Bring Festive Joy to UK Care Homes with Cards For Good Causes

Donate an Advent Calendar by 25th November to Spread Christmas Cheer.

Cards For Good Causes is inviting everyone to spread festive cheer to care home residents through the joy of advent calendars. 

This year, the UK’s largest multi-charity card and gift retailer is launching a new campaign to bring advent calendars to residents in care homes across the country.

There’s something truly magical about the tradition of peeling back the door on an advent calendar each morning, a simple act that brings so much warmth and festive joy. 

Through this campaign, Cards For Good Causes is asking supporters to donate advent calendars, either online or at one of their many pop-up shops, before Monday 25th November. These calendars will then be delivered to partner care homes so residents can enjoy this tradition and feel the festive joy of the season.

In the campaign’s first year, advent calendars will be delivered to care homes in several UK cities, including:

Basingstoke: Barchester Marnel Lodge Care Home

Bury St Edmunds: Manson House

Cardiff: Ty Llandaff Care Home

Edinburgh: St Raphael’s

Leeds: Ghyll Royd Care Home

London: St Teresa’s Home

Christine Ansell, CEO of Cards For Good Causes says: “Our hope is to make Christmas a little brighter for care home residents who may not be able to celebrate with loved ones. We are thrilled to start with these locations and look forward to expanding the initiative in years to come.”

There are two ways supporters can donate:

In Store: Donate an advent calendar at any Cards For Good Causes pop-up shop across the UK. Find your nearest shop at https://cardsforcharity.co.uk/product-category/find-a-card-shop

Online: All tyou need do is visit the Cards For Good Causes website to make a donation towards the campaign. The charity will then deliver an advent calendar to one of the selected care homes on your behalf: https://cardsforcharity.co.uk/donate-an-advent/

All donations must be received by Monday 25th November to ensure timely delivery for the beginning of advent.

Every calendar donated will bring a touch of seasonal warmth, providing a meaningful way for the community to connect and give back this Christmas. Cards For Good Causes thanks everyone for their support in spreading joy and helping make this season extra special.

For further details, visit the Cards For Good Causes website: https://cardsforcharity.co.uk/donate-an-advent/

How to create a unique Christmas advent calendar for friends and family

Creating a unique Christmas advent calendar for friends and family can be a fun and creative project! You can customise it to suit individual tastes and interests, which makes it even more special. Here’s a step-by-step guide to making your own unique advent calendar:

1. Choose a Theme

Traditional: Christmas-themed items like sweets, ornaments, or small gifts.

Personalised: Include items that reflect the recipient’s hobbies or favourites (e.g., tea bags for tea lovers, small books, DIY kits).

Activity-Based: Instead of physical gifts, offer experiences or activities (e.g., baking cookies, watching a Christmas movie, writing holiday cards).

Self-Care: Focus on relaxation items like candles, bath bombs, or inspirational quotes.

2. Decide on the Calendar Type

Hanging Pouches or Envelopes: Hang small pouches, bags, or envelopes on a string with numbered tags.

Box or Drawer System: Use a set of small boxes or drawers, one for each day.

Paper Chains: Create a countdown paper chain where each link contains a treat or message.

DIY Wooden Board or Tree: You can purchase or make a wooden frame with hooks for hanging small gifts.

Mason Jars or Mini Bottles: Each day, give a small item or message in a tiny jar or bottle.

3. Gather Materials

Container: Boxes, bags, envelopes, or jars for each day (24 or 25 days).

Decorative Elements: Stickers, wrapping paper, ribbon, and numbered tags to decorate and number the containers.

Small Gifts or Treats: Mini chocolates, small toys, cosmetics, or personalised items like handwritten notes, photos, or vouchers.

4. Fill the Calendar

For each day, fill the container with something special:

Sweets: Chocolate, candy canes, or homemade cookies.

Small Gifts: Mini candles, ornaments, or handmade crafts.

Personal Notes: Write down jokes, Christmas trivia, or heartfelt messages.

Vouchers: Personalised coupons for a movie night, a hot drink, or a special activity.

5. Add a Personal Touch

Customise each day with a different wrapping design or colour.

Write personalised messages for the recipient to discover each day.

Use photos or mementos to add an extra layer of meaning to each day.

6. Display the Advent Calendar

Choose a way to display it: you can hang it from a mantle, create a Christmas tree shape on a wall with the pouches, or arrange the items on a table.

You could also wrap each item and place them in a basket or box, with the person opening one each day.

Ideas for Gifts or Surprises:

Children: Small toys, puzzles, stickers, or Christmas-themed activities.

Adults: Mini bottles of wine, tea bags, beauty products, or homemade snacks.

Sentimental: Photos, quotes, or small notes that remind them of shared memories.

7. Plan the Daily Surprises

Make sure you vary the gifts to keep it exciting! For example:

Day 1: A mini Christmas ornament.

Day 12: A personal note or letter.

Day 24: A more significant gift like a small candle or a handmade craft.

By customising the advent calendar, you’ll create a personal and memorable gift that’s fun to open every day!

Want eco-friendly gifts for crafty youngsters? Little Crafters Boxes have you covered

Little Crafters Boxes has revealed DIY eco-friendly advent calendars and DIY festive decorations that are absolutely ideal for crafting kids this Christmas.

You'll be able to keep little fingers busy and entertaining themselves over Christmas, with a fantastic range of cleverly crafty gifts for kids.

Released by Little Crafters Boxes, you'll be able to choose from a festive or vehicle-themed build-at-home advent calendar for 24 days of creative fun. Absolutely ideal for those who want to gift eco-friendly presents this Christmas.

Or there are oodles of crafty festive DIY decorations. You'll find winter scenes and trees, stockings and baubles - all of which make for wonderful keepsakes that will last a lifetime, bring happy memories out every Christmas.

For more information, visit www.littlecraftersboxes.co.uk

Little Crafters' Advent Calendar | £49.99 (free UK postage) | Stockist: Little Crafters Boxes

These beautifully and carefully designed DIY advent calendars offer 24 days of creative fun for children aged three to 12, with crafts including baubles, Christmas trees and festive scenes. 

You'll be able to opt for an enchanted festive theme, or a vehicle set, complete with DIY police cars, fire engines and buses, too. 

As with Little Crafters’ monthly subscription boxes, this eco-friendly wooden DIY set is solely manufactured in the UK, and includes everything needed to make the keepsakes inside. (None of the disappointment of a gift that describes itself as "designed in the UK but made in somewhere else, a personal source of irritation for those of us at That's Christmas.)

Items in the Little Crafters' Christmas Catalogue start at £4.99 to £49.99.

Creative kids in your life will love the Little Crafters’ Christmas catalogue. Why? Because it's jam-packed full of festive DIY crafts, including tree decorations (from £4.99), a fairy-light-adorned village scene (£19.99), and a wooden stocking (£12.99). 

Carefully made in the UK only using eco-friendly wood, these are perfect gifts for stocking fillers, Secret Santas or fun gifts that are thoughtfully designed to make excellent keepsakes too. 

You can go through the catalogue and make up a wonderful bundle of Festive joy to create a unique and utterly brilliant Xmas gift. 

Box A (£39.99) contains a 30cm Santa, a Christmas village with fairy lights, and a reindeer tealight ornament. While Box B (£42.99) contains tree decorations, and a wooden stocking.

www.littlecraftersboxes.co.uk

Holland and Barrett Advent Calendar Review.

At only £45 this is a real bargain, but they do sell out very quickly so get one as soon as you can. https://www.hollandandbarrett.com

Aldi’s Hotel Collection Candle Advent Calendar available soon

Counting down the days to Christmas has never been so luxurious as Aldi launches its first ever Candle Advent Calendar (£24.99). 

Featuring 25 candles ranging from Aldi’s best-selling scents to brand new and exclusive fragrances, all housed in a gorgeous premium teal and rose gold box complete with bow, Christmas is coming early this year! 

Available in stores from 29th October, it’s the perfect gift for those that love life’s little luxuries, although shoppers will need to need to be quick as with all Specialbuys once they’re gone, they’re gone.

Hidden behind numbered doors, candle fans will be stunned and surprised with a new single-wick scented candle each day as Christmas nears, including a selection of brand-new Hotel Collection scents. 

The NEW Birch & Hawthorn oozes leathery bark notes with a hint of vanilla and almond, while the NEW Tonka Bean & Pistachio is nutty and herbaceous with sweet, woody touches. Or, for a true scent of Christmas, Ginger Biscuit which will invite a warm, spiced scent into your home.

Ideal for lighting while unwrapping presents beneath the tree, there’s the delightful NEW Christmas Morning scent, as well as other festive-inspired fragrances such as Roasted Chestnut and fresh Peppermint.

Fans of Aldi’s Hotel Collection candle range will also be thrilled to see some returning favourites, including Peony Blush, Oud & Bergamot and Sweet Almond & Macaroon, as well as the best-selling Lime, Basil & Mandarin.

The full candle selection includes:

Ginger Biscuit

NEW Birch & Hawthorn

NEW Tonka Bean & Pistachio

Lime, Basil & Mandarin

Blackberry & Bay

Pomegranate

Pine & Eucalyptus

Bitter Orange

Peony Blush

Amber Woods

Velvety Rose

Oud & Bergamot

Fig & Cassis

Oak & Redcurrant

Sweet Almond & Macaroon

Opium Noir

Night Orchid

Myrrh & Sweet Tonka

Roast Chestnuts

NEW Snowdrops

Peppermint

NEW Midnight Musk & Amber

Oud Wood & Vetiver

NEW Cypress & Eucalyptus

NEW Christmas Morning 

Aldi’s Hotel Collection Candle Advent Calendar will be available in stores from 29th October while stocks last.

It costs £24.99.

www.aldi.co.uk

Booze-filled advent calendars

Do you remember the fun you had as a child when, throughout the run up to Christmas Day, you got to open up that day's advent calendar window and ate a piece of chocolate?

Would you like to recreate the advent calendar magic of your childhood but with something a little more grownup?  

Why not have yourself a merry Christmas with The Food Market's selection of boozy advent calendars?

With advent calendars getting bigger, better and heavier every year, there's one clear winner. Celebrating the lead up to Christmas with an alcohol-themed advent calendar.

This year there are even more options to choose from and whether for yourself or as a gift for someone else, an alcohol advent calendar always proves itself to be really popular.

Fans of gin, vodka or rare whiskies will have plenty of options this Christmas, and what's better, the majority of them come in stunning, beautifully designed boxes so they're practically a nifty Christmas decoration in their own right.

Here are our picks of the best alcohol advent calendars to buy now for 2023

1) Single Cask Whisky Advent Calendar

Don't expect to find any little squares of plain chocolate here, because behind the 24 windows of the Single Cask Whisky Advent Calendar you'll discover a different 30ml wax-sealed dram of single cask whisky, made by some of the best whisky makers around. Just the ticket for any whisky fan looking for a uniquely delicious Christmas countdown!

2.  Bourbon & American Whiskey Advent Calendar

Explore whiskey from some of America's most excellent producers, spanning the delicious range of styles across the USA, including bourbon, rye, Tennessee whiskey and more! If you've marvelled at the Whisky Advent Calendar and thought, "That sounds fantastic, but I specifically love bourbon and the gamut of whiskeys from America", this one's for you.

3. Festive Vodka Advent Calendar

Discover some of the finest and most exciting vodkas from around the world as you count down to Christmas one tipple at a time. Behind these doors you’ll find a unique selection of vodka from delicious classics, to delectably innovative flavoured expressions

Discover some of the finest and most exciting vodkas from around the world as you count down to Christmas one tipple at a time. Behind these doors you’ll find a unique selection of vodka from delicious classics, to delectably innovative flavoured expressions

4. Old & Rare Whisky Advent Calendar

Embark on a truly special tasting adventure with This Old & Rare Whisky Advent Calendar, filled with some of the finest liquid from a variety of fantastic producers. Prepare to count down to Christmas with a plethora of delicious styles and flavour profiles, or it'll make the ultimate gift if you're looking for a way to delight a whisky fan this year.

5. Very Old & Rare Whisky Advent Calendar

As the name might indicate, this calendar contains some exceedingly special whiskies, the sort you probably won't be coming across again any time soon - perfect for the billionaire in your life!

After searching far and wide to unearth a selection of whiskies jaw-dropping enough to fit the bill, we have landed on the very rare an old Collection, with 24 wax-sealed drams, each containing a 30ml measure of a different precious whisky, presented in a superbly smart walnut box alongside an accompanying tasting glass. This absolute treasure trove has all you need to seriously upgrade your whisky collection.

To order please visit https://www.thefoodmarket.com

The cult personalised advent calendar, by Martha Brook

Martha Brook's 24 Days of Stationery Advent Calendar (£99) is the truly ultimate personalised treat for any stationery lover.

Back with a brand-new fantastic, bold design, this highly sought-after advent calendar sold out in record time last year and is known as the cult stationery item for any stationery aficionado. (EDITOR: Best put your order/s in as quickly as possible, then?) 

This year’s design is inspired by the soothing nostalgia of a patchwork quilt to capture the comforting and escapist mood of Christmas 2023. Featuring playful illustrations evoking tales of Greek mythology and dreamscapes, it’s filled with surprises.

24 irresistible items of stationery are waiting to be discovered each day inside the enticing foil embossed boxes that are specially designed to look like a row of colourful books on a shelf.

From a personalised notebook to a 2023 calendar, a set of correspondence cards, gorgeous luxury pens, nifty gold stationery accessories and an assortment of chic paper goods, each day offers something different to be revealed and enjoyed.

It's available now at https://www.marthabrook.com/product/24-days-of-stationery-advent-calendar, £99.

www.marthabrook.com

This Christmas Give The Gift of Tea: Ahmad Tea Unveils 2023 Christmas Gifts Collection

You can really please the loved ones in your life by giving them the gift of tea this Christmas with a real treat from Ahmad Tea’s 2023 Christmas Gifts collection.

Starring in the new collection is a New! Beyond the Leaf Infuser Mug Gift Set and Beyond the Leaf Teabag Selection from the brand’s Great Taste Award winning collection with Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

 Plus, a special Festive 24 Days of Tea Advent Calendar (the perfect way for tea lovers to enjoy the countdown to Christmas), Beyond the Leaf Tea baubles, and New! Teabag Selection Boxes from the brand’s stylish Give the Gift of Tea range.

 A gift from Ahmad Tea’s Christmas Collection is one that gives back, as the brand donates 20% of its profits to local grassroots projects to help communities in need all around the world.

The New! 2023 Christmas Gifts collection from Ahmad Tea includes:

New! Kew Beyond the Leaf Infuser Mug Gift Set: Perfect for loose leaf tea lovers, the luxurious new gift set from Ahmad Tea’s Great Taste award-winning Beyond the Leaf collection with Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, features a 100g Majestic Breakfast loose leaf tea caddy, plus a stylish ceramic infuser mug with lid. RRP £34.99

 New! Kew Beyond the Leaf Teabag Selection: The Great Taste Award winning collection from Ahmad Tea in collaboration with Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, is now available in an elegant 3x10 teabag selection caddy! Choose from Majestic Breakfast, Elegant Earl Grey, and Garden Afternoon. 3 x 10 foil fresh teabags. RRP £6.99

New! Give the Gift of Tea Teabag Selection:  A stylish Christmas gift housing an exquisite selection of Ahmad Tea’s favourite blends, perfect for adventurous tea lovers. Featuring Earl Grey, English Tea No 1, English Breakfast, Evening Tea Decaffeinated, Green Tea, Cinnamon Haze, Cardamom Tea, and Chai Spice. 8 x 6 teabags. RRP £9.99

 New! Give The Gift of Tea 3 x10 Teabag Selection: A brilliant stocking filler, this 3 x 10 Teabag Selection features three of Ahmad Tea’s most popular classic blends - English Breakfast, Earl Grey & Green Tea – housed in a stylish festive selection caddy. 3 x 10 teabags. RRP £5.99

 24 days of Tea Advent Calendar: What better way for tea lovers to count down to Christmas than with this fun calendar? Featuring 24 foil fresh teabags, there’s a tasty blend to try each day, from classics such as Darjeeling, Earl Grey, Cardamon, Ceylon and English Tea No.1, to more exotic flavours such as Mango & Lychee Green Tea, Apple Refresh, Cinnamon Haze, Camomile & Lemongrass, Honey & Vanilla, Rooibos & Cinnamon, and Berries & Hibiscus. RRP £13.99

 Kew Beyond the Leaf Baubles: Spread the joy this Christmas with Great Taste Award winning loose leaf teas from Ahmad Tea’s collaboration with Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, in a stylish Christmas bauble! Choose from Majestic Breakfast, Splendid Ceylon, and Elegant Earl Grey. 25g loose leaf tea bauble caddy. RRP £3.99

 Gary Winslade, Ahmad Tea's UK Business Development Manager says: “Our new Christmas collection is the perfect and ideal way for tea lovers to spread a little joy during this Christmas period.

 “At Ahmad Tea, our mission is to inspire a love of tea, and this means an incredible amount of skill and dedication goes into making our blends to ensure that every sip is worth it, from hand plucking the best leaves in the world’s finest tea gardens to tasting the tea at each stage in its journey, so tea lovers can be sure they are getting only the very best.

 “AS we have already pointed out, beyond great tasting tea, an Ahmad Tea gift is also one that gives back, as we donate 20% of our profits to local grassroots projects to help tea communities around the world.” (EDITOR: In our opinion this means that Ahmad Tea really holds to the true meaning of Christmas.)

The 2023 Christmas gifts collection from Ahmad Tea is available to buy from uk.ahmadtea.com and Amazon from October 2023.

If you are a retailer who wants to stock Ahmad Teas please contact their UK distributor, Petty Wood https://www.pettywood.co.uk.

An advent calendar and more from Swizzels!

Britain's favourite and iconic sweety maker, Swizzels, will be launching two new gift drum lines in time for Christmas 2023. 

They’ll also be offering their fantastic, iconic and much-loved Sweet Shop Favourites Tubs, Sweet Shop Favourites Pouches, Sweet Shop Favourites Cartons and advent calendars for this Christmas.

All of the delicious Swizzel products will be available throughout the country to purchase from this month (September) onwards from major retailers and c-stores.

Swizzels' new gift drums will capture the Christmas spirit and will offer much-loved and sought-after flavours that the nation truly loves. 

The new gift drums are packed to the gunnels with Swizzels sweets Love Hearts or Drumstick chew variants and are a fine and ideal gift for loved ones this holiday season.

Mr Swizzels Sweet Shop Advent Calendar will be certain to delight all Swizzels fans in the lead up to Christmas! 24 doors are filled with Swizzels favourites including Refreshers, Drumstick, Love Hearts and Squashies.

The MRSP is £5.

You can visit their online shop here: https://www.swizzels.com.

Kickstart Your Christmas Celebrations With Flapjackery's Advent Calendar Box

Flapjackery's luxurious and decadently tasty Advent Calendar Box (£52) promises a daily treat throughout December of delicious gluten free flapjack pieces.         

There are 24 wrapped half pieces of flapjack that come in delicious-sounding flavours like Christmas Orange Flapjack, Burnt Caramel & Sea Salt Flapjack and Billionaires Flapjack that are packed in a box, or add numbered advent bags to your order and pop them in there.

The flapjacks are handmade in Devon on the edge of Dartmoor using only British oats, locally-sourced West Country ingredients, fair-trade brown sugar and real butter. 

The advent calendar box can be ordered for delivery from the middle of October. If no date is specified they will be dispatched the week commencing November 15.

The flapjacks are delivered to your door in recyclable cardboard boxes and have a shelf life of three months. All the flapjacks are gluten free.

Advent Calendar Box £52 

Advent Calendar with Velvet Advent Pouch £65.00 

Advent Calendar with Jute Advent Pouch £65.00 

For further information on Flapjackery visit  www.flapjackery.co.uk.

Follow Flapjackery on Instagram and Facebook.

Flapjackery is affiliated with AWIN.

The Advent Calendar Box (£52) contains the following 24 half pieces:

Golden Caramel Flapjack

Caramel Latte Flapjack

Chocolate Fudge Flapjack

Granola Flapjack

Dark Chocolate Orange Flapjack

Clotted Cream Fudge Flapjack

Creamy Hazelnut Chocolate Flapjack with Caramel drizzle

Florentine Flapjack

Ginger & Dark Chocolate Flapjack

Millionaires Flapjack

Mince Pie Flapjack

Christmas Millionaires Flapjack, with white choc drizzle 

Salted Caramel Fudge Flapjack

Traditional Flapjack

Raspberry Millionaire's Flapjack 

Rocky Road Flapjack

Burnt Caramel & Sea Salt Flapjack

Mint Fudge Flapjack

Milk Chocolate Orange Flapjack

Rum & Raisin flapjack 

Peanut Butter Fudge 

Billionaires Flapjack

Christmas Orange Flapjack 

Dark Chocolate Salted Caramel

Craft Gin Club Launches Gin Advent Calendar to Welcome in Christmas 2023

The Craft Gin Club (www.craftginclub.co.uk) is to launch its fabulously festive Craft Gin Advent Calendar for 2023 at a price of £94.95 from 1st September (pre-sale) and on general sale from 1st October on the Craft Gin Club online shop.

The calendar features 25 miniature bottles, each containing a double shot (50ml) of craft gin, so you'll get to enjoy a special G&T on Christmas Day, also!

All the craft gins are new to the calendar for this year, and the selection includes seven exclusive gins created just for Craft Gin Club by master distilleries from all over the UK

For example, the massively popular Cornish craft distiller, Tarquin's, has created an exclusive Mince Pie Gin recipe. This gin can't be purchased anywhere else.

The gins come from the finest craft distillers from around the UK and also from across the globe.

Featuring a fun and fabulously retro hand-drawn design, the calendar will take pride of place in any festive gin-lover's living room!

The advent calendar also has three tasty cocktail serving suggestions to try at home: a 'Claus-mopolitan', a 'Festive Snowball' and a 'Sloe Gin Negroni'

The back of the calendar also outlines a suggested mixer and garnish to pair with each individual gin, as chosen by Craft Gin Club's in-house mixologist, so you can enjoy the perfect G&T with each and every door opening; a 'pairing bundle' of mixers will be available on the online shop to accompany the advent calendar from September.