With only a few weeks to go until December, festive goodies are starting to line store shelves, with a string of food and drink related advent calendars available.
From something for wine lovers, to fans of cheese, here’s our pick of the best food and drink advent calendars.
Chocolatia was set up by Gleneagles chocolatier, Chloe Oswald, during lockdown in 2021 after being furloughed from her job.
Initially she thought that they would be back at work full time in February and that she could enjoy the bumper chocolate selling periods of Christmas and Valentines and in her words, "hit the ground running."
Chocolatia has gone on to win multiple awards and has a dedicated fan base of chocolate lovers. For this Christmas, Chloe has confirmed she'll be selling two advent calendars, priced from £35.
You can choose from a 12 day or 24 day advent calendar. Behind each door you will find a beautifully hand painted festive bonbons with 20 varieties inside, the biggest flavour selection yet.
Find out more and pre-order via the Chocolatia website.
This ‘free-from’ chocolate business, based in Campbeltown, made the news this year as the chocolates made the Oscars goody bag.
If you fancy counting down to Christmas with these fully vegan, gluten, soy and palm-oil free chocolates (that are delicious), then this luxury advent calendar is ideal.
This advent calendar contains two of each flavour, from classic bestsellers to bespoke Christmas flavours.
Flavours for this year are: Raspberry Cheesecake, Gingerbread, Black Forest Gateau, Salted Caramel, Popping Candy, Cherry Cream, Coconut Snowball, Chocolate Mousse, Orange Cream, Cinnamon Bun, Peppermint Snowman, Dark Caramel Ganache.
The calendar, which is also available in a braille version, is priced at £42 and can be preordered here.
Award winning chocolatier and pastry chef Sebastian Kobelt’s “Scottish Santa” calendar is back for 2024.
German born Sebastian produces his own range of handmade chocolates, truffles and bars from a workshop in Linlithgow. Sebastian has commissioned illustrator David Williams of Truffled Pig Art who came up with the design of a Scottish Santa in a snow globe.
Further details on Sebastian Kobelt’s full range, and to reserve an advent calendar (priced at £35.95) for dispatch the last week of November, are available on his website.
The Chocolates of Glenshiel Advent Calendar is back for 2024, priced at £35. Behind each window you’ll find a handmade chocolate, made using Scottish ingredients.
Alcohol-free and vegan versions are available. Chocolates of Glenshiel was founded by Finlay Macdonald when he was 16, after he realised he loved cooking when he used to bake scones with his granny.
All flavours include locally sourced ingredients such as whisky from Skye or heather honey, and all are handmade in the remote Highland location.
Find out more and buy via the Chocolates of Glenshiel website.
The classic Walker’s Shortbread Advent Calendar is back for 2024.
Filled with a selection of all-butter goodies, this year’s calendar pays homage to the town of Aberlour in the Highlands, which is the home of Walker’s Shortbread.
Twenty-four individually wrapped Walker's Shortbread favourites - including shortbread fingers, chocolate chips, hearts, thistles and squares - can be found waiting behind each numbered window, with a festive star for Christmas eve.
Each treat is baked using Walker’s original family recipe from over 126 years ago.
Priced at £20, the calendar is available to pre-order online now.
One for the sherry whisky fans is this Advent calendar from Drinks by the Dram.
Sherry cask whiskies have captivated palates with their rich, complex flavours, and this advent calendar brings you 25 drams matured in these prized casks.
With notes of dried fruit, nuts, and spices, these whiskies deliver warmth and depth, making them an ideal way to countdown to Christmas.
Sourced from top producers and distilleries, the Sherry Cask Whisky Advent Calendar is a wonderful gift for anyone who appreciates the finer things – especially when it comes to sherried whisky.
The Sherry Cask Whisky Advent Calendar is priced at £129.95 and can be bought here.
Owner of this Glasgow bakery, Alison Dunlop launched her Chocolate Advent Calendar in 2021.
Behind each door in this stylish calendar you'll find a delicious hand painted chocolate bonbon. There are 24 chocolates in total, in 12 different flavours.
The calendar is available to pre-order now, priced at £42.
Treat a loved one or yourself to an advent calendar from Hotel Chocolat, including the Velvetiser advent calendar.
The Velvetiser calendar is ideal for those that love hot chocolate and as it has 24 chocolate drinks including coconut white and pumpkin spice flavours (£50).
For a real treat there’s the Grand advent calendar (£80), which is an extravagant mix of treats including spiced chocolate gingerbread, indulgent biscuits and more.
Find out more and buy here.
Norwich based Naked Wines is bringing back its wine advent calendar for 2024.
The brand new calendar includes 24 different wines made by independent winemakers.
Presented in a boxed set, each wine comes in a handy 100ml tasting pack with festive wine notes and a special Christmas video message from each winemaker.
As well as this, there's a QR code that links to an online hub full of more winemaker stories and surprises.
Naked’s new advent calendar is now available online for £99.99. You can buy one online now.
The calendar is fully recyclable and if you find a wine you love, all the wines can be purchased in full size bottles from Naked Wines.
Enjoy a different jam or marmalade this December thanks to this calendar from Bonne Maman.
Doors one to 23 carry a 30g mini jar of jam or marmalade, in different flavour combinations, some made not available in the UK.
These include: milk caramel with cinnamon spread and raspberry with dark chocolate spread.
While stocks last, every order this year will also receive an extra special complimentary gift box of new spreads.
The Bonne Maman Advent calendar is available exclusively online priced £33 plus postage and packing.
Back by popular demand, Aldi’s popular Ballycastle Country Cream Advent Calendar is returning to stores from 27 October, while stocks last.
At a purse-friendly price of just £11.99, this festive calendar contains 21 delicious Ballycastle cream-flavoured chocolates and three mini Ballycastle bottles (5cl) to countdown to the big day in style, with flavours including White Chocolate, Classic Country Cream and – new for 2024 – Chocolate & Clementine.
Beavertown Brewery’s Advent Calendar is back with 24 beers, nine brand new ones and a funky design.
Beers range from classics such as Neck Oil and Gamma Ray to crowd-pleasers like Bloody ‘Ell and Lunar Haze plus some top-secret, super-limited festive brews.
Priced at £69, Beavertown’s Beer Advent Calendar will be available to pre-order from September 27 via the web shop, to be delivered in November.
The calendar is priced at £69 and you can buy one here.
Crafty Nectar have brought back their cider advent calendar, which includes 24 award-winning craft ciders.
The calendar includes ciders made by traditional cider makers and some new suppliers - and are gluten-free and vegan-friendly.
Priced at £94, more info can be found here.
An alternative to a standard chocolate advent calendar, this Cheese Advent Calendar is available to order now, priced at £150.
Behind each window you'll discover a unique artisan cheese that the Cheese Geeks love.
The advent calendar will arrive in three deliveries so the cheese is in tip top condition, and each delivery also contains a pack of cheesegeek crackers, a honey and a condiment.
The calendar is compact so it’ll fit in the fridge and will make an ideal early Christmas gift for the cheese fanatic in your life.
Contact Coffee Co., a British military coffee company founded by UK Royal Marines veterans have just launched their 2024 Ground Coffee Advent Calendar, featuring 25 sachets of expertly ground coffee from some of the finest coffee-growing regions in the world.
With 13 unique blends, including the nutty and vibrant Brazil Yellow Bourbon and the festive, rich Jingle Blend, it’s an ideal countdown to Christmas for coffee lovers.
Montezuma’s delightfully rich Dark Chocolate Advent Calendar gets you counting down the days with 25 delicious treats.
Perfect for vegans or those who love dark chocolate, it’s priced at £12.99 and can be bought online now.
For a slightly different sweet treat this December, why not try an advent calendar from Popcorn Shed?
Behind each of the doors, you'll find a packet of mini popcorn in flavours such as salt and vinegar, toffee and smoky maple.
There is a vegan, free-from calendar as well as a gourmet option and both are ideal for those looking for something a bit different from traditional chocolate.
Available to order now, priced at £25,
Crisp fans can tuck into a mini tub of Pringles to celebrate the 12 days of Christmas.
Featuring 12 pots of Pringles crisps with flavours including original, salt and vinegar, sour cream and onion, and BBQ, this calendar is ideal for those that prefer a savoury snack.
The calendar is available now for £10 at B&M stores nationwide.
Gift the gift of BrewDog beer or celebrate the 12 days of Christmas with this gift box priced at £18.
The collection features an assortment of BrewDog’s bestselling beers, including Punk IPA (5.4% ABV) and Lost Lager (4.5% ABV), as well as limited-edition brews and festive one-off showstoppers.
Also included in the pack are some limited edition brews and festive one offs.
Priced at £17.99, you can buy the 12 beers of Christmas here.
Danish confectionery brand Lakrids by Bülow has launched a Christmas advent calendar, £60 full of gourmet chocolate coated liquorice for the 2024 festive season.
The calendar has two pieces of chocolate-coated liquorice behind each door.
Shaped like Lakrids by Bülow’s iconic signature liquorice jars, it's an ideal gift for the liquorice fans in your life.
It’s available online and in Selfridges, John Lewis and Harvey Nichols.
