It wouldn’t be Christmas without a chocolate a day in the lead up to the 25th – and this year, our favourite chocolatiers have stepped things up a notch with melt-in-your-mouth creations for those with an undeniable sweet tooth.
From the dependable classics that appear year after year, to brand new calendars with innovative and surprising creations, we’ve gathered the best of the market, tried and tested by ES Best to ensure that they are truly up to scratch. It was a tough job, but we absolutely had to do it.
The Christmas season is all about embracing your inner child, from toys and games to late night snacking and early morning sweets - and what better way to do it than with a touch of decadence each day from our favourite advent calendars? Whatever your age, the thrill of opening that first door never goes away.
Embrace the Christmas magic with a daily chocolatey surprise from our selection of the best advent calendars on offer at all different price points.
Luxury
Ladureé Advent Calendar
Taking inspiration from Scandinavian designs, the luxury French patisserie has created its first ever advent calendar. In limited-edition, the calendar is designed for adults and children alike and contains confectionery and chocolate treats like toffees, nougat and calissons to enjoy in the lead up to Christmas.
£32 | Ladureé | Buy from November 7
Godiva Deluxe Advent Calendar
Housed in a beautifully crafted box, Godiva’s deluxe advent calendar is designed for sharing – but that doesn’t mean you have to. Behind each door, there are two chocolates from Godiva's luxurious collection, which you can select in store with the help of the Godiva experts in the brand’s boutiques. Ideal for a bespoke gift for chocolate lovers.
£60 | Godiva | Buy from November
Hotel Chocolat The Grand Advent Calendar
Packed full of chocolatey goodness, this two-sided advent calendar makes a great early Christmas present. The daily surprises include Salted Caramel Vodka, crackers filled with pecan praline, a meltingly-smooth Hazelnut Bûche, macadamia and coconut snowballs and Hotel Chocolat’s award-winning Cocoa Gin as well as zesty clementine and fragrant Cinnamon Bun pieces.
£68 | Hotel Chocolat | Buy it now
Charbonnel et Walker Advent Calendar
Bring the Christmas magic to your home with Charbonnel et Walker’s advent that takes inspiration from the Victorian Miniature Paper Theatres.
Each of the little white boxes is filled with the label’s finest milk or dark chocolates and can be re-filled each year there-after. It's a lovely box, presented well and full of delicious goodies. If you're looking for an alternative calendar be sure to check out our Best Gin Advent Calendars for Christmas 2018.
£55 | Charbonnel et Walker | Buy it now
Under £30
GAIL’s X Melt London Advent Calendar
Gail’s has joined forces with chocolatiers, Melt London to create bespoke chocolates for you to sample this Christmas. Behind each of the 24 doors of this advent contains chocolates made from breadcrumbs of GAIL’s signature French Dark Sourdough that are slowly caramelised and folded in to Melt’s decadent milk and dark chocolate.
£18 | Gail’s | Buy it now
Chocolate Advent Calendar for Two
Made for two, this advent proves that sharing really is caring. As you count down the sleeps till the festive season, the Hotel Chocolat advent has two chocolates behind each window from the extensive range so you can celebrate the festivities with someone special. The offering includes Salted Caramel Cream, Gingerbread Praline, Madagascan Vanilla and Raspberry Rush as well as alcohol-free truffles.
£26 | Hotel Chocolat | Buy it now
Prestat’s Snowman Advent Calendar
Masters in the art of chocolate, Prestat first opened its doors in 1902 and has since gone on to gain the seal of approval from none other than Her Majesty The Queen.
This year, the chocolatier has unveiled the Snowman Advent Calendar with special surprise treats from the best-selling range, including delicious bonbons of Milk Chocolate with Caramel or Dark Chocolate with Sea Salt.
£22.50 | Ocado | Buy it now
Chococo Advent Selection Box
For luxurious, handmade chocolates housed in a stylish box, then look no further than the Chococo advent selection box. The calendar contains 25 chocolates from the award-winning range that are delivered fresh to your door at the end of November, ready for the countdown to start. The box includes festive and innovative flavour combinations, including a Guava & Coconut truffle, Salcombe Gin & Pink Grapefruit, Dorset Smoked Sea Salt Caramel and a Tawny Port & Fig option, among many others.
£23.50 | Chococo | Buy it now
Under £15
Jessops Personalised Advent Calendar
Jessops is offering you the chance to personalise your very own chocolate-filled advent calendar for yourself or as a fun pre-Christmas gift. Alongside a picture, you can add a name of you choice. Then, all there is left to do is enjoy the milk chocolates inside.
£14.99 | Jessops | Buy it now
Godiva Advent Calendar
Give the gift of sumptuous chocolate with the Godiva advent that contains an assortment of the brand’s fan favourites. Artistically crafted by Godiva’s chocolatiers, the decadent selection combines milk, dark and white chocolate as well as a special treat on Christmas day.
£15 | Sainsbury’s | Buy it now
Green & Black’s Advent Calendar
Treat yourself to a touch of decadence each day in the lead up to December 25th with the Green & Black’s advent calendar.
The daily delights include mini versions of the label’s sumptuous Praline and Velvet Edition ranges. Given the more than affordable price point, it's one of the best quality chocolate options you could go for in the countdown until Christmas.
£10.99 | Green & Blacks | Buy it now
Classic Advents
You will want December to hurry up already once you have purchased one of Hotel Chocolat’s classic advents. Let the countdown truly begin with classic Christmas sculptures; reindeer, snowmen and penguins in a velvety-smooth and creamy chocolate. The classic advent is offered in white chocolate, caramel chocolate, milk chocolate, supermilk chocolate that combines milk and dark chocolate, dark chocolate and a rare and vintage 100% Ecuador dark chocolate.
£12.50 | Hotel Chocolat | Buy it now
Lindt Lindor Milk Lovers Calendar
Lindt know a thing or two about fine chocolate and the Milk Lovers Calendar is no different. Containing pure milk chocolate, this is ideal for those wanting a melt-in-your-mouth treat each day. The calendar contains the classic Lindor Milk Truffles in different shapes and sizes.
£12.00 | Lindt | Buy it now
Lindt Advent Calendar
Stepping its advent calendar offering up a notch, this option is available in a super-sized variation at 280g – making it the biggest calendar in the range. It contains festive figures and a North Pole-inspired design.
£15 | Debenhams | Buy it now
Lindor Blissful Assorted Advent Calendars
What better way to count down to Christmas than with an irresistible Lindor Truffle. This calendar comes with two special varieties where you can opt for either a Lindor Milk Treat bar or a final truffle for a Christmas Eve treat.
Silver version £10 | Lindt | Buy it soon
Gold version £12 | Lindt | Buy it soon
Lindt Excellence Advent Calendar
Dark chocolate lovers will not be able to get enough of this advent from Swiss Chocolatiers, Lindt who are offering two sumptuous dark chocolate pieces per day as well as a variety of other flavours, including the classic 70% Cocoa to Mint, Orange Intense, and the Sea Salt.
£12.00 | Lindt | Buy it now
Under £10
Strictly Come Dancing Trivia Christmas Advent Calendar
Fans of the hit BBC dance show will love this advent calendar that contains both delicious chocolate as well as challenges and trivia questions to test even the most die-hard of fans.
£8.99 | Amazon | Buy it now
Celebrations Advent Calendar
Christmas just got a lot more chocolatey with the launch of the first Celebrations advent calendar. Behind each door, you will find one of the beloved chocolates, from Galaxy, to newer addition Twix, plus an extra special surprise on Christmas day.
£2.79 | Buy from November
Cadbury Dairy Milk Premier League Edition Advent Calendar
Designed for the football fanatic in your life, this limited edition Premier League advent calendar will make a perfect gift this Christmas. Designed like a football stadium, countdown to the festive season with Dairy Milk chunks.
£4.99 | Cadbury Gifts Direct | Buy it now
Cadbury Heroes Advent Calendar
This advent calendar will treat you to a miniature version of your favourite Cadbury’s chocolate from the Heroes box. Each day, you will open the door to either a Dairy Milk, Wispa, Cadbury Éclair, Creme Egg or Twirl, among many others.
£4.99 | Cadbury Gifts Direct | Buy it now
Dairy Milk Advent Calendar
Cadbury’s best-selling advent calendar is back for 2018 featuring a chocolatey surprise behind each day. The Dairy Milk calendar contains advent shaped chocolate every day in the lead up to Christmas.
£2.19 | Cadbury Gifts Direct | Buy it now
Divine Fairtrade Milk Chocolate Advent Calendar
For children and adults alike, this advent calendar captures the traditional Nativity scene step by step with every door opened as well as depicting the informative journey of where the chocolate contained comes from. The advent includes seriously-smooth Fairtrade milk chocolate hearts and is endorsed by Divine partners, Christian Aid and Comic Relief.
£4 | Divine | Buy it now
Divine 70% Dark Chocolate Advent Calendar
This advent calendar contains dark chocolate with an intense cocoa taste. It does not include any dairy, which makes it ideal for vegans or lactose-intolerants. The chocolate is housed in a box designed with a wintery woodland illustration where each door opens to reveal a British wildlife fact – and what’s more, 3p from every calendar will be donated to the Woodland Trust.
£5 | Divine | Buy it now
Lindt Advent Calendar
Fun for the whole family, this advent is one of the iconic Lindt favourites that has become a classic over the years. Containing the finest milk chocolate from the Swiss Master Chocolatiers, it has the combination of the sumptuously smooth-tasting Gold Reindeer, deliciously melting snowballs, mini Lindor truffles, and a Santa.
£5 | Ocado | Buy it now
Lindt Teddy Advent Calendar
Treat yourself or loved ones with the iconic Teddy advent that features Lindt’s festive figures including a mini milk chocolate Lindt Gold Reindeer, Teddy figures and snowballs – and there is even a full-size 100g Lindt Teddy for Christmas eve.
£10 | Ocado | Buy it now
Classics Collection Advent Calendar
Thornton's classic advent contains a mix of the chocolatier's fan favourite flavours for a surprise each day. From a Turkish Delight, to a Creamy Fudge, you will be sure to get a chocolate that you love.
£10 | Thornton's | Buy it now
