by Sarah Halfpenny
The word ‘advent’ comes from the Latin word ‘adventus’, which means ‘arrival’. Advent calendars originated in Germany during the 19th century as a way of marking the days leading up to Christmas. By the early 20th century, they were being manufactured to appeal to children, apparently as a way to keep them from constantly nagging their parents about how many days it is until Christmas! Advent calendars have since morphed to fit their era, with chocolate advent calendars in all shapes and sizes now the most common. Here are five unusual and rather decadent advent calendars that bring a bit of joy and anticipation to each day during the season.
The silly season calls for refreshing drinks, and this has just the answer! Behind each of the 24 doors is either a miniature craft gin (50ml) or a can of Fever Tree’s premium mixers (150ml). There’s a diverse range of flavours, from the classic G&T to a strawberry gin and everything in between, so you can make 12 decent drinks to help propel you through the festivities!
L’Occitane’s Holiday Classic Calender holds 24 of their most-loved body, hair and skincare products (valued at double its retail price). Discover signature favourites like their indulgent Almond Shower Oil, award-winning Immortelle Overnight Reset Serum, and a bundle of best-selling luxurious hand creams. 24 days of pampering – what’s not to love?
This stunning tea advent calendar comes packaged as a gift box that opens and closes like a book. Inside are 24 individually sealed quality teabags so you can sip your way through some of T2s all-time favourite loose leaf tea blends, plus some festive treats. From herbal tea to green tea, and black tea to fruit tea, peek inside each day and discover a world of flavours that will have any tea lover smiling.
Fans of shortbread will love this gorgeous advent calendar. Behind every window is a delicious daily bite-sized treat. From Pure Butter Shortbread Fingers to Salted Caramel Shortbread Squares – it’s the perfect indulgent treat in the lead up to Christmas Day. (Pair it with a T2 advent calendar for double indulgence!)
Mae beautiful family memories for generations to come with this premium-quality keepsake advent calendar tree. It comes with a Christmas tree and a green wooden frame with 24 drawers, each containing a porcelain figure – such as an angel, a reindeer or a snowman – to hang on the Christmas tree. This elegant set will evoke nostalgia and old-fashioned anticipation in young and old for many years to come.
