Travel -- 7 hours ago
These are the best luxury advent calendars for Christmas 2020
Rare whisky, fine fragrances and a lot of good food — these advent calendars will take some beating on Christmas morning
Words: Jonathan Wells
Remember when you used to scramble out of bed every December morning, tear downstairs and rip open a door on your advent calendar? Wasn’t it just absolutely, totally, utterly… a bit rubbish?
Who wants cheap chocolate, after all, when there’s a whole host of über-luxe brands creating advent calendars more exciting than Christmas morning itself? From rare whisky to some of the best grooming products on the market, we’ve rounded up the most extravagant advent calendars to help you ramp up excitement for 25th December…
Firstly, get into the Christmas spirit...
‘Tis the season to drink too much. So why not start a regimented routine of guzzling a miniature every morning (we’re joking, save them for the evening). But you’ll be tempted — with such a fine array of different spirit-based advent calendars, there’s a boozy option for everyone.
Drinks by the Dram is the gold standard here — and we’ve selected three of the brand’s many advent offerings below. Whether you’re a fan of rum or gin, these decadent calendars will deliver — but we’re particular fans of the Premium Whisky Advent Calendar; complete with 24 different, handmade 30ml wax-sealed drams from across Scotland.
The foodie options go a little further than cheap chocolate
Fortnum & Mason has Christmas all wrapped up. It may cost £200, but by the time you’ve opened every door on the iconic British brand’s ‘Feasting Advent Calendar’, your cupboards will be so stuffed with seasonal treats that you won’t have room for the turkey. Champagne, tea, hot chocolate, cranberry sauce, shortbread, pickle and marmalade are all on offer.
For a less extravagant offering, look to popcorn gurus Joe & Seph — whose gourmet advent calendar features festive flavours including Pumpkin Spice, Gingerbread and Brandy Butter. Or, if you still want traditional chocolate, indulge in the best with the exceptional pralines, gooey ganaches and silky caramels of Michel Cluizel.
Ensure you're impeccably groomed come Christmas Day
Contrary to what you may think, Christmas isn’t all about food and drink. There’s also fine fragrances, sheet masks and the odd scented moisturiser. One of the largest alternative advent calendar markets is grooming — and, this year, there are more men-friendly offerings than ever.
The Acqua di Parma Fragrance Advent Calendar not only contains 25 of the label’s bestselling products — it’s also one of the best-looking options on this list. From Mr Porter, the 12 Days of Grooming Advent Calendar cherry-picks the best skincare and scents for sale on its website — and Liberty London have scoured the mens grooming department to offer up everything from soap bars to shampoo.
Raise a glass to the festive season
We know, we’ve already ticked spirits off our Christmas list — but there’s so much more to drink during the festive season. From hot chocolates to hot toddies, there’s plenty to keep your kettle turned on and your tastebuds entertained — and yet more advent calendars to help you along your way.
From Harrods, this innovative coffee capsule advent calendar is one of our favourites this year. Reasonably priced, the seasonal blends have notes of cinnamon, roasted chestnuts and caramel. Another department store, John Lewis, has come up trumps with a wine calendar, with miniature bottles hailing from South Africa to Argentina. Or, for a good old bottle of beer, the annual Beerwulf advent calendar is more luxurious — and therefore exclusive — than ever.
Want more of the best gear money can buy? Check out our Editor’s Picks…
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