Let’s face it: we’re all pretty eager to count down to the end of 2020! And while Christmas will look a lot different this year, there’s no reason you can’t still enjoy festive traditions to celebrate the season. One way we’ll be getting in the spirit is with a unique advent calendar: it’s not only an exciting way to count down to Christmas day, but when there are edible sweets and beauty treats involved, who would say no?!
These are the best food and beauty advent calendars for 2020, from vegan chocolate and gourmet tea, to invigorating bath bombs and soothing skincare saviours.
Not a fan of traditional chocolate advent calendars? This gourmet popcorn version is a winning alternative and a real stunner for the season. The advent calendar opens up like a giant Christmas storybook, depicting snowy scenes of Joe’s Popcorn Kitchens hard at work preparing your Christmas treats. Behind 24 festive cubbyholes, lurk mini packs of handmade vegan and gluten-free popcorn in eight flavours, including Vegan Salted Caramel and our favourite, Vegan Toffee Apple & Cinnamon.
The ultimate treat for tea lovers, indie tea company Bird & Blend boasts two options to help you count down to the Christmas festivi-teas! The Tea Advent calendar (pictured) is filled with limited edition blends that will summon flavours of the season, including Gingerbread Chai, Eggnog Rooibos and Peppermint Cream Oolong. Or why not try something truly unique with the 12 Days of Matcha advent calendar? The compact version features 12 days of energy-boosting matcha tea in unique flavours such as Mulled Wine and Mint Humbug.
Offblak’s festive offering features some of the brand’s best-loved healthy lifestyle tea blends. Enjoy 24 days of black teas, green teas, and herbal and fruit infusions, all of which contain whole, natural tea leaves, and can be enjoyed hot or cold.
Want to enjoy the tradition of opening an advent calendar but without the sugar-laden chocolate? The Protein Ball Co offers a funky alternative, which is packed with bite-sized protein balls that are all 100% natural, gluten- and wheat-free, and contain no added sugar. Made with clean proteins like pea and brown rice, this vegan advent calendar boasts six tasty flavours, including Goji + Coconut, Raspberry Brownie, plus a surprise festive flavour waiting for you on Christmas Eve.
Low- and no-alcohol beverages are becoming quite the trend as people become increasingly aware of the health benefits of reducing their alcohol consumption. But that doesn’t mean you have to miss out on making merry this Christmas. Treat yourself or a loved one to Holland & Barrett’s alcohol-free discovery advent box. Inside, you’ll find 24 delicious non-alcoholic wines, beers, gins, tonics, ginger beers and premium soft drinks that will surprise you with every sip.
If you’re looking for a more traditional advent calendar, Pure Heavenly’s new options are a great option for chocolate lovers who want something a bit more healthy. Filled with silky smooth ‘milk’ chocolate, each door hides a mini chunk of chocolate that’s free from dairy, soy, gluten, GMO and palm oil, and contains less than 2% sugar!
Here’s one for the pure traditionalists. Montezuma’s chocolate advent calendar features the brand’s award-winning rich, dark chocolate that’s ideal for the festive season. Organically grown and containing 73% cocoa, the treats are vegan-friendly and gluten-free.
LUSH’s Beauty Advent Calendar 2020 is already sold out, but you can still get your hands on the 12 Days of Christmas gift set, packed with vegan bath, shower and skincare treats. The bath bomb advent calendar includes the brand’s bath-time favourites as well as shower scrubs, a bubble bar, shower gel, body milk and body lotion, all perfect for bringing seasonal scents into your beauty routine. The products come in a recyclable box made from 100% recycled board, and all of the products are vegan.
If you’re going all out for Christmas, online ethical retailer Freedm Street has launched an option that’s ideal for beauty lovers who want to splurge on some ethical goodies to treat themselves this Christmas. The brand’s ethical beauty advent calendar is packed full of luxury eco treats, with everything inside being plastic-free, cruelty-free and vegan. Featured brands include Love Absolute, UpCircle and Hairy Jayne, making this the ultimate way to discover and experience some of the UK’s best ethical beauty and lifestyle brands in on one box.
Looking for some new dishes to inspire your Veganuary journey? We've got you covered! Try one of these delicious recommendations, and don't forget to share your efforts with us using the hashtag #VeggieReaderRecipe on social media!
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