CHOCOLATE is popular at any time of year, but at Christmas often all rules go out the window and it becomes perfectly acceptable to eat it before breakfast.
That’s why choosing the right chocolate advent calendar is so important.
It is believed the custom of marking advent dates as far back as the 6th century.
But it wasn’t until the middle of the 20th century that shops started selling calendars with chocolate behind the doors.
The first Cadbury‘s calendar arrived in 1972 but things have come along way since then.
Now so many brands have their own unique takes, so whether you like Reece’s or Galaxy, or a posh Hotel Chocolat truffles, there’s a calendar for you.
We gave them a go to see which are worth splashing the cash on.
Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups Advent Calendar – £6
A must-have for peanut butter lovers, this calendar is packed with foil-wrapped miniature cups in both milk and white chocolate.
On Day 24, you’ll find full-sized cups to enjoy.
I thought there was a generous amount of chocolate for the price and I liked the festive design of a Santa in headphones.
Simple but satisfying.
It’s a perfect choice for anyone who can’t get enough of the sweet and salty flavour of Reese’s.
SCORE: 9/10
M&S Chocolate Shop Advent Calendar – £12
A surprising win, M&S has packed this well-priced calendar with the tastiest of its Christmas confectionary.
There are blond fudge bites, peanut butter and caramel chunkies, mini whips and more.
On the big day itself, you get a whole bag of delicious chocolate buttons.
I loved both the variety and the quality of the delicious treats.
Score: 10/10
Galaxy Advent Calendar – £2.50
Simple but effective, this Galaxy calendar contains smooth milk chocolate moulded shapes all the way through December.
There’s also a special, bigger, Galaxy treat on Christmas Eve.
It’s not as fancy as some of the other offerings for 2024.
But you do get the unmistakable Galaxy taste – and it’s cheap as chips.
Score: 8/10
Hotel Chocolat The Everything Advent Calendar – £29.95
Here is a confectioner that really knows what they’re doing.
This rather posh Hotel Chocolat calendar guarantees a little bit of luxury every day – the challenge is not to break it open and eat them all at once!
Whether you’re a dark, milk, or white chocolate fan there is something here for you.
It’s packed full of Hotel Chocolat’s most indulgent treats, including Champagne truffles, chocolate praline and chocolate fudge sundae.
I enjoyed the variety and whilst it’s not the cheapest option, it felt like a really special festive treat to countdown to the big day.
Score: 8/10
Cadbury’s Dairy Milk Creamy Advent Calendar – £4.99
I’d never tried this creamy Cadbury Dairy Milk chocs calendar before but they were surprisingly more-ish.
I thought perhaps it was a little overpriced.
There is one small chocolate behind each door until December 24th when you get a double-sized one.
But the chocolate designs could have been a bit more enticing.
They were absolutely delicious, though.
Score: 5/10
Chococo’s Christmas Countdown Advent Calendar – £29
Chococo has won awards for its luxurious chocolates, which are handcrafted in Dorset and this Christmas countdown box deserves a prize of its own.
Filled with 25 artisan chocolates – in an assortment of milk, gold, dark and oat milk chocolate – the selection box contains everything from gin-filled chocolates to festive truffles.
I particularly liked the new flavours such as, cherry bakewell, chilli con choc and toffee apple caramel.
There are no actual doors to open on the box but it’s a gorgeous design with a frosted and numbered sleeve.
A classy option for grown-ups who want to join in the countdown.
Score: 7/10
Nestle KitKat Advent Calendar – £2.50
A cheap and cheerful choice that will go down well with the kids.
Behind each door is a delightful KitKat treat, each one a signature crispy wafer covered in creamy milk chocolate. cheap
There’s not a lot of variety but for £2.50, who is complaining?
My daughter Ivy, aged four, picked this one out over far fancier options and was delighted with her choice.
Score: 6/10
Divine Seriously Smooth Milk Chocolate Advent Calendar – £4
Divine is a Fairtrade chocolate company co-owned by cocoa farmers who receive a share of the profits from this calendar, so you can feel good about yourself whilst tasting the contents.
If that doesn’t persuade you, it contains 24 milk chocolate hearts, which all taste “divine”.
I did prefer calendars with a bit more variety but if Fairtrade chocolate is what you are after, this is it.
There’s a dark chocolate version for Vegans, too.
Score: 7/10
Nestle Milkybar Advent Calendar – £2.50
The perfect choice for white chocolate lovers and little-ones, this contains mini chocolate pieces with no artificial colours, flavours or preservatives.
The chocolates are small but this is great if you have young children and don’t want them overindulging before they’ve even had a chance to finish their breakfast cereal.
Simple, straightforward – and only £2.50.
Score: 4/10
Lindt Truffles Advent Calendar – £12
You get a proper Lindt truffle every day with this luxurious-looking calendar and in different flavours too including my personal favourite, the salted caramel.
If you like Lindt, you can’t go wrong with this.
I liked trying the different flavours and there’s a decent amount of chocolate for the money.
Give it a try, you won’t be disappointed.
Score: 8/10
