The Laboratory

As is tradition, today we share all of the other Advent Calendars we are following, some of which could be quite profitable! 1) IKEA 24 Days of Christmas - you need to be following them on Facebook , and then look at their "Spaces" on the app - each video only lasts for 24 hours and tells you about a bargain you can buy in store or online. You can also visit this page . Yesterday it was 25% off stools, including this very Scandi KYRRE in blue: 2) McDonalds are giving away free food, with their Gift Tag promotion. Enter a 5-letter code found in emails, on adverts, or wherever you can find them, and you get a deal on a Main for that day and a Breakfast offer for the following morning, eg a £1.99 McMuffin. Check out the details on  https://www.mcdonalds.com/gb/en-gb/newsroom/article/gift-drop-for-christmas.html . I'm hoping for a free Festive Pie! 3) For the Maths crowd (I know you're out there) you have a multitude of Mathsy Advent Calendars to choose from. All listed a...

Fridays on the Advent Calendar have always been about music! We fondly hope that someone will be sneaking a peek at work and suddenly B*Witched or Little Drummer Boy will come bursting out of their speakers. (Did this ever happen to you?) But we haven't had any videos yet so today we'll do a round up of some of our favourite adverts. Today is Christmas Jumper Day for Save The Children . You might be all jumper-ed out by now, but perhaps this video of The Killing's Sarah Lund complaining about non-jumper wearers might change your mind: Then the two best musical adverts this year, both from IKEA. Adam liked the 'Gnomes' one so much, he bought the music on iTunes! And for just get-down-funkiness, the 'Playin' With My Friends' advert can't be beat: Finally, our favourite advert of the year. Perfect casting, the seated girl's reactions are a joy to behold!

This season's must-have decoration is brand-new from IKEA, an 8-bit reindeer in green. It's designed by Monika Mulder, who also created the classic STOCKHOLM metal bowl made of fused flower shapes. In Scandinavian folklore, the reindeer is a prophetic creature, a symbol of change. Starting from SAMSPELT, the Swedish word for "play along", this ancient symbol is reinterpreted in a modern version. The SAMSPELT pixelated deer made ​​of aluminium and painted neon green is 24cm high and  adds colour and style to any corner of the house. "When I sketched SAMSPELT I was inspired by sculptures in public spaces and we wanted to do something with the same impact and symbolism," says designer Monika Mulder. "We chose a deer that is the most elegant animal of the forest and awakens warm feelings, affection and respect." It is $20 in the US catalog, and in the UK catalogue which will be out later this month.