Why have bog-standard chocolate when you could wake up to a whole treasure trove of tasty treats this December?
2020 has been a year - to say the least. So it should come as no surprise that many of us feel an urgent need to count down the remaining days. While you could take a red pen to your calendar or even download a countdown app, we believe there's a better way. Well, technically, 15 ways that are made up of 24 better ways...we'll get to the point: it's advent calendars.
Gone are the days when we'd count down to Christmas with teeny tiny chocolates that'd disappear in a single bite. Now, everything from gourmet cheese and popcorn, to marshmallows and bottles of wine that taste so good it's hard to believe they are hiding behind those little paper doors.
Still struggling to see the appeal? Well, really, it's two-fold. Firstly, there's the complete joy of unwrapping a food or drink surprise every day throughout December – trust us, an unexpected bottle of gin is the perfect tonic we all need in these unprecedented times. Then, there are the savings: the best foodie advent calendars come packed with premium products, often at a tiny snip of the usual cost. They really are the best way to discover a wealth of buzzy new products and iconic classics.
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So whether you want to spoil a loved one or make staying in a smaller bubble (or should that be bauble?) that bit extra special, these advent calendars will create a little bit of magic, every day in the run-up to Christmas.
Keep scrolling for our edit of the best foodie advent calendars of 2020 to indulge in this Christmas.
Nespresso advent calendar
Rise and grind! So many of us can't imagine getting our days started without a hot cup of brew, which is why this Nespresso advent calendar is the most anticipated coffee advent calendar of the season! Nespresso’s 2020 Variations Italia advent calendar contains coffee capsules for 1 to 23 December, with a special gift on the 24th. The Vertuo advent calendar by Nespresso is pried at €40 and is available from nespresso.com
Joe & Seph’s popcorn advent calendar
Joe & Seph’s, otherwise known as the tastiest bespoke popcorn around, have released the world’s first popcorn advent calendar this year. This advent calendar not only tastes great, it looks beautiful too. It opens up like a giant storybook, portraying images of a snowy kitchen at Christmas where the brand cooks up their imaginative popcorn recipes. The calendar contains 24 doors each holding one of 19 unique flavours, from their current classics to brand new Joe & Seph’s flavours like Banoffee Pie, Milk Chocolate Bites and Chocolate Orange. Joe & Seph's popcorn advent calendar is prices at €25 and can be purchased from joeandsephs.ie
Green & Black's organic advent calendar
This calendar includes five different flavours of bite-size chocolates from Green & Black’s Organic range, including their Dark 70%, Milk with Butterscotch, Dark with Ginger, Milk, and Dark 80% bars. On top of that, they’re made with ethically-sourced ingredients, so they’re guilt-free too. Green & Black's organic advent calendar is priced at €15 and can be purchased from selected supermarkets nationwide.
Pukka herbal tea advent calendar Christmas selection
Apart from the fact the flavours are divine, it's great to know that all the teas are sustainably sourced and ethically farmed. Expect 24 tea bags of mouth-watering Pukka flavours, including a refreshing three mint tea, peppy turmeric gold and warming wild apple and cinnamon hiding behind the windows. Pukka herbal tea advent calendar is priced at €12.99 and are available at selected health stores, supermarkets and pharmacies nationwide.
Ilchester cheese advent calendar
While the logistics of a cheese calendar seem a little hazy to us (do we need to put them in the fridge?), we like the festive touch a bit of cheddar or slice of brie may offer to our December countdown. Now in its fourth year, this cheese advent calendar from So Wrong It’s Nom is filled with 24 individually wrapped tasty cheeses for an incredibly affordable price. Featuring classic cheeses including Red Leicester and Double Gloucester, 2020’s calendar has been designed with reduced plastic packaging, making it small enough to fit comfortably into your fridge door. Ilchester cheese advent calendar is priced at €8.99 and is available to purchase from LIDL stores nationwide.
White Hag the 12 craft beers of Christmas
Want to have twelve crazy nights? This completely unconventional Christmas calendar can help. You'll be treated to twelve craft beers—one for every night of the holiday. Plus, you'll find a special Mystery Kris Kringle Beer behind one of the doors too. The White Hag 12 beers of Christmas is priced at €37.99 and available to purchase from selected off-licenses and supermarkets nationwide.
Chilli advent calendar
Are you brave enough to sample some of the world's rarest chillis? Find out with this spicy advent calendar. Inside is a selection of chilli powders, pods and flakes from across the globe. You also get a handy hint and a recipe idea every day to help you make the most of your new stash. MARVLING BROS chilli advent calendar is priced at €45 and available to purchase from notonthehighstreet.com
Candy Kittens advent calendar tree
Don’t have room for a tree this year? Arriving like flatpack Ikea furniture (but thankfully with easier to follow instructions), Candy Kittens is leaving it in your capable hands to create a 3D advent tree. Arriving with four bags of sweets destined for your countdown boxes, the vegan-friendly flavours include wild strawberry, sour watermelon, tropical mango and blueberry bliss. Just make sure they actually make it into the boxes or else someone’s going to be pretty disappointed come December 1. Candy Kittens advent calendar tree is priced at €13 and is available to purchase from Boots.
OFFBLAK advent calendar
OFFBLAK is the cool Instagrammable tea brand that believes tea should be celebrated and not kept cooped up in the cupboard. This advent calendar includes 24 black teas, green teas and herbal and fruit infusions with flavourings, which are intended for you to drink either hot or over ice. OFFBLAK advent calendars are priced at €19.99 and are available to purchase at Holland & Barrett.
Percy Pig Advent Calendar
We’ll put our hands up and admit it: we may be fully grown adults, but we do love a Percy Pig. This Christmas our porky little friend will be making an appearance in advent calendar form, with 24 chocolate pigs hidden behind doors and a packet of sweets, too. Percy Pig advent calendars are priced at €7.50 and are available to purchase at M&S outlets nationwide.
Lindt teddy advent calendar
While this list is enough to convince you that you need to start your day with a little square of cheese, bottle of beer or bag of popcorn....there's something to be said for chocolate advent calendars with *actually delicious chocolate* inside. Cue Lindt. Their Teddy Advent Calendar contains 24 milk chocolate treats, including Gold-wrapped Reindeer and Lindt Teddies, Milk with White Chocolate Snowdrops, Lindor Mini Truffles, Swiss Milk Napolitains and a full-size Lindt Teddy. The Lindt Teddy Advent Calendar is priced at €20 and is available to purchase at selected supermarkets nationwide.
Aldi wine advent calendar
Aldi is once again selling its cult-favourite Wine Advent Calendar. Each of the 24 doors open to reveal a mini bottle of 10 white wines (five still, five sparkling), eight red wines and six rosé (three still, three sparkling). The Alid wine advent calendar is priced at €68.85 and is available from all Aldi stores nationwide. But if the past few years have been anything to go by, these are subject to availability so you'll want to act fast to get your hands on those 24 mini bottles.
Aldi sparkling advent calendar
Following the success of its wine predecessor, Aldi has launched a sparkling advent calendar for 2020. When you go to open any of the 24 doors, you’re greeted with a mini bottle of bubbly. The calendar includes eight Sparkling Pinot Grigio, eight Sparkling Rosé and eight Prosecco bottles. Aldi's sparkling advent calendar is priced at €78.68 and is available from Aldi stores nationwide.
Gourmet marshmallow advent calendar
This is an indulgent option, containing 25 gooey marshmallows along with a festive joke, fun fact or discount code on the back of each door. There are 25 marshmallows in delicious-sounding flavours like salted caramel, butterscotch, gingerbread, mint choc chip, milk and cookies. On Christmas Day, there's also a Belgian milk chocolate spoon that melts to become a cup of hot chocolate. We're sold. The Naked Marshmallow advent calendar is priced at €21.69 and is available from notonthehighstreet.com
Gin O'Clock advent calendar
No advent calendar list would be complete without gin, now would it? The Gin O Clock advent calendar not only comes filled with 12 lovely miniature gin bottles, but it’s also refillable, meaning you can use it year after year. Finished with adorable gin-related slogans for every hour on the clock, this unique twist on the traditional gin advent calendar is definitely one to consider (and the clock really works, too!). The Gin O'Clock advent calendar is priced at €114 and can be purchased from notonthehighstreet.com
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