There’s a bit of a calendar theme emerging here don’t you think? Yesterday post was on calendar jewellery and today’s is on Advent Calendars. I suspect this is a theme that will burn itself out pretty quickly as I can’t think of anywhere else to go with it.
The reason for todays post is that I am fighting against the urge to go all Christmassy, deck myself in tinsel and baubles and prance around singing (which no one wants, trust me). Apparently I am not allowed to get Christmassy till December, but surely the one thing you really need to get in advance is get your advent calendar or how else are you going to open that first door on December 1st?
I almost always have an advent calendar, when I was a kid I was never allowed chocolate and also had to share the opening with my sister.
Now I’m a grown up I often go for the chocolate version, but I like other people to buy them for me as buying them myself feels like buying myself a present (not that that’s a bad thing!). Anyone I know reading this can therefore take this as a massive neon pointy finger……
I promise you that by the time December is over you are going to be sick to the back teeth of hearing (reading?) me wittering on about Christmas, but for the time being I will restrict myself to telling you my 7 favourite finds to count down to the big day.
THE POSH ONE
Advent Calendar Chocolate Box – Fortnum & Mason Ā£30
25 numbered chocolates in a pretty box. You can’t hang it on your wall but with flavoured chocolates like Honey Nougat, Passion Fruit Jelly, Christmas Pudding Truffle and Rum Ganache who cares?
This is one for the proper grown ups.
THE BRITISH ONE
Brilliantly British Christmas Advent Calendar – Hotel Chocolat Ā£10
Good quality milk chocolate from Hotel Chocolat including “fun Christmas games” all wrapped up in a proper calendar with doors you can hang on your wall.
No reindeer’s or Disney characters though, just a classy festive Union Jack print.
See, you can be grown up and childish at the same time.
THE ETHICAL ONE
Divine Dark Chocolate Advent Calendar – Divine Chocolate Shop Ā£3.75
This one is filled with dark chocolate made with 70% cocoa solids, fairly traded from farmers in Ghana.
The outside is bright and festive with a Christmas tree, but not too “kiddy”. It is also a fact that fair trade chocolate actually contains NEGATIVE calories and therefore you can eat loads of it and you will get thinner*
* May not actually be true, but hey, it’s Christmas.
THE UNUSUAL ONE
Eric Carle’s Dream Snow Advent Calendar – The Hambledon Ā£6.95
No chocolate *sob* but how adorable is this?
It comes with a pop up tree in the centre and everyday there are new decorations to hang on it.
It does come with little present boxes, which you could fill with chocolate (or diamonds) yourself if you need your daily treat.
THE VINTAGE ONE
V&A Advent Calendar – V&A Shop Ā£6.50
Very close to being the perfect Advent Calendar.
The vintage design is adapted from a game in a Russian Book in the V&A collection and each window opens to reveal a gift found on the tree in the picture.
It comes with a ribbon to hang it an an envelope to send it through the post to, um, me.
If that’s not enough it’s also printed in the UK on FSC certified paper stock using vegetable based inks so you can put that tick in the “green” box.
No chocolate though, but it’s not like there isn’t enough of that floating around at Christmas anyway.
THE RETRO ONE
Advent Calendar Taper Candle – Fairy Fantasy Crafts Ā£1.99
There’s something very retro about these, possibly it makes me think of the advent crowns they used to make on Blue Peter when I was a kid. The ones that caught fire if you didn’t use flame retardant tinsel.
Basically you light the candle every day and watch it burn until that days number disappears. They’re pretty bargainous and it makes a change from a “traditional” advent calendar.
I might like to have both though I think if I was going to get one of these. I just like opening doors!
THE CLASSY ONE
Rusty Bucket Advent Calendar –Ā eBay Ā£20+
A string of numbered rusty buckets on ribbon to fill with goodies and hang from your stairs/mantelpiece/shelves.
Very classy and a bit shabby chic, but beware, this is an eBay auction and you have only 11 hours at the time of writing to snap these up, but that should give you time to go out and buy me lots of diamonds, expensive chocolates and vouchers for shoes to fill them with.
They come with a cream wooden box to pack them away every year as well.
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