4 Best Food and Drink Advent Calendars

Updated 15/10/2023

Food and drink advent calendars are becoming increasingly popular so start planning early and honour family and Christmas traditions by purchasing your calendars for your friends and family soon! Don’t forget yourself either, young or old, get ready to discover how much fun it is to get a daily treat during the festive season!   

The concept is the same as with traditional advent calendars, but you countdown to Christmas will be small delicious treats. Depending on your choice of calendar, each window is filled with either food or beverages for you to enjoy. 

Many providers have started shipping already so don’t miss out! Here is an overview of our favourite advent calendars!  

List of best food and drink advent calendars

• Best for tea lovers – Pukka Tea Advent Calendar 2022, Organic Herbal Tea
• Best for DIY gifts – Sawaruita Christmas Advent Calendar Bags
• Best for chocolate lovers – Gather Round the Tree Chocolate Advent Calendar
• Best for dogs – Dog Advent Calendar

Other fun advent calendars

• Best wooden calendar – Melissa & Doug Countdown Wooden Advent Calendar
• Best for magic lovers – 2022 Advent Calendar SHOCKING SCIENCE
• Best for puzzle lovers – Wztukcs Metal Puzzle Advent Calendars 2022 for Kids Adult
• Best for little kids – Fisher-Price Thomas & Friends MINIS Advent Calendar

Things to consider before buying your classic advent calendar 

You can purchase a ready made calendar, or you can choose to personalise the countdown and do it yourself with home baked treats to make a truly special holiday season.  Look forward to tasting and preparing all your favourite treats, or surprise your family and friends with some new delights. From cookies and chocolates to mini bottles of wine or a special whisky, you can make your own gourmet advent calendar. 

Overview of best food and drink advent calendars

Best for tea lovers – Pukka Tea Advent Calendar 2022, Organic Herbal Tea

This is a healthier alternative for herbal tea lovers. Countdown to Christmas with 24 different, delicious organic blends. From calming herbs to aid relaxation to refreshing ingredients that awaken the senses. The tea is GM ingredient free and the packaging is made of FSC sustainable organic bamboo. Just the thought of keeping the planet safe at the same time is a nice extra!

Best for DIY gifts – Sawaruita Christmas Advent Calendar Bags

Have fun making the countdown gifts with these 24 burlap gift bags printed with classical Christmas designs. Label with stickers from 1-24 and count down the days to Christmas. The drawstring bags are durable and reusable and made of natural hessian cloth. Each bag measures 4 x 5.5 inch (10 x 15cm) and comes with a hemp rope, and wood clips to hang them more easily.

Best for chocolate lovers – Gather Round the Tree Chocolate Advent Calendar

Support a small business and buy this traditional looking chocolate tree advent calendar! Each window reveals a piece of gourmet milk chocolate and a verse from ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas’. All chocolate is produced in Canada and the Vermont Christmas Company states that it replaces items that get damaged in transit. Most buyers at Amazon find it a very beautiful calendar but report that chocolates can shift out of the compartments and can drop to the bottom of the calendar.

Best for dogs – Dog Advent Calendar

Fair enough this is not for us humans but it’s Christmas for everyone and our furry friends can celebrate with us! This special dog advent calendar hides 8 toys and 16 treats.

Overview of kids advent calendar kits

For many children, the advent calendar is a fond memory and a source of excitement in the days leading up to Christmas. Because they get to open a calendar door everyday, they are keen to be good while waiting for Santa Claus to come later in the month. The kids advent calendar is also great for parents so they can distract the children from thinking about the bigger gifts.

Here’s four really neat advent calendars for kids!

Best wooden calendar – Melissa & Doug Countdown Wooden Advent Calendar

The magnetic wooden tree comes with 24 magnetic ornaments, and 1 shining star for the top of the tree. The attached wooden ornament box helps to keep all the pieces together. At Melissa & Doug they find it an educational and entertaining way to get kids aged 3 to 7 into the Christmas spirit.

Best for magic lovers – 2022 Advent Calendar SHOCKING SCIENCE

Your kids will have an unforgettable countdown to Christmas with this calendar that reveals daily magic experiments or tricks from a never ending world of science. It is for kids with an inquisitive mind who are keen to explore the magic of science. The fields of physics, illusions, robotics and chemistry are covered and the illustrated step-by-step guide with pictures and detailed instructions keeps it fun.

Best for puzzle lovers – Wztukcs Metal Puzzle Advent Calendars 2022 for Kids Adult

Train your brain during the Christmas countdown with 24 different metal wire puzzles. The puzzle games are suitable for different ages and levels which make it a great Christmas present for kids and adults alike. The best thing is that after disassembly, puzzles can be assembled in reverse to challenge other family members and friends till long after the festive season.

Best for little kids – Fisher-Price Thomas & Friends MINIS Advent Calendar

Thomas & Friends advent calendars are a great gift for preschool kids ages 3 years and older. 24 miniature train engines are styled and look like a Thomas & friends character.

Highlights of the family advent calendar

Everyone – from children to adults to pets – loves the tradition of the family advent calendar. Waiting for the minute when you can open that little door and find the day’s reward or treat is something very special and exciting!

• For children, the advent calendar serves as a visual and interactive countdown to Christmas, making the wait more enjoyable. Each day brings a new surprise, whether it’s a piece of chocolate, a small toy, or a sweet message. The vibrant colours, the variety of designs, and the interactive elements of advent calendars make them a memorable part of the holiday experience.
• For pets, in particular dogs and cats, that cannot understand the concept of Christmas, they do sense the excitement and joy in the home during the holiday season. Many pet owners buy advent calendars filled with pet-friendly treats or toys, allowing their furry friends to partake in the family tradition.
• For adults, the family advent calendar is a nostalgic and sentimental tradition that brings back fond memories of childhood. It serves as a daily reminder to pause and savour the moment during the hectic holiday season. Many adults appreciate the variety of advent calendars available, ranging from ones filled with gourmet chocolates, teas, or even small bottles of wine or spirits.

For parents, the joy of seeing their children’s and pets’ excitement and happiness as they open the advent calendar is priceless.

Finally, the family advent calendar can serve as a decorative piece, adding to the festive atmosphere of the home. Such a simple, little trinket, but it provides an opportunity for family bonding and creates lasting memories.