Christmas Countdown – 7 Non-Chocolate Advent Calendars

December is rapidly approaching, and if you can’t wait for Christmas Day before treating yourself to gifts, you’re going to need an advent calendar. I remember as a child being happy enough with a simple bit of cardboard and finding a picture behind it, even if it was just a badly-drawn donkey. Then I discovered chocolate. And it’s been chocolate every year since, even though I’m now well into adulthood. As in, I’ve been an adult for almost as long as I was technically a minor. I regret nothing. Not even the 3 fillings. Anyway, here are 7 advent calendars that don’t just rely on the magic of chocolate or tiny works of art:

1 Tea – VADHAM Christmas Tea Advent Calendar (£7.99)

If you’re a tea fan like me, you could experiment in the run-up to Santa’s arrival with this selection of 24 different teas from Indian supplier VADHAM. 

The teas come in four categories – herbal (9 teas included), green (8), chai (4) and black (3) – and feature intriguing choices like “Cookies & Cream”, “Sweet Cinnamon”, “Earl Grey Citrus” and several turmeric teas.

2 Sweets – Swizzels Sweet Factory Advent Calendar (£8)

OK, I said no chocolate, but I didn’t say no sweets.

Let’s face it, most advent calendars are enjoyed by children and if you want to spend a similar amount as you would on the average chocolate calendar, this option from Swizzels might keep your little ones (and their dentists) occupied. 

Not only does it feature favourites like Refreshers, Love Hearts and Fizzers, but it also includes classics Parma Violets and Banana Skids, plus a bag of Drumstick Squashies.

 

3 Cheese – I’m Dreaming of a Cheddar Cheesemas! Advent Calendar (£29.99)

 

If you don’t have a sweet tooth and prefer something savoury, The Chuckling Cheese Company have a solution for you. 

Comprising 12 cheeses, 6 mini jars of chutney, and 6 packs of biscuits (presumably crackers as opposed to custard creams), you might need to clear out some space in your fridge for this advent calendar, as it needs to be stored below 5 degrees Celsius. 

Many of the cheese flavours are suitably festive, with offerings such as Christmas Pudding Cheese, Orange & Whisky Cheddar, Pigs in Blankets Cheese, and Sunday Roast Cheddar.
 

4 Crisps – Pringles 24 Days Advent Calendar (£29.99)

If you’d prefer to have a salty snack each day as Christmas nears, look no further than the best thing to come out of a tube since toothpaste – the Pringle.

Containing 24 servings of 40g tubes, you could possibly stock a flight to the Mediterranean or at least keep a supply for a several trips to the cinema. Alternatively, just scoff them in front of the latest hit series on Netflix (Cowboy Bebop or Tiger King 2) or Disney+ (Hawkeye or Dopesick). 

The calendar contains Pringles in four classic flavours – Original, Salt & Vinegar, Sour Cream & Onion, and – my personal favourite – Texas BBQ Sauce.

5 Personal Care – 24 Days of Discovery Advent Calendar (£20)

For those who enjoy a pampering, or if you just want to stock up on travel-sized toiletries ahead of next year’s holiday abroad (covid permitting), these calendars are ideal. 

There are two options, marketed to women (pictured) and men, both featuring a range of personal care items like shower gels, soaps and deodorants. 

They also include a few curveballs such as socks (men), a hair scrunchie (women) and a multi-charging cable (both). 

Brands include Dove, Vaseline, Radox, Tresemme, Lynx, and Toni & Guy. This product is available as a Black Friday deal on Amazon.   

6 Booze – Baileys 12 Day Christmas Advent Calendar (£17)
 

Fancy a tipple? Alcoholic advent calendars have become increasingly popular over recent years, but many come with hefty price tags.

You can pay anything from around £45 for a beer advent calendar to well over £100 for one featuring 24 whiskeys. 

Assuming you’ve got less cash to splash, Baileys offer a selection comprised of 5cl/50ml bottles, in Original Irish Cream, Salted Caramel, and Espresso Crème flavours. 

The only drawback is that the calendar only contains enough for 12 days, so you could start early or late, only open the calendar on odd or even days, or perhaps buy two calendars?

 
7 Seeds – Gardening Gifts Advent Calendar (£24.99)
 

Anyone fortunate enough to have a garden might enjoy putting it to use with this growing kit for vegetables and herbs from The Little Trees Bees & Seeds Co. 

Unlike the other advent calendars on this list, this one is less about instant gratification and more about patience and enjoying the fruits (and vegetables) of your labour at a later date. Green-fingered folks can turn their hands to growing carrots, fennel, chard, cabbage, basil, tomatoes and many more. 

Let’s face it, you can’t do much worse than Jeremy Clarkson did in the first series of his farming show. Besides, buying this particular advent calendar should more than make up for all the years you chose chocolate.

 
All information correct at time of publication. Prices quoted are taken from amazon.co.uk on 21/11/2021 and are subject to change. Always check the contents and age restrictions of any product before purchase.

Music – 10 Great Opening Tracks on Hard Rock and Metal Albums

Listening to music can be a helpful way to stay mentally healthy. It can have soothing properties, or simply make you feel happier, more energetic or calmer. We all like different music and it’s good to seek out the stuff you enjoy. If you don’t like hard rock or metal, this won’t be for you, but if you do, read on. Feel free to shout at me on Twitter about stuff I forgot or criminally overlooked. It’s my list anyway and you can always write your own.

1 Welcome to the Jungle – Guns N’ Roses

 

One of the all-time great debut rock albums, Appetite for Destruction by Guns N’ Roses, opens with a killer guitar hail from Slash and a haunting scream from Axl Rose. A thumping glam rock anthem then erupts, with the rhythm section driving the song through various twists and turns as Rose sings his innuendos and makes some strange sex noises. You probably won’t want to play this with your parents in the room, but it’s the banger that introduced the world to the first of many sublime Slash solos.

2 Enter Sandman – Metallica

Metallica’s self-titled or “Black Album” is arguably the record that made them household names and Enter Sandman was a big reason behind its success (although Nothing Else Matters is another must-hear song, with rock royalty Elton John calling it “one of the greatest songs ever written”). The catchy entry riff will get your head banging, while James Hetfield delivers lyrics that sound like a dark nursery rhyme and Lars Ulrich pounds his drums as best he can. But the undoubted star here is lead guitarist Kirk Hammett, whose virtuoso solo midway through the piece propels this track into the god tier.

3 Them Bones – Alice In Chains

Seattle’s grunge scene produced some of the best angst-filled music ever and one of the few bands still going is Alice in Chains, despite the tragic death of singer Layne Staley in 2002. Indeed, guitarist and fellow vocalist Jerry Cantrell recently released a very strong solo album called Brighten (featuring the superb single Atone). But it was in the early 90s when Alice in Chains were at the peak of their powers, and Them Bones is the short but formidable opener on the band’s outstanding Dirt album. Built around a doom-laden riff and languid vocal harmonies, the song really soars with a monster guitar solo just after the halfway point. Fun fact: the song features on the popular video game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas as part of the Radio X playlist.

4 Black Dog – Led Zeppelin 

If you don’t like Led Zeppelin, do you even like rock music? Their fourth album, released in 1971 and selling over 37 million copies to-date, is their magnum opus, featuring the epic Stairway to Heaven and favourites such as Rock and Roll and When the Levee Breaks. The album opens with Black Dog, on which Robert Plant croons suggestive rhyming couplets while the rest of the band play a stop-start groove around John Paul Jones’s chunky bass and John Bonham’s masterful drumming. There is, naturally, a sumptuous Jimmy Page solo to conclude the start of a very special record.

5 The Grudge – Tool

Back when Tool fans only had to wait 5 years for new music, Lateralus arrived in 2001 to stake an early claim for album of the century. The record rumbles into gear with this masterpiece of Danny Carey’s tribal rhythms, Adam Jones’ grinding guitars, Justin Chancellor’s majestic bass and Maynard James Keenan’s soaring vocals, including that 24-second roar at the 7-minute mark. It is the ultimate release of frustration and cathartic relief. Keenan’s lyrics switch between obtuse references to Saturn ascending (which no doubt has some cosmic significance) and the very simple repeated chant of “Let go” to round things off. Across 8-and-a-half minutes, The Grudge takes the listener of powerful, pummelling, profound aural journey. It’s one of those songs that still sounds soul-bendingly fresh 20 years after it dropped.

6 Ghost of Perdition – Opeth

The heaviest and longest track on the list, Swedish progressive metal geniuses Opeth kicked off their 2005 album Ghost Reveries with this beautiful beast. Lulling the listener in with a few gentle chords, they produce a fantastic “scare-drop” to blast into a brutal burst of brash riffs. As you’d expect from a song that exceeds 10 minutes in length, they change the pace and tone a few times, with softer sections and more melodic moments interspersed between the almighty chugging guitars and relentless double-kick drums. Opeth don’t write boring songs, so while it can take some time to get your head around the growls, it’s well worth sticking with the band for their sheer musical ingenuity. More recently, they’ve mellowed a little and frontman Mikael Åkerfeldt has switched to clean vocals. The band are still making brilliant music, as 2019’s bilingual (available in both English and Swedish versions) In Cauda Venenum attests.

7 All My Life – Foo Fighters

It would be almost too obvious to include Smells Like Teen Spirit on this list, so instead I’m going with Nirvana alumnus Dave Grohl’s band Foo Fighters and the first cut from their 2002 album One by One. This was the Foos at their boldest, loudest and best, delivering a chugging riff and sing-along chorus that satisfy full stadiums. From experience I can confirm that they are an excellent live band, even if you can’t really see them through hundreds of taller people. It’s hard to tell if the refrain “Done, done, and I’m onto the next one” is a critique of consumerism or just Dave ticking off his shopping list, but it sure makes for a memorable tune.

8 Going Under – Evanescence

The greatest thing about Evanescence is Amy Lee’s incredible voice. Not just the way she hits the high notes, but the way she nails every note. The opener to the band’s multi-platinum Fallen album also showcases their underrated song writing ability. Built around a grungy riff and catchy chorus, Going Under also features a cool little guitar solo and some subtle piano work that is a signature of Evanescence’s sound.

Top Female Vocalists in Rock and Metal

It is a bit of a crime that Lee is the only female vocalist on this list, but if you want a few other leading ladies of rock and metal, check out: Hayley Williams of Paramore (especially the early stuff); Courtney Love, particularly Hole’s Live Through This and Celebrity Skin; Lacey Sturm of Flyleaf (first three albums); Lzzy Hale of Halestorm; Heart’s Ann Wilson; and I highly recommend the latest album from Taylor Momsen’s band The Pretty Reckless, Death By Rock And Roll.

9 Prayer – Disturbed

Disturbed’s musical journey is an unusual one. They started out at the turn of the century as a successful metal band but were not widely known beyond the genre until relatively recently. Their debut album The Sickness from 2000 has sold over 5 million copies, but it wasn’t until 2002’s Believe that they first hit the number one spot on the US Billboard 200 chart. Prayer is the first and arguably best track from a second album that was neither difficult nor disappointing. Although their records continued to sell well, the music always deserved more attention than it got. Then in late 2015 came a cover version of Simon and Garfunkel’s The Sound of Silence, which has over 750 million views on YouTube and was nominated for a Grammy. The haunting rendition has helped to immortalize Disturbed and its enigmatic vocalist David Draiman.

10 Highway to Hell – AC/DC

No true hard rock top 10 list would be complete without a nod to one of the genre’s most famous exponents, the forever young AC/DC. It was a tricky choice from a band with so many good album openers, but 1979’s Highway to Hell gets the nod. The iconic opening riff is one of the best the band ever wrote, the simple chorus is memorable and fun, and of course there’s a killer guitar solo in place of a third verse. The band might be on the highway to hell, but with this track listeners are in headbanging heaven.

Climate Change – 20 Practical Tips to Reduce Carbon Footprints

With COP 26 – also known as the latest Global North greenwash festival – drawing to a close, and governments once again failing to be bold enough to take sufficient action to limit the drastic effects of climate change, here are some things individuals can do to help to reduce our carbon footprints.

1 Take Fewer Business Flights

Do you really need to fly across the Atlantic/globe/continent to attend that conference in person? It’s the 21st Century. Zoom exists. Use it. Your liver will thank you too.

2 Take Fewer (But Longer) Holidays

Lots of people like to fly to foreign countries, although anyone doing it during a global pandemic is a bit of a wally. Under normal circumstances, we need to re-think how we holiday. Several different trips a year is going to be a killer for the climate, so instead of taking multiple weekend breaks, take one or two longer breaks and explore each area more. Or use cleaner transport to connect multiple destinations. You could try interrailing around Europe or just pick a destination with loads of culture like Italy, Greece or the less touristy parts of Spain.

3 Insulate Your Home

This could save you on heating bills, although in a time when gas prices are sky-high, it might help you break even.

4 Turn the Heating Down a Notch or Two

Similar principle. Use a bit less gas, pay a bit less, make your grandchildren’s planet a bit more habitable. Alternatively/additionally, switch to a heat pump because they’re more efficient and produce fewer carbon emissions.
 
5 Wear Extra Layers or Thicker Jumpers

Why turn up the heating when you could don a sexy sweater or a pair of wonderfully warm long johns? No-brainer.

6 Get Solar Panels

OK, maybe not the best advice in a country like the UK that has rain every other day and only 8 hours of light each day during the winter, but overall you’ll still save money on your energy bills in the long-term while making sure polar bears still have ice caps to roam about on. In some places, solar energy can even be sold back to the grid, so you might even might a tidy profit (until everyone gets them).

 
7 Eat Less Meat

Confession time. I love meat. I eat meat nearly every day. I’m a bad person. I’m contributing to methane emissions on a grand scale. It’s hard to adjust to non-meat and non-dairy products when you’re so used to them (soy milk is grim), but I’m sure there must be some tasty alternatives out there. Right? Oh yeah, they’re everywhere now. No more excuses. The occasional greasy burger or succulent steak allowed as a treat as long as I cut down overall? Deal.
 
8 Eat More Local Produce

It’s trendy these days to eat stuff grown on your doorstep (or in your own garden, if you can afford one). Not only does it mean fewer carbon emissions in transporting the food from source to plate, but it can support someone in your local area with their business. It’s tricky to get things like bananas from the UK, what with our distinctly un-tropical climate, but switching from items imported from the other side of the world to European produce feels like a win. But then there was Brexit. Moving on…

9 Walk More

According to the Department for Transport, over half of car trips in England in 2014 were under 5 miles. Stop being lazy, leave your car at home and enjoy the great outdoors. If it’s raining, take an umbrella. You are not made of sugar.
 
10 Use Public Transport

OK, walking more than a few miles is rather time-consuming, so if you do need to travel a bit further, swap your car for public transport. Admittedly it’s easier in urban areas with good transport links, such as trains, trams, and buses. One advantage is that you can read great literature or scroll your social media feeds while on public transport. You might even make a new friend, although probably not on the London Underground where nobody makes so much as eye contact.
 
11 Switch to a Greener Car 

Not everybody wants to be exposed to a stranger’s armpits or have to stand within inches of someone with garlic breath, and public transport can be time-consuming and expensive too (train prices are particularly extortionate in the UK). If you must travel by car, throw a few thousand quid at Elon Musk because he needs to go to space again. You’ll be helping the planet in one way at least, even if slightly damaging it in another.
 
12 Cycle More

Another alternative to burning petrol or consuming electricity is to pedal. Just don’t be one of those cyclists who jumps through red lights or doesn’t use the cycle lanes where provided. Also, it’s probably best to wear a helmet (unless you’ve got a really hard head) and hi viz gear in the dark.
 
13 Get Double or Triple Glazing

Most people have got double glazing these days and it does help keep the heat in. Some houses are still single glazed and probably still contain furniture from the 1960s. It might be vintage or hip, but the planet’s dying, so get the windows sorted and peace out.
 
14 Turn the Air Conditioning Down

If you happen to live somewhere that’s warm most of the time, I envy you, but you’ll likely not enjoy the forecast temperature rises in the not-so-distant future. For now, instead of blasting cold air into your house all day, turn it off while you’re out, and turn it down a few notches. It’s not healthy to go from desert to freezer to desert again anyway. Plus humans have this thing called sweat to keep us cool. Oh, but don’t use spray-on deodorant to counter the smell because the CFCs are also pretty yucky for the ozone layer.
 
15 Stop Buying So Much Stuff

Do you really need so much stuff in your life? Stuff requires resources to produce and to move across the globe, so one way to help the planet is to buy less of it. OK, the economy might take a slight hit, but it’s about time we moved to a sustainable economy rather than one obsessed with endless growth, which is basically the modus operandi of a cancer.

16 Plant Trees

It’s not a silver bullet, but there are some benefits to reforestation, when done properly. If you’re a bit lazy like me, you could use Ecosia instead of Google (with only marginally inferior search results), or donate to a charity that plants trees.
 
17 Use Less Water

Particularly important in areas prone to droughts, we could all use less water by flushing toilets less often (not after every pee, but definitely still after a poo) and not washing our cars/bodies/clothes as frequently, or for as long a time. Take 5 minutes in the shower instead of 10. Usage halved. Simple.

18 Recycle

It’s really straightforward these days to recycle. Most homes have separate bins for cardboard/paper, cans/tins/bottles, and garden waste. Some people haven’t grasped it, but you can even recycle stuff when you’re not at home, by holding onto it until you find the relevant receptacle, rather than dumping it on the ground or in a canal. Here’s Jack Johnson singing some more details: 

 

19 Boycott the Biggest Climate Abusers and Choose Greener Companies Instead

Yeah, it’s a bit of effort to find out who the worst abusers are (spoiler: mostly big oil), but next time you’re choosing an energy provider or making a major purchase like a vehicle or deciding which mode of transport to take for a big trip, it’s worth taking a few minutes to research who the cleaner and greener companies are and to go with them.  
 
20 Erm… Overthrow the Capitalist System

OK this one is probably a longshot and not really that practical, but it would help the environment if we curtailed some of the worst excesses of capitalism. In the absence of a full-scale revolution, have a good hard think about who you vote for next time you’re at the ballot box. Instead of voting for the rabble-rousing right-wing populists and blah blah blah centrists, put a cross by the Green Party or the equivalent in your country because they will actually take the climate crisis seriously. Greta would approve.