ChristmasRobin Gift Guides
Find useful Christmas gift ideas and compare the best Advent calendars for 2026.
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Start with the chocolate the recipient actually eats. Around £14 buys several different calendars, from familiar milk chocolate to 100% cocoa. Spend more if you want handmade fillings, more substantial pieces or a gift box they’ll enjoy displaying. Check ingredients first if you’re buying for someone with an allergy or avoiding alcohol.
Prices checked 5 November 2026. Compare the full price including delivery. Stock and offers can change. Some 2026 editions have limited detailed buyer feedback. Where we mention feedback on an earlier calendar, it applies to that edition.
Compare ten chocolate Advent calendars
| Calendar | Suited to | Price | Retailer status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hotel Chocolat The Grand Advent Calendar | Large gift for adults | £80 | In stock |
| Chococo Classic Advent Calendar | Different handmade flavours | £37.50 | Available to order |
| Venchi Prestige Advent Calendar Vintage Dream | Premium Italian assortment | £56 | In stock |
| Pierre Marcolini Christmas in the Kitchen Advent Calendar | Chocolate and recipe cards | £55 | Available to order |
| Tony’s Chocolonely Small Chocolate Advent Calendar | Two milk chocolate flavours | £14 | Available to order |
| Lindt Chocolate Factory Advent Calendar | A fold-out display | £25 | Available to order |
| M&S Choc Marks Advent Calendar | Milk and white chocolate bars | Check your Foodhall | Check your local Foodhall |
| Nutella Advent Calendar | Nutella snacks and branded extras | £39.99 at Selfridges £34.99 at Amazon |
Out of stock at Selfridges |
| Montezuma’s Absolute Black 100% Cocoa Advent Calendar | 100% cocoa dark chocolate | £14 | In stock |
| Best of Thorntons Advent Calendar | Familiar assorted chocolates | £14 | In stock |
1. Hotel Chocolat The Grand Advent Calendar
Suited to: Large gift for adults.
£80 at Hotel Chocolat.
In stock.
Inside: 855g across 24 doors, with chocolates and miniature alcoholic drinks.
The Grand is the choice for an adult recipient who would enjoy chocolate and miniature drinks in the same gift. Its 855g total covers everything in the box, so comparing that figure with a 300g all-chocolate calendar would overstate the chocolate you get. The mix includes solid chocolate, filled pieces and 50ml servings of the brand’s vodka-based Velvetised Cream. If someone only wants one chocolate a day, much of the price and space here goes towards extras they may leave unopened.
At £80, it costs more than the Chococo and Thorntons calendars combined at the prices in this guide. Those two boxes would make separate gifts. The Grand makes more sense when you want one large present and the recipient will use both the chocolates and the drinks. The box measures roughly 47cm across, so check you have room to store it upright in a cool, dry place. Check how the recipient feels about alcohol before choosing it as a shared gift for a household.
The previous Grand edition drew favourable comments for the variety and the amount behind some doors. The mix changes between seasons. This edition contains alcohol and is for adults aged 18 and over. Check the full ingredients for each component if buying for someone with allergies.
2. Chococo Classic Advent Calendar
Suited to: Different handmade flavours.
£37.50 at Chococo.
Available to order.
Inside: 25 handcrafted chocolates, including Champagne Truffle and Christmas Pudding Caramel.
Chococo’s Classic is for someone who would rather try a different filling every day than get the same chocolate shape each morning. There are 25 individual chocolates, including one for Christmas Day. The current assortment includes coffee, caramel and fruit flavours alongside a Champagne Truffle. It is a better fit for someone who likes a mixed box of chocolates than a recipient who only eats solid milk chocolate or prefers to avoid alcohol.
At £37.50, the price works out at £1.50 a piece before delivery. That puts it between the simpler £14 calendars and the £56 Venchi box. Here the main reason to spend more is the flavour variety. A standard chocolate assortment is worth comparing if the recipient would prefer to choose what to eat first or already has favourite fillings. This also works for a couple taking turns choosing chocolates, if both enjoy the same range of fillings and like trying something different.
Chococo introduced this door-style Classic in 2025. Feedback on that edition highlighted the range of fillings and the individually made pieces. This year’s flavours have changed. Read the current ingredient and allergen list, especially if buying for someone who avoids nuts, milk or alcohol. Follow the box’s storage guidance and check the best-before date if ordering early.
3. Venchi Prestige Advent Calendar Vintage Dream
Suited to: Premium Italian assortment.
£56 at Venchi.
In stock.
Inside: 363g and around 24 chocolates in the Vintage Dream box.
The Vintage Dream is for someone who likes a mixture of cocoa strengths, fillings and textures in the same box. Venchi lists around 24 pieces at 363g. Think of it as a premium assortment with a countdown built in. It is worth checking the ingredient list first if the recipient prefers plain chocolate, since some pieces get much of their character from their fillings and the nut-based recipes.
At £56 before delivery, the current box works out at about £15.43 per 100g. That is a useful comparison with a Venchi selection box of similar weight. A gift buyer may value the chequerboard packaging and the surprise of the individual doors. For someone buying for themselves, a conventional assortment makes it easier to see how many pieces are ones they would choose. The piece count is approximate, so the stated weight makes for a more consistent comparison with other chocolate gifts from Venchi.
The 2025 Prestige used a tower of small drawers and an assortment of individually wrapped pieces. This year’s Vintage Dream has different packaging and a different piece count. Check the current photos before buying if you are picturing the earlier design. Read the full ingredient list for the exact assortment and keep the box somewhere cool and dry.
4. Pierre Marcolini Christmas in the Kitchen Advent Calendar
Suited to: Chocolate and recipe cards.
£55 at Pierre Marcolini.
Available to order.
Inside: 25 chocolates and four recipe cards.
Pierre Marcolini’s Christmas in the Kitchen calendar suits someone who likes smaller chocolates and would use the recipe cards after opening the doors. The brand lists 25 chocolates and four cards. The cards add something useful for a recipient who enjoys cooking. If they rarely bake and you are comparing on chocolate alone, a similarly priced selection box may give them more of the styles they already like.
At £55 it costs almost the same as the £56 Venchi calendar. The choice between them comes down to the kind of gift you want to give. Venchi offers a 363g assortment in a chequerboard box. Marcolini pairs its chocolate selection with recipes and a kitchen theme. If it is intended for a particular date, check the delivery estimate before placing an order, as standard delivery and stock can change. Check the language of the recipe cards and whether the intended recipient will have the ingredients to hand before gifting.
Marcolini’s 2025 Art Deco edition paired its illustrated box with a selection of pralines and truffles. The Christmas in the Kitchen assortment is its own edition, with a different design and contents. Check the ingredient and allergen information on the exact product before ordering, and keep the storage instructions if you give the box away.
5. Tony’s Chocolonely Small Chocolate Advent Calendar
Suited to: Two milk chocolate flavours.
£14 at Tony’s Chocolonely.
Available to order.
Inside: 216g with classic milk chocolate and milk caramel sea salt.
The small Tony’s calendar suits a recipient who already likes its classic milk chocolate or milk caramel sea salt. It weighs 216g and centres on those two flavours, which makes it easy to predict whether someone will enjoy it. If they prefer dark chocolate or want a different filling most days, the larger Tony’s calendar is a separate product with a broader assortment, so check the pack name when comparing prices.
At £14 before delivery, the small calendar costs around £6.48 per 100g. That is useful when comparing it with a pouch or box of the brand’s mini chocolates. A single online order can look less attractive once postage is added. If you are buying several calendars or other gifts, compare the full basket price, since delivery thresholds can change which retailer works out better. A supermarket shelf price is worth checking if you can pick up the exact 216g box on a regular shop.
The 216g Tony’s calendar also appeared in 2025. One published taste test liked the size of the pieces and the cracker-shaped doors, though the bold packaging was less appealing to the tester. Read the current ingredients for both flavours if you are buying for someone with allergies. Tony’s lists milk and soya, with possible traces including nuts, gluten and egg.
6. Lindt Chocolate Factory Advent Calendar
Suited to: A fold-out display.
£25 at Lindt.
Available to order.
Inside: 304g of assorted Lindt chocolates in a fold-out box.
The Lindt Factory suits someone who likes the familiar Lindt assortment and would enjoy opening a box that folds out into a display. At 304g, it offers more chocolate by weight than the small Tony’s or Thorntons calendars in this guide. The extra weight is useful when comparing like with like, although a recipient who only wants one favourite Lindor flavour may get more use from buying a bag of that flavour.
At £25 before delivery, the Factory works out at about £8.22 per 100g. Compare the full price against other retailers selling the exact 304g box. Lindt also makes calendars at different weights and with different assortments, so a much lower price can be for a smaller version. Allow enough space for the open box if the recipient wants to display it throughout December. Decide whether people will take turns or share the larger pieces if the box is for a household with several Lindt fans.
A buyer of the 304g Factory calendar singled out the display and the familiar chocolates. Buyer comments on the listing can cover earlier seasons. The current pack photo and ingredients are the ones to use when deciding on this year’s gift. Check the full assortment for allergens, especially if the recipient normally only buys one Lindt product.
7. M&S Choc Marks Advent Calendar
Suited to: Milk and white chocolate bars.
Check your Foodhall for the price.
Check your local Foodhall.
Inside: Milk and white chocolate with caramelised sugar, plus a Christmas Day bar with pretzel and almond nougat.
The M&S Choc Marks calendar is a Foodhall option for someone who likes caramelised milk and white chocolate. It offers several variations on that theme, with a Christmas Day bar featuring pretzel, caramel, sea salt and almond nougat. A recipient who prefers dark chocolate or a wide range of filled pieces may find the flavours too similar. The Christmas Day bar is worth checking separately if you are buying around an ingredient preference.
Price and availability depend on the Foodhall. Use the store information on the product page before making a special trip, and compare the shelf price with the calendars you can order online. Picking one up on a planned shop can avoid a separate delivery charge. If the intended recipient needs it posted, allow time and account for that cost when you compare with a retailer that will deliver it directly. For a specific Foodhall trip, check that the branch you plan to visit stocks the seasonal range before you leave.
M&S sold a different Swiss Mountain Bar calendar in 2025. Earlier feedback about that calendar’s presentation relates to the Swiss Mountain Bar edition. For this one, use the current packaging to check ingredients and allergens, including the almond nougat, and follow the storage guidance on the box.
8. Nutella Advent Calendar
Suited to: Nutella snacks and branded extras.
£39.99 at Selfridges.
Out of stock at Selfridges.
Inside: 528g with Nutella snacks, spread and branded surprises.
The Nutella calendar is for someone who enjoys the brand in several forms. The 528g assortment includes snacks, spread and branded extras, so check how much of the gift is actually food if you are comparing it with a straightforward chocolate box. It works better as a novelty present for someone who would use the extras than as a way to stock the cupboard with a favourite biscuit or spread.
At the listed £39.99, a shopper who only wants the edible parts can compare with a basket of individually bought Nutella biscuits, B-ready bars or spread. That comparison is more useful than a price per 100g calculation here, because the appeal is split between several snack formats and non-food items. Check delivery and availability before planning around a particular date. Selfridges currently lists the calendar as out of stock. Amazon listed the same 528g calendar at £34.99, sold by Amazon. Check the delivery total and estimated arrival before ordering.
The 528g giant calendar was also sold in 2025 and mixed Nutella snacks with branded extras. The contents can differ between formats, so compare the product weight and exact assortment if you find another retailer listing. Read the ingredients on each snack, especially if you are buying for someone with a hazelnut or other food allergy.
9. Montezuma’s Absolute Black 100% Cocoa Advent Calendar
Suited to: 100% cocoa dark chocolate.
£14 at Montezuma’s.
In stock.
Inside: 150g across 25 solid dark chocolate shapes made with 100% cocoa.
Montezuma’s Absolute Black calendar is a specialist choice for someone who already enjoys unsweetened 100% cocoa chocolate. It contains 25 solid shapes made with the same chocolate. The consistency is part of the appeal for a committed dark chocolate fan. For someone trying dark chocolate for the first time, a small bar is a cheaper way to find out whether they enjoy such a high cocoa percentage.
At £14 before delivery, it costs the same as the small Tony’s and Thorntons boxes in this guide. Those alternatives suit different tastes: Tony’s offers two milk chocolate flavours, and Thorntons is a mixed assortment. Here you are paying for the countdown format around a single cocoa style. Compare with the brand’s ordinary Absolute Black bar if you mainly want the chocolate for yourself. The 150g pack averages 6g per door, which makes portion size another useful check when choosing between simple chocolate calendars.
Montezuma’s 2025 Christmas range included a 25-piece organic dark chocolate calendar. This Absolute Black edition is a separate choice for someone who specifically wants 100% cocoa. For this edition, read the product’s current ingredient and allergy information, including the warning about possible traces of milk, soya, tree nuts and peanuts. Check the best-before date if you are buying early and store the calendar according to the packaging.
10. Best of Thorntons Advent Calendar
Suited to: Familiar assorted chocolates.
£14 at Thorntons.
In stock.
Inside: 253g of assorted Thorntons chocolates.
Best of Thorntons suits someone who usually chooses an assorted box of familiar chocolates and wants a modestly priced December countdown. The calendar weighs 253g. It offers a different proposition from the Montezuma’s box at the same price, which repeats one very dark chocolate behind every door. If you know the recipient likes one particular Thorntons filling, compare with the price of a box dedicated to that flavour before buying the mixed calendar.
At £14 before delivery, it comes to about £5.53 per 100g. That is the lowest unit price of the three £14 calendars compared here where the weight is shown, though prices and postage can change. The useful decision is whether the recipient will enjoy the range in the box. A cheaper assortment offers little value if someone leaves half the flavours unopened or cannot eat some pieces. Compare the same-weight product wherever possible, because a similarly named assortment can be a different pack with different contents.
Thorntons sold a Best of Thorntons countdown in previous seasons. Check the weight when comparing offers, as similar boxes have also been sold in a 258g size. Check the current packaging for the flavour list and the ingredients of the mixed selection. In particular, someone who regularly buys a single Thorntons chocolate should check the calendar’s allergen information separately. Allow enough time for delivery before 1 December.
What to check before buying
Use price per 100g for comparable all-chocolate boxes. If the calendar includes drinks, recipe cards or merchandise, decide how much those extras matter to the recipient before comparing the price. For mixed assortments, read the label for ingredients and possible traces. The Hotel Chocolat Grand contains alcoholic drinks and is for adults aged 18 and over.
If the calendar needs to arrive by 1 December, check the delivery estimate for the exact box and postcode. For a Foodhall purchase, check your local store. Compare other 2026 Advent calendars.
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