Moshi Monsters Moshi Advent Calendar

When I received this ready to have before the big day I was initially very disappointed and ready to send it straight back as the packaging makes it look like from the photos and the description that the box contains series 1 normal moshlings, most of which we already own, and as if there are only only a couple of christmas ones; for a fan it looked like an issue. Further investigation (opening a flap on the box and having a very good look pulling out the tray to see everything) revealed, to my huge relief, a fantastic array of normal sized Moshlings including Mr Snoodles made over as a Christmas pudding, a Mini Ben dressed as a present and Iggy in a christmas hat - it also made me think for a 43 year old I maybe know too many moshling names. There are 7 special christmas ones and the rest are moshlings in shades of translucent blue and green - so what looked poor from the packaging turns out to be a really good product.

The box is quite thick and the front folds down to make a display area, no assembly just a window to open everyday and a proper sized christmassy themed moshling inside. My daughter is going to love the moshlings and the surprise of getting a different one every day I know, but whoever designed the back of the packaging really should have made it clearer what is inside as there is no way of knowing that this calender is not a disappointment (if I'd seen it on a shelf rather than buying on amazon I would never have bought it), hence this review.

Don't be put off by the ambiguous product description here or the packaging of the box, this is a great advent calendar that any moshi fan is going to love, and actually for 25 moshlings the price is pretty good too, and I would have given it 5 stars were it not for the misleading packaging. If you are the parent of a moshi fan you will understand that there's no price you can put on 25 little bits of plastic happiness, one for each day up to Christmas. Recommended, for what's inside, not the box.

Edited to add - a couple of reviewers have given this one star as they say there are no windows - there are, you just need to open a sellotaped closed flap to reveal them, this folds down to make a display area for the moshlings - again this should be clearer on the box possibly. Oh and my daughter was indeed thrilled with this - day one was Angel with a red nose and reindeer horns, roaring success and I think might just make her Christmas.

I bought this for my moshi mad daughter as its a really good way to get 24 different moshlings, no doubles or blind bag randomness, I bought this because there was no way I was going to buy packets and packets of the smaller winter wonderland sets in the hope of getting a decent collection. This is a very large calender, think of the regular chocolate ones you buy in supermarkets this is slightly bigger and about 3 or 4 times deeper, the picture you see on the front is a flip open cover that is secured by tape, so cut that and it opens like a book, then you need to turn it on its side as its actually a horizontal display. So the flip out cover is now laying flat on your table or whatever and then the advent holes are on the standing up bit, so bear in mind that this takes up a fair bit of room and there is no way to latch it shut each day. The picture and description on the back is very confusing as to the actual moshlings inside, so much so that I actually opened it from the bottom and had a peek inside. It contains 7 regular moshlings with santa hats or snow etc and the other 17 are the winter wonderland, which is the see through blue and green ones that are on the product picture, also on some of the days are some codes for free stuff. Yes its quite expensive, but its cheaper this way on amazon than buying the packs seperately and I believe the only way to get the regular moshling in an xmas style is through this calendar. Last year I bought one of the value moshling packs to put daily in our advent calendar but it turned out we mostly already had them. This will definatley keep your moshi fan happy!
UPDATE after actual use we have found that the calendar doesnt actual stand up by itself, the cardboard is a touch too flimsy, which means it falls forward on itself and the flat scene at the bottom doesn't stay flat, also the plastic insert that holds the moshis isnt great, as it kept falling forward they all ended up at the bottom so on day 13, empty hole! had to open it out reset all the moshlings and now its sitting leaning back and propped up from behind. All these things are very noticeable as its sat next to a lego city advent calendar which sits upright, stays flat and all the lego stays in the right place the cardboard is stronger, the plastic insert a much better fit.

I am so thankful to angel for their review because I was in a mouse-clicking panic about an advent calendar containing moshlings they already have, but I opened the tray as they suggested and they are all lovely Christmassy ones. I am sooo relieved! Funny how these little plastic things have made us parents all a bit bonkers too. It's cute and my 8 year old boy and 5 year old girl are going to love theirs. And yes you just have to open the flap at the front to reveal the windows just like you do with all these gift advent calendars.