Shut That Door! by Bandmaster

Puzzle explanation

The initial letters from extra words spelt out “Advent calendar not opened”. The thematic cells contained possible items for Advent calendar windows, starting with the letters A to W, for which the corresponding number from to 1 to 23 was entered. The central two cells represent double-sized windows for Christmas Eve, typical of Advent calendars.

Clue explanations

Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal

Extra word Answer (object) Explanation
Across
  (CANDLE)FISH (LANDS CHIEF) *
  I(MAGI)NARY I + (GINA in MARY)
  (VIRGIN) (GOLD) GOLD after VIRGIN; ref. Witwatersrand goldfield
  (LAMB)’S EARS (S(tone) + AS MARBLE) *
accountant’s COY 2 meanings
  RETA(KING) KATE < in RING
  (PRESENT)-DAY (PRAYERS TEND) * − R
Dorset EARL (cl)EARL(y)
verges HALFA HALF + A
  (WREATH)EN WREN around (A + THE)
  EV(ANGEL)S EVAN + GELS
escapology DIN (Hou)DIN(i)
nostalgic YELPS YE + LPS; ref. HMV dog Nipper
tasting DOYENS DO + YENS
chairman TYRE 2 meanings
  (ELF)-CHILD (FILCHED + L) *
  (JOSEPH)INITE IT in JOSEPHINE
  SEA (STAR) SAR around EAST
  SNARE (DRUM) SNARED + RUM
Abnormal UTERI (ca)UTERI(sed)
  S(TREE)K homophone of STREAK
  BAR(BELL) BARBEL with last letter repeated
  ST(IVY) ST + IVY
lost FREIT I in FRET
  DE (QUINCE)Y DEY around QUINCE
  SEA (ROBIN) (ROB + I) in SEAN
  (FIR)EBUG FIG around REBU(s)
ends EEA (th)E EA(rth)
  NOCT(URN)S “NOC TURNS” = CON
  W(HOLLY) homophone of HOLY
  HARD (NUT)S (TUNDRA in SH) <
  B(OX)-BED BOXED around B
Down
  (CANDLE)-TREE (CLEAN-TIMBERED − (I + M(ay) B(e))) *
  F(LAMB)É FLAMBE(au)
Notary’s SEAL 2 meanings
Dad ORCHIS OR + CH + IS
  (MAGI)CALLY (I CALL A GYM) *
  NOT FOR (JOSEPH) (PROF JONES HOT) *
awake AYE-AYE AYE + AYE
  RE(PRESENT) REP + RE + SEN + T(ransaction)
rhapsody YODELS (LY(dian) + ODES) *
  (VIRGIN)IAN VIRGINIA + (lagoo)N
  (GOLD)EYES GO + LED * + YES
  STR(ANGEL)Y (R + AS GENTLY) *
Nudists SCANT SCAN + T(errible)
  (KING)ED KING ED; ref. Edward I’s nickname
ostrich AVOCET OVA < + CET
  (WREATH)ES (present)S after WEATHER *
Trawlermen SEI SEI(zed)
  PETER (QUINCE) PENCE around (R + QUITE) *
  D(ELF)T D + LEFT *
  RE(D RUM) MURDER <
order DECREED DEC + REED
peace NAB (whe)N AB(road)
eye DETACH ETA in DCH
  PR(IVY) IVY after PR
nuclear SIFTER STRIFE *
  ARECA-(NUT) ARE + (TUNA + C) <
  (STAR) SIGN NIT-GRASS *
  S(TREE)TBOY BE(s)ET * in STORY *
  RAEB(URN) RAN around RUBE <
eight UNSEW U(senet) + N, S, E, W
  KE(FIR) KIR around (E + F(rontiers))
  (BELL)Y-GOD ELL in BY GOD
  SEA (HOLLY) (HAS + YELLO(w)) *
  DET(OX) TO in DEX
  (ROBIN)IA ROBIN + I + A
desire USE (Famo)US E(xplorer)
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