The countdown to Christmas wouldn’t be complete without an Advent calendar, and this year’s offerings are more exciting than ever. There are plenty of options available to suit any taste, whether it’s a classic chocolate indulgence or something a little more unexpected. While traditional chocolate calendars never go out of style, Advent calendars have evolved into a playground of innovation, offering a wealth of alternatives that are as delicious as they are surprising.
We tested over 70 Advent calendars last year, with categories ranging from rich truffles and luxury chocolate to more unusual options like matcha tea, jams or chutneys and even hot sauces. We’re kicking things off with the calendars from last year’s testing that are still available now. We know more calendars will be launching over the coming months and we’ll be adding them to this guide, so keep checking back for new additions.
Our selection is based on taste, creativity, presentation, practicality and value, ensuring there’s something for every kind of festive celebration. Whether you’re in search of budget-friendly delights or high-end treats, we’ve got you covered. Plus, we’ll be continually adding to the round-up all month as new calendars launch.
Our picks are divided into easy to navigate sections, so you can browse everything from tea and coffee calendars to savoury bites, vegan options and splurge-worthy luxury calendars worth over £300.
And, with prices starting under £10, there’s no need to break the bank for a daily treat. Advent calendars are available from now and can sell out fast – with sales events and Black Friday on the horizon, don’t miss your chance to snap up the perfect countdown to Christmas.
For more than 400 buyers’ guides, visit our reviews section to find the ultimate foodie gift guide and our 40 budget Christmas gifts. Discover more Christmas gifting inspiration with our best hampers, gin gifts or best baking gifts.
Best Advent calendars 2026
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Best Advent calendars under £10
Cadbury Dairy Milk Biscoff Advent calendar
Available from Cadbury Gifts (£7.79), Ocado (£7.50)
Who can resist a Cadbury Advent calendar? It’s a Christmas classic for a reason, but this year, a new option joins the line-up: Cadbury launched its Biscoff bar earlier this year and has transformed it into an Advent edition.
Biscoff is a permanently trending flavour, so this will likely be a popular launch. The 24 doors alternate between classic Dairy Milk squares and squares studded with crunchy Biscoff pieces and spread. If you buy one now, it might be a struggle to resist opening it until December – but priced at under £8, you could always buy a second one as a back-up.
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Galaxy Advent calendar
Available from Ocado (£4)
While the Galaxy Advent calendar isn’t groundbreaking, it is crowd-pleasing. Included behind every door is a creamy Galaxy shape to enjoy every day up to Christmas Eve.
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Maltesers reindeer Advent calendar
Available from Ocado (£4)
It’s festive red and depicts Santa’s sleigh, but the design could be a little more fun. But, for under a fiver, you can’t go too wrong. There’s a milk chocolate shape for each day up to 24 December, then a chocolate Maltesers reindeer on Christmas Eve.
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Maltesers assorted truffles Advent calendar
Available from Ocado (£9.50)
Behind every door of this Advent calendar, you’ll find either a milk, dark or white chocolate Maltesers truffle. It’s a nice upgrade on a budget chocolate calendar, especially if you’re the person who always fishes the Maltesers out of a selection tub. Note that they’re individually wrapped – important if you’re trying to avoid plastic packaging.
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Best luxury Advent calendars
The Newt Advent calendar
Available from The Newt (£250)
The Newt have joined the world of luxury Advent calendars for an extra-special way to mark the festive countdown. This grand double door calendar will make a statement all festive season, with a charming illustrated design of The Newt estate and 25 smart cream drawers inside to take you all the way to Christmas Day. Inside there are varied contents for the whole family – spoilers ahead…
You’ll find festive homewares that you can use year after year (such as a tea towel and embroidered napkins), gifts for children (a wooden jigsaw and iced biscuit) and plenty of gourmet treats, from chocolate and fudge, to olive oil and apple gin. The salted caramel chocolate buttons are our favourite. There’s quirky unexpected items too, such as a corkscrew and vegetable seeds.
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Daylesford Organic Farmshop Christmas Advent calendar
Available from Daylesford (£275)
A luxury Advent calendar that returns each year and always feels extra special. As you’d expect from a high-end option, the design is beautiful and packed with detail – a charming country cottage on the outside and festive stamp-inspired illustrations within.
The 25 drawers contain a variety of contents. There a couple of less exciting doors (we weren’t convinced by the keyring, and the scents of the candles will be love or hate) but there’s plenty of highlights – the chocolate buttons delivered in a sweet paper bag, adorable Christmas tree decorations, smart mini bottled cocktails and generous jars of Oxfordshire honey and roasted nuts. The packaging stands out throughout, from the mini tin of hot chocolate to fudge in a box tied with a velvet bow.
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Melt Holland Park Advent calendar
Available from Melt (£299)
This giant (6kg!) double door townhouse contains a wide range of chocolatey treats, from truffles to orangettes and unique bars. The outside design is a smart London red brick townhouse, while inside illustrations celebrate London architecture by depicting varied landmarks, including Battersea Power Station and Kenwood.
The extravagant style of this ultra luxury calendar is set out from the moment you begin on day one, when you open a whole box of chocolates. No single truffle per day here! The smart box of juicy candied orange slices dipped in chocolate was our highlight, while the ultra-rich hazelnut spread will make it hard to go back to own-brand versions.
This is undeniably an investment for an entirely chocolate-themed calendar, but if you’ve got a chocoholic in your life, they’ll find it hard to resist and there is plenty inside to share with the family throughout the festive season and beyond.
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Wise Bartender alcohol-free calendar
Available from Wise Bartender (£85)
This alcohol-free calendar from Wise Bartender shows just how far the alcohol-free market has come in the last few years. We tested the ‘Mixed Beer & Sweet’ calendar which is a varied mixture of alcohol-free beers, wines, cocktails and a few soft drinks such as kombucha and a prebiotic lemonade.
There are an impressive range of well-known brands such as Lucky Saint and Bero, but also lots of other finds to discover that might become new favourites. There are also versions of the calendar filled with just the alcohol-free beers, or the ‘Sweet’ calendar that replaces the beers with more mocktails and soft drinks.
It would be a great calendar to save for next year and give a boost through Dry January.
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Best tea, hot chocolate and coffee Advent calendars
Rise Friendly Coffee Countdown Advent calendar
Available from Rise (£42), Not on the High Street (£44)
This coffee lovers’ calendar sells out every year. Each door (there are 25 in total) contains a different ground coffee, with impressive variety across the month – no repeats here. Also, if you’ve had it in previous years, there are new coffees this time around, so there’s still plenty to discover.
There’s enough coffee each day for two smaller cups, so it’s great for sharing, and the ground coffee works for cafetières, Aeropress, filters and moka pots. It’s an ethical and sustainable Advent calendar, too: the packaging is plastic-free, the coffee is all ethically sourced and 1 per cent of sales go to coffee-growing communities.
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Grind coffee pod Advent calendar
Available from Grind (£29.95)
A popular one that sells out every year – we recommend buying it now if you like the look of it. We love the new design of a festive general store with plenty of detail that makes it a fun one to display all December.
Count down with 25 days of compostable pods in an impressive range of 17 flavours – from pistachio and Baileys to honey nut and vanilla (plus the classic blends) – plus a bonus pod on Christmas Day, which includes two Christmas blends. At just under £30, it’s good value and would make a great gift for a coffee lover.
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Pact Coffee Advent calendar
Who says an Advent calendar has to have doors? Pact have once again opted for a smart box (in tiled red for the ground coffee edition, or equally festive green for the whole bean option) filled with 25 numbered envelopes to open each day instead. As soon as our delivery arrived, fragrant fresh coffee wafted from the box. If you’ve had this calendar in previous years, you’ll be pleased to know that the coffees included are all new this year – and the price is even slightly lower.
On the ground calendar, each envelope contains 18g of coffee suitable for cafetière, Aeropress, V60 and drip-brewing methods, while the whole bean option is perfect for those who want to grind it fresh every day. We were impressed by the range of coffees and the lack of any repeats all month that means we could try lots of flavour profiles and discover new blends that quickly became favourites.
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Pukka tea Advent calendar
Available from Amazon (£14.45)
Presented in a cheerful envelope that you can hang up, this tea Advent calendar features 24 windows filled with Pukka’s finest tea bags. Although the contents are visible ahead of time, the festive presentation still makes it visually appealing. The variety offers a delightful selection for tea lovers.
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Bird & Blend matcha Advent calendar
Available from Bird & Blend (£55)
The world of matcha is ever-expanding, and this popular Bird & Blend calendar highlights this. We love the mini tins behind each door, which make it feel extra-luxe – they contain enough for two cups a day, so it’s another one that’s great for sharing. There are 24 quirky flavours to discover all month, including limited-edition festive options, such as Spiced Pumpkin Pie and Toasted Marshmallow.
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Best sweet alternative Advent calendars
Joe & Seph’s Find Joe & Seph popcorn Advent calendar
Available from Joe & Seph’s (£35)
You could spend a long time staring at the fun design of this calendar – quite literally, thanks to the Where’s Wally-style challenge hidden the illustration. Design aside, a popcorn calendar is a great alternative to sweet calendars.
You’ll get one bag of popcorn each day in one of 14 different flavours – just enough variety to not feel too repetitive. Included are banoffee pie, gingerbread, toffee apple and candy cane flavours, plus more.
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Walker’s shortbread Advent calendar
Available from Amazon (£21)
The design of this simple red-and-white calendar doesn’t seem to change from year to year, so it could be more festive inside. But, it’s a winner for minimalists. However, the buttery shortbread behind each door is a great excuse for a tea break each day in December, with a variety of shapes and a couple of different flavours included.
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Popcorn Shed gourmet popcorn Advent calendar
Available from Popcorn Shed (£27.99)
This is one of our favourite Advent calendar designs that returns for a second yaer, and it’s large without feeling like it’s going to take over your kitchen. Included flavours are a lot more varied than simply sweet or salty: there are 12 in total, from cinnamon roll and pumpkin spice, to Great Taste Award-winning ‘Berry Licious’ and salted caramel. There’s enough in here that you won’t get bored, with a mini bags and a joke inside every door.
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Best savoury alternative Advent calendars
The 12 Trimmings of Tracklements
A popular launch last year, the Tracklements savoury Advent calendar returns for 2026. The colourful design is super-fun and festive, and while it’s only 12 days, it’s packed with treats.
Inside are mini jars of a range of condiments, from proper ketchup to caramelised onion marmalade and sticky fig relish. The glass jars feel luxe and there’s a nice variety – you’ll have lots of options to add to your Christmas roast or festive cheeseboards. Plus, it is all gluten-free and vegetarian. At just over £25, it’s a great one for a gift.
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Chilli No.5 hot sauce Advent calendar
Available from Chilli No.5 (£125)
This hot sauce advent calendar is perfect for the person who has to spice up every meal. Inside the double-door design are 24 different hot sauces in a huge variety of styles, from chimichurri and harissa, to spicy ketchup and sriracha. They are presented in quirky test tubes or mini bottles, with a full-sized 100ml bottle behind the door on Christmas Eve.
It’s an expensive calendar, but sampling all the contents will keep you going well into January. The only downside is the design isn’t very festive – it’s on brand for Chilli No 5, but overwhelmingly black and quite plain, considering what’s inside is so fun.
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She Grows Veg heirloom seed Advent calendar
Available from She Grows Veg (£75)
A unique twist on the traditional Advent calendar that I first discovered two years ago, this one offers seeds presented in a charming fabric drawstring bag. And if you have also had it before, good news – it features all new varieties this year so you won’t get any repeats.
Each seed packet, hidden in a numbered envelope, includes growing instructions via a QR code and features a delightful selection of vegetables like tomatoes, kale and aubergines. The seeds all last between 2-6 years so will keep for many seasons ahead if you don’t quite have space to plant them all at once.
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Best chocolate Advent calendars for 2026
Guylian Advent calendar
Available from Ocado (£15)
A box of Guylian is a staple of the festive season for many, but now you can enjoy it every day of December. There are three flavours inside, so just enough variety to not get bored: milk truffle, praline and salted caramel are included.
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Best vegan Advent calendars 2026
Popcorn Shed vegan gourmet popcorn Advent calendar
Available from Popcorn Shed (£27.99)
Although the design isn’t quite as Christmassy as the non-vegan version, it’s still plenty festive, in dark green with a Christmas tree motif. There are six different popcorn flavours, including Christmas pudding, cherry pie and gingerbread. The bags feel generous, and there’s a joke inside every door.
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Monty Bojangles Curiously Moreish vegan truffle Advent calendar
Available from Ocado (£12)
Perfect for those seeking indulgence with a plant-based twist, this Monty Bojangles calendar offers 23 vegan truffles across three rich and exciting flavours: Cocoa Nib Nights, Cocoberry Blush and Caramel Haze.
As a special treat, day 24 delivers an extra trio of truffles to enjoy or share, making this a delightful option for anyone craving a luxurious, vegan-friendly countdown to Christmas.
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Best alcohol Advent calendars 2026
Drinks by the Dram rum Advent calendar
Available from Master of Malt (£124.95)
This smart, deep green calendar is a classy affair. We love the gold and green doors, and inside you’ll find 25 wax-sealed 30ml bottles to try. It’s impressive that there is no repetition throughout the month, with different rums sourced from top producers around the world – as the inside of the calendar says, you’ve got “25 potential new double favourite best ever drinks” to sample.
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