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)
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)
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)
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)
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?
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.
