cuddly friend each day for nearly a whole month.

Like all my Advents, this represents excellent value, as the price equates to far less than the cost to purchase any of these artisan bears individually. It is certainly better than anything you would unwrap in a more mass-produced or generic 'luxury' Advent calendar. 

Note: all my Advent Calendars are primarily designed for adult collectors and are not suitable as gifts for young children as they contain small parts, fragile materials, and true vintage and antique finds.

Also please note: The picnic basket is in very rustic condition and not suitable for play or food storage - it would make a handy carrier for art and craft supplies!