Looking for an advent calendar for the Christmas period? Check out our selection of the best food and drink Christmas advent calendars, whether you fancy 24 bottles of gin in the gin advent calendar, or want to keep it traditional with a chocolate advent calendar.
Lindt bear chocolate advent calendar
We love a classic chocolate advent calendar and this Lindt one is a real crowd-pleaser for children. Filled with Lindt chocolates including milk chocolate snowdrops, mini milk truffles and the favourite gold reindeers, there’s a sweet treat behind every door. Day 24 is what everyone is waiting for with the large chocolate teddy peaking out.
£10.00, ocado.com
Click here for our best ever easy chocolate recipes
Gin Foundry ginvent
If it’s not chocolate behind the door, we’ll happily settle for a bottle of gin. Gin Foundry scour the world for 24 of the best, most unusual and inventive gins on the market to fill their 30ml bottles, dedicating months each year to preparation and research. This year’s gins include Campfire, Salcombe and Masons to name a few, but if you want to take it one step further, head online where there’ll be articles, interviews and tasting notes about each of the bottles.
Here are our favourite British gins including:
- Pipehouse Earl Grey and Cucumber Gin
- Hendrick’s Gin
- Two Birds Gin
- Star of Bombay
- Rock Rose
The grand advent calendar
Take advent to the next level with this indulgent chocolate calendar. The two sides open up to reveal daily surprises, from pecan pralines and coconut snowballs to cocoa gin and salted caramel vodka. Give as a gift, or keep for yourself.
£68, hotelchocolat.com
Carluccio’s limited edition luxury advent calendar
Whip up an Italian feast with this Carluccio’s calendar which includes 24 artisan Italian products. Peel back the colourful doors to reveal chocolate truffles, olive oils, packets of pasta and fig jam.
£85, carluccios.com
Cheese lovers advent calendar
Countdown to the big day with a chunk of cheese. Behind each door you’ll find an individually wrapped piece of Pavé d’Affinois (a delicate French cheese) in four different flavours, from original and extra creamy to washed rind and chilli.
£12, Asda
Bonne Maman jam advent calendar
Spread your toast with a different flavour conserve each morning thanks to this Bonne Maman calendar. Filled with 23 jars, plus an extra surprise for Christmas Eve, flavours include orange and cinnamon marmalade and purple fig jam. Perfect for those with a sweet-tooth that want an alternative to chocolate.
£23, Costco
The big chilli advent calendar 2018
Heat things up this Christmas with 25 packets of whole chillies, flakes and powders. Each red sachet is numbered (so no skipping ahead) and the booklet will give you information on the type of chilli, be it Urfa chilli flakes to smoked chipotle powder.
£29.50, souschef.co.uk
Green and Black’s advent calendar
It’s hard to believe chocolate brand Green and Black’s haven’t released an advent calendar before, but that’s all changed for 2018. Filled with five types of chocolate, including their indulgent hazelnut pralines, this classic calendar has an extra-large door for Christmas Eve.
£10.99, greenandblacks.co.uk
Pierre Marcolini 24 notes of sweetness
Open this beautiful book-style advent calendar to reveal 24 doors, each with a praline, truffle or chocolate hiding behind it.
£49, eu.marcolini.com
Joe & Seph’s popcorn advent calendar
Kick off the Christmas countdown with 24 packets of artisan popcorn. Behind each door will be a snack-sized pack of 12 unique flavours, from well-loved classics to new combinations including cookies and cream along with chocolate orange and banoffee pie.
£25, joeandsephs.co.uk
Drinks by the Dram world whisky advent calendar
Get into festive spirit (quite literally) with this Drinks by the Dram whisky advent calendar this Christmas. Inspired by spirits around the world, each door will reveal a mini bottle, including varieties from Ireland, Taiwan, India and more. A great introduction for both whisky lovers and those wanting to learn more about the spirit.
£149.95, masterofmalt.com
Cookie advent cookbook
Earn your morning sugar hit with this baking advent calendar. Each door on the hardback cover opens to reveal a picture preview of that day’s recipe. With 24 recipes for festive treats, you can spruce up your baking skills in the run up to the big day. There’s plenty to bake with children, including mint meringue wreaths and malted milk chocolate cookies.
£10.99, amazon.co.uk
GAIL’s advent calendar
Bread AND chocolate – yes please. In collaboration with London chocolatier Melt London, GAIL’s Christmas calendar is filled with 24 bespoke chocolates, all made using breadcrumbs from the bakery’s French dark sourdough. We love the simple design complete with graphic line drawings.
£16, gailsbread.co.uk
Montezuma’s vegan dark chocolate advent calendar
Advent can be a minefield of dairy-based terror for the vegan and lactose-free among us, but everyone’s catered for with Montezuma’s dairy-free solution. 24 73% cocoa dark chocolates (we love their satisfyingly solid consistency and the fact that they’re not too sweet) hide behind a blue and festive festive scene.
£12.99, amazon.co.uk
Fortnum and Mason rare loose leaf tea advent calendar
Count down to Christmas with a tin of rare loose leaf tea each day. From a jasmine fairy, to a dong ding oolong, this advent calendar is a great way to try out some new varieties in the run up to Christmas. The wooden box comes in the recognisable Fortnum and Mason teal colour, and can be reused year after year.
£145, fortnumandmason.com
Snaffling pig pork crackling and beer advent calendar
This larger than life advent calendar is one for the savoury toothed. For 12 days in the run up to Christmas there’s a meaty flavoured treat behind every door, from low-and-slow BBQ to a perfectly salted along with 12 bottles of Meantime beer including London lager, pale ale and Yakima Red.
£65, snafflingpig.co.uk
24 days of teapigs
Wake up to a different morning brew each day thanks to this teapigs advent calendar. Try 24 different blends with flavours including lemon and ginger, apple and cinnamon along with a special festive number on Christmas Eve.
£35, teapigs.co.uk
Chococo advent selection box
We’re thrilled to see this Chococo bestseller back on shelves with 25 fresh handmade chocolates and truffles. Menu booklet included to guide you through the festive flavours for 2018, from Dorset salted caramel, tawny port and fig as well as hazlenut gem.
£23.50, chococo.co.uk
Moo Free dairy-free advent calendar
Gluten-, dairy- and soya-free, this organic Moo free calendar is slightly kinder to the budget than other dairy-free options. Made from a combination of cocoa, sugar and rice, these chocolates don’t have the dark chocolate hit of Montezuma’s but they’re softer and sweeter – perfect for any dairy-free children who have been used to the sweeter taste of regular calendars.
£4.99, ocado.com
Getting ready for Christmas? Check out our favourite foodie gifts in our Christmas gift guide 2017
