Advent calendars have become a staple of the UK's Christmas shopping season, evolving from a traditional festive countdown into a popular gifting trend. While chocolate remains a firm favourite, today's market offers an extensive choice of calendars covering food, drink, beauty, fashion and lifestyle products.
Traditionally, advent calendars were designed to count down the 24 days until Christmas, with a small numbered door opened each day from December 1 through to Christmas Eve. However, the concept has developed over the years, with retailers and brands introducing increasingly creative and varied offerings. For consumers, advent calendars provide an opportunity to enjoy a daily surprise in the run-up to Christmas.
Nine Calendars Tested
For brands and retailers, they represent a valuable marketing and retail opportunity, allowing businesses to showcase their products, introduce customers to new ranges and generate excitement and anticipation during one of the busiest shopping periods of the year. A lifestyle reporter tested nine calendars for 2026, ranging from chocolate to alcohol and a celebrity-branded calendar, giving a verdict out of five on whether each lives up to its price point.
The Flavoured Vodka Advent Calendar costs £69.95 and is available from Masters of Malt online. It contains 25 30ml wax-sealed samples sourced from a host of top producers, including classic fruit-filled fancies to dessert-inspired delights. It received a verdict of 4.7/5.
Top Picks and Verdicts
The 2026 Hawkstone Advent Calendar costs £95 and is available from Hawkstone online. It includes 12 beers, 3 ciders, 4 never-before-seen products, miniature bottles of gin and vodka, and loads of exclusive Hawkstone merchandise. It received a verdict of 4.6/5.
The Cocktail Advent Calendar costs £79 and is available from Moth Drinks online. It features twenty-four bar strength cocktails including Espresso Martini, Margarita, Passionfruit Martini, Spicy Margarita and Negroni. It received a verdict of 4.4/5.
The Arran calendar costs £90 and is available from Arran online. It contains 25 doors of ARRAN products, including miniatures from their most popular fragrance collections such as After the Rain, Island Dusk, Sannox and Kildonan. It received a verdict of 4.7/5.
The Boots 12 Days of Scent Advent Calendar costs £90 and is available from Boots in-store or online. It includes 12 fragrance items from brands like Kayali, Marc Jacobs, NEOM Wellbeing and Maison Louis Marie, plus one full-size fragrance. It received a verdict of 4.6/5.
The Caffè Nero Advent Calendar costs £19.95 and is available from Caffe Nero online. It includes 24 capsules across six coffees, including the signature Classico house blend, a decaf Classico, and single origins from Brazil and Colombia. It received a verdict of 4.7/5.
The Lindt Pick & Mix Advent Calendar costs £17.50 and is available from Lindt online or in-store. It features 24 different flavours, with over 30 varieties to choose from, including the newest LINDOR Cinnamon Roll. It received a verdict of 4.7/5.
The Best Value Calendar
The Fragrance Lovers Advent Calendar from Yankee Candle costs £59.99 and is available from Yankee Candle online. The twenty-four-day countdown to Christmas starts with this festive set featuring 12 seasonal fragrances. It received the highest verdict of 4.9/5, making it the only calendar deemed truly worth the money.
