I simply love Christmas. Everything about it gives me that warm glow and festive feeling. One thing I particularly love is that it is one of the only events in the calendar that we actively countdown to, and those countdowns often involve delicious edible delights!
The advent calendar offering has changed vastly since I was a little’un. I remember gleefully opening my simple milk chocolate calendar and simpler still, cardboard calendar with a bible verse behind each door to remind me of the reason for the season. I still place huge value on this, but can also be excited by the new and exciting designs and treats each year! I see it like a Christmas present-come-early.
I’ve listed my favourite calendars on the market and split them into sweet, salty and alcoholic, as well as a few homemade ideas!
The Sweet Ones
Divine 70% chocolate calendar
I love Divine chocolate - a fantastic company that has great ethical standings. 44% of the profits go directly to the cocoa farmers who are paid a fair wage for their crop. It is a dark chocolate calendar too, which I love, as I find a piece of milk chocolate each morning a little too sweet.
£5, sold in Waitrose
The Naked Marshmallow calendar
A marshmallow every day, all in festive flavours, toasted over you very own mini campfire? Sign me up! These sold out fast but when I last checked, a few were available on their website or on Amazon.
Joe and Seph’s Gourmet Popcorn Advent Calendar
I had the pleasure of spending some time in the Joe and Seph’s kitchens last week with Saturday Kitchen, and WOW! This popcorn is on another level. So incredibly flavoursome, and in this wonderful calendar you get 24 bags of 12 different flavours of the stuff. Get £5 off using the code ADVENT18 at the checkout!
£25, Joe and Sephs
The Salty Ones
Snaffling Pig Pork Scratching Advent Calendar
For those of you who are more of a savoury craver, you can’t go wrong with a calendar like this. 24 individual bags of pork scrathings, all in Snaffling Pig’s iconic flavours. The do great gift sets and subscriptions that make excellent Christmas presents too!
£15, The Snaffling Pig Co (or £12 in Debenhams)
So Wrong It’s Nom Cheese Advent Calendar
24 pieces of cheese, from smoked cheddar to Christmas flavoured Wensleydales. It might not be the best quality cheese in the world, but it is certainly flavoursome and makes a fun change from chocolate!
£10, Sainsburys or ASDA
The Drink Ones
Fever Tree Gin and Tonic Advent Calendar
I’m a sucker for a G&T, so having one every other day over the advent period really doesn’t sound too bad. There are plenty of gin calendars on the market, but I adore Fever Tree tonic and this one is fairly reasonably priced too. 12 x cans of tonic and 12 x mini bottles of gin are hiding behind each door. A great chance to try different flavours of gin too!
£60, Waitrose
Bird and Blend Tea Advent Calendar
This is one of my absolute favourites this year, and a lovely local company too. I always start the day with a hot cuppa, so opening an exciting, different flavoured teabag each morning is so much fun! There are 19 different tea bag blends (a lot of them festive like gingerbread chai, eggnog and mince pie!) and 4 matcha stix, so 23 different types of tea, plus a surprise gift in number 24! They also have a free online e-advent calendar which gives you insiders knowledge, tips and recipes for each tea in the calendar, so be sure to sign up to that too.
I have an exclusive discount code SANTA278 for £5 off and free shipping.
£36, Bird and Blend
The Pact Coffee Advent Calendar
Similar to the tea offering, but for coffee lovers! 25 individual packets of pre-ground coffe to suit cafetière, Aeropress and drip brewing methods roasted expertly by the lovely people at Pact. Buy yours whilst stocks last!
£39.95, Pact Coffee
The Homemade Ones
Growing up, we had a calendar that is a collection of empty draws and my parents used to fill it with all sorts of mini treats like chocolate, hairbands and stationary. Try making your own for your kids (or partner!) and customise what goes in each door.
The Works sell a 25 Draw Cabinet for £15 ready for painting and filling, and Hobbycraft do a gorgeous Wooden House Advent Calendar for £15 that you can reuse year after year!
What are you going for this year? Let me know in the comments below!
