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Frequently Asked Questions
About Our Products
Think of the excitement of counting down to Christmas, but for birthdays! Our birthday advents let someone you love open a pocket each day leading up to the big celebration. Fill them with gifts, notes, experiences, treats, or surprises. Then on the day itself, your advent transforms into a stunning illuminated centrepiece for the party. It’s two products in one: the countdown experience and the party décor.
Our birthday advents are designed specifically for any birthday celebration. They’re larger, more sophisticated, and come in multiple curated themes (more to be added after launch) to create your party aesthetic. Plus, they feature integrated LED lighting that creates an atmosphere for your celebration. They’re not seasonal decorations; they’re premium party products that happen to build excitement across multiple days. Then become the centrepiece of the party.
Our Birthday Advents (The Big Deal and The Little Legend) are designed for any birthdays, but work particularly well for milestone birthdays like 18, 21, 30, 40, 50 (and beyond!). These come as individual number digits, so you purchase two to create your age (e.g., “3” + “0” for a 30th).
Our Children’s Birthday Advents (The Big Deal and The Little Legend) are designed for ages 1–9 as single digits, or ages 10+ when you purchase two digits together.
Each collection has its own personality:
- The Gatsby – Moody sophistication with deep green, black, and golden yellow in Art Deco patterns
- The V.I.P – Bold glamour with luxurious red, black, and golden yellow splatter
- The Glitz – Timeless elegance with black, golden yellow stars and discs
- The Disco – Joyful energy with vibrant pinks, purples, and cool blues
- The Splatter – Creative expression with paint splatter in purples, pinks, blues, and turquoise (designed by our 8-year-old daughter!)
All our party day products (archways, paparazzi boards, display cubes, picture displays) are available in the collections, so everything coordinates beautifully.
Absolutely! The LED lighting isn’t just decoration – it transforms the entire atmosphere. The Gatsby and V.I.P feature warm white LEDs for intimate sophistication. The Glitz uses bright white LEDs for crisp modern contrast. The Disco and Splatter have pink and blue flashing LEDs for playful energy.
Caboodle X is our bespoke fabrication service where literally “everything is possible”. We build custom installations from cardboard – this could be a 20ft dinosaur skeleton, a full-size Formula 1 car, branded activations, themed environments, whatever you can imagine. Projects include full creative development, fabrication, installation, and de-installation. If you’re planning something extraordinary, we’re the team to make it happen.
Sustainability & Materials
Our products have been designed to be genuinely sustainable, using tabs wherever possible, removing the need for glues and tape. Here’s exactly what that means:
- 99% of our materials are recycled and recyclable
- 100% UK manufactured by FSC-approved partners
- The only single-use plastic is in the LED lights
- We’re members of Products of Change
Our commitment is baked into every decision we make, not added as an afterthought.
You have options! Many customers keep their birthday advents and pass them on to other family members. Other products in our range like archways and cubes can be stored flat and last for multiple celebrations. Alternatively, everything we make is fully recyclable through standard cardboard recycling.
Because it’s brilliant! When engineered properly, cardboard is:
- Incredibly strong and versatile
- 100% recyclable and biodegradable
- Lightweight but structurally sound
- Cost-effective compared to traditional materials
- Made from renewable resources
Plus, it allows us to create intricate designs and details that wouldn’t be possible with other sustainable materials.
Our products are designed for indoor use or covered outdoor spaces. Cardboard is surprisingly weather-resistant when engineered properly, but prolonged exposure to heavy rain will compromise it. If you’re planning an outdoor event, we recommend placing products under cover (marquees, gazebos, covered patios).
Ordering & Customisation
Simple! For milestone birthdays like 30, 40, or 50, you purchase two separate digit advents (e.g., “3” + “0”). Each digit functions independently, so you get double the countdown fun – 24 days total if you choose the 24-pocket option, or 12 days with the 12-pocket option.
Absolutely! Please contact info@caboodle.it.com for your options on customisation.
That’s entirely up to you and half the fun! Popular ideas include:
- Small gifts (jewellery, accessories, gadgets)
- Handwritten notes or memories
- Photos from past celebrations
- Experience vouchers (dinner, spa day, activities)
- Treats and sweets
- Inspirational quotes
- Countdown messages (“10 days until the party!”)
- Mini bottles of champagne or wine
- Beauty products or samples
- Tickets to events
Please check the pocket dimensions in the product descriptions.
Each collection is carefully designed to coordinate within itself, so we recommend choosing one theme for your celebration. However, if you’re working with an event planner or have a specific vision, contact us at info@caboodle.it.com where we can discuss custom combinations through our Caboodle X service.
We focus on creating the products rather than full event planning, but we’re always happy to offer guidance and suggestions! For event planners looking for trade partnerships, we provide styling guides and support materials. Contact Caboodle X at info@caboodle.it.com directly to discuss.
Pricing & Payment
Because they’re not typical party decorations. Our products are:
- Dual-function: Countdown experience + party centrepiece (two products in one)
- Premium quality: UK-made with attention to every detail
- Sustainable: Proper materials and responsible manufacturing cost more than cheap imports
- Reusable: Built to last through multiple celebrations
- First-to-market innovation: You won’t find birthday advents anywhere else
When you consider you’re getting weeks of pre-celebration excitement plus stunning party décor, the value becomes clear.
Yes! If you’re an event planner, venue, or corporate client ordering multiple products, we offer trade pricing. Contact us directly at info@caboodle.it.com to discuss your requirements and we’ll provide a custom quote.
We accept all major credit and debit cards. Payment is processed securely through our PCI DSS-compliant payment provider. We never see or store your full card details – security is built into every transaction.
Shipping & Delivery
Our standard lead time is 5–6 working days from order placement. This allows us to craft your products to order with care and attention.
If you need something faster, we can offer express shipping at an extra cost. Contact us at info@caboodle.it.com before ordering to confirm express availability for your specific requirements.
Currently, we ship within the UK only. We’re focused on keeping our carbon footprint low, and UK-only shipping helps us maintain that commitment. If you’re international and interested in our products, get in touch – we’re always exploring options.
Everything is packed flat for efficient shipping and easy storage. Products arrive with clear assembly instructions and a QR code which takes you to our YouTube channel. Our products are very straightforward – no engineering degree required! Packaging materials are recyclable, keeping our sustainability commitment consistent from production through to delivery.
Quality matters to us. If anything arrives damaged, contact us at info@caboodle.it.com within 24 hours of delivery with photos, and we’ll sort it immediately. Because our products are made to order, we cannot accept returns, but we absolutely stand behind the quality.
Using Our Products
Assembly is simple and tool-free. Each advent arrives flat-packed with clear instructions. Most people can assemble a milestone advent in 25–30 minutes. If you get stuck, we’re here to help – just reach out.
Great question! The pockets are designed with closures that allow you to fill them privately. Fill all pockets before gifting. Many customers prep all the pocket contents in advance, then fill the advent in one go before presenting it.
Yes! Our advents are designed to be durable and reusable. Store them flat in a dry place between celebrations. Many customers make it a tradition – same advent, new surprises each year.
Our integrated LEDs are battery-operated (batteries included). No wiring or electrical setup required. The batteries can last up to 18 months and are easy to replace. They use standard CR2032 batteries.
Nope! Our advents are freestanding. Our party décor pieces are designed to be self-supporting or come with everything needed for installation. We’ll always specify if any additional setup items are helpful, but you won’t need to source separate stands or fixtures.
Returns & Policies
Because all our products are made to order specifically for you, we cannot accept returns or exchanges. This made-to-order approach is part of our sustainability commitment – we don’t create excess inventory that might go to waste.
If your item arrives damaged, contact us at info@caboodle.it.com within 24 hours with photos and we’ll resolve it immediately.
We take your data seriously. We collect only what’s necessary to fulfil your order and never sell your information to third parties. Read our full Privacy Policy on our site for complete details on how we handle your data.
About Caboodleit
We’re Nic and Darren, a husband-and-wife team who got frustrated planning milestone birthdays and decided to create the products we wished existed. We’re based in the UK, we’re parents, and we’re building a business that proves celebration and sustainability can coexist beautifully.
Our 8-year-old daughter even designed one of our collections (The Splatter). This is genuinely a family business built on family values.
The name comes from “the whole kit and caboodle” – meaning everything you need. We wanted one place where you could find coordinated, sustainable celebration products for life’s magical moments. Plus, our logo’s intertwined circles (the ‘oo’ in caboodle) symbolise connection and life’s cycles – the celebrations that bring people together.
We’re really sustainable. Here’s the proof:
- Members of Products of Change
- FSC-approved suppliers only
- 99% recycled and recyclable materials
- 100% UK manufacturing (minimal carbon footprint)
- Full transparency about our supply chain
We invite scrutiny. This isn’t marketing copy – it’s how we operate.
We’re online-only at the moment, which actually helps us stay sustainable (no retail overhead, no excess inventory). But we’re always exploring pop-up opportunities and partnerships. Follow us on Instagram @caboodleit_moments to hear about any in-person events.
Yes! We’re building partnerships with event planners, party suppliers, and retailers who share our values. Email us at info@caboodle.it.com with “Trade Enquiry” in the subject line, and let’s talk.
We’re here to help! Email us at info@caboodle.it.com. We typically respond within 24 hours (and often much faster).
For life’s magical moments