Aw yes people, it’s that time of year again – time to choose your advent calendar. And if you thought advent calendars were purely for kids, what could be better than getting a tiny little present from yourself every day for almost an entire month?! December is officially the time to cheer yourself with frivolous things like Christmas coffees and sandwiches, and advent calendars definitely fit the bill. But if you want something more than a cardboard box with 24 thin bits of crap chocolate in, you’re in luck as companies catch on to the fact that adults want presents too.
The best non-chocolate advent calendars 2018
Gourmet marshmallow advent calendar
You really don’t eat enough marshmallows – rectify that with this gourmet marshmallow calendar, which includes a dazzling array of marshmallow flavours including salted caramel and s’mores. £17 from The Naked Marshmallow Co.
Pukka tea advent calendar
If you’re a fan of herbal tea or are making an effort to cut down on your caffeine consumption, this is a cute way of trying new flavours. 24 teabags, including vanilla chai, matcha green and ginger. £9.99 from Holland & Barrett.
Beer Hawk Great British Beer advent calendar
24 different beers from 24 British breweries, including pale ales, golden ales and IPAs. It’s pricey, but works out at just over £2 a drink. Should you drink one a night for almost a month? The jury’s out, but if you want to try different kinds of beer over the festive period this could be a great way of doing it. £65 from Amazon.
Revell build your own Millennium Falcon advent calendar
This is like one of those 100-piece magazines, except it doesn’t cost £8 for each part. Build a little model of the Millennium Falcon over 24 days in December, then fly it around and reenact your favourite Star Wars scenes on Christmas Day. £22.95 from Amazon.
Swizzels sweets advent calendar
Mmm, fizzy sweets. Swizzels do some cracking sweets and they’re all low cal (as long as you don’t eat an entire bag, as is so often the way with these things) so a little sweet treat such as a Drumstick lolly, Refresher bar or bag of Squashies is just the ticket to appease your sweet tooth. £4 from Wilko.
Powerfix toolkit advent calendar
Yes, companies really are shoving any old thing behind 24 doors in an attempt to capitalise on the growing number of adults who enjoy a non-chocolate advent calendar. This one from Lidl has 24 parts of a toolkit, a ‘practical advent calendar perfect for the DIY enthusiast’. I mean, you’d have to be a hardcore DIYer to get enthusiastic about getting a different drillbit every day, but there we go. £19.99 from Lidl.
Lynx advent calendar
Smell good for the laydeez for 12 whole days with this advent calendar, featuring every teenage boy’s favourite deodorant and shower gel. £15 from Superdrug.
The Big Chilli advent calendar
25 days of spice from this chilli advent calendar, which features 25 different whole chillies, flakes and powders plus recipes and tasting notes. It features a range of heats, from mild to lip-tingling, right through to the volcanic Carolina Reaper, also known as the world’s hottest chilli. £29.95 from Sous Chef.
Beard oil advent calendar
Treat your beard with this beard oil advent calendar from the Bearded Man Company, featuring 24 differently-scented oils for taming your facial furniture. £29.99 from Not on the High Street.
