For years, a festive tradition has been soured for many by a single, divisive chocolate, sparking annual outrage and leaving some sweet-toothed Brits feeling decidedly unsweet. The Celebrations Advent calendar has repeatedly made headlines, accused of ruining the Christmas countdown with an alleged overabundance of the coconut-filled Bounty bars.
The History of a Seasonal Scandal
This is not a new complaint. The phenomenon of multiple Bounty chocolates appearing in succession behind the calendar's little doors has been a source of frustration for chocolate lovers since at least 2019. Social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter) have been littered with grievance posts each December.
One memorable 2019 post captured the collective despair: "Just a heads up, anyone who has a Celebrations Advent calendar and was disheartened that day 1 was a Bounty, well guess what... I got peckish and went to eat day 2 a few hours early, and that's a ******* bounty too, whole calendar is going in the bin Christmas is CANCELLED."
The backlash reached a peak again in 2024, with disgruntled consumers taking to forums like Reddit to vent. One user wrote: "The first two days of my Advent calendar had bounties behind the doors. I'm in the 'they are a bit grim' camp... I think whoever has built the Advent calendars is a bit of a sadist."
Putting the 2025 Calendar to the Test
As a self-confessed coconut enthusiast living in a nation where Bounty often divides opinion, we decided to conduct a rigorous test on the 2025 Celebrations Advent calendar. Would the so-called 'coconut curse' strike again, or had the manufacturers listened to the public outcry?
The investigation began promisingly for Bounty detractors. Behind the first door was a Galaxy Caramel, followed in order by a Milky Way, a Mars, a Galaxy, a Snickers, another Mars, another Milky Way, another Mars, a Twix, a Galaxy Caramel, Maltesers, another Galaxy, and another Snickers.
By day thirteen, not a single Bounty had appeared, leading to questions over whether the infamous treat had been quietly removed. However, the drought was broken on day fourteen, with the first coconut bar finally making an appearance.
The Final Tally and a Sweet Conclusion
The calendar then continued with a mix of favourites: a Twix, Mars, Twix, Maltesers, Galaxy Caramel and then the second Bounty. This was followed by a Snickers, Milky Way and a Galaxy leading up to Christmas Eve. On the 24th day, the third and final Bounty landed, symbolically closing the pre-Christmas period.
Upon inspecting the full haul, a clear and balanced picture emerged. Contrary to the fury of previous years, the 2025 edition contained three of each chocolate type, with only two exceptions: there were just two Maltesers, but a generous four Mars bars.
This year's distribution suggests a deliberate move towards fairness, potentially heeding the years of consumer feedback. While three Bounties may still be three too many for some, the even spread marks a significant departure from the reported consecutive coconut shocks of Advents past.
