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!

Be a hero with zero! Award-Winning Sparkling Wine Brand Founded by the Delevingne Sisters Launches 0% Della Vite Zero

Goodbye Christmas hangovers! Why? Because Christmas 2024 is all about bubbles with balance and waking up feeling fresh and without the morning after headaches and feeling of guilt!

Introducing Della Vite Zero, a fantastically delicious non-alcoholic sparkling wine from the Delevinnge sisters, Cara, Poppy and Chloe. 

It's a sparkling French Rosé, bursting with flavours of cherry blossom, red berry, and fresh red apple. It's a festive fizzy drink yet with some serious flavours: perfect for sharing with friends, bringing to the table at Christmastime family gatherings and office parties, or a thoughtful gift for someone who may be cutting back on excess this festive season. Now there's something for everyone from Della Vite: and we're all invited!

It's the third release from Della Vite, (the range also includes award-winning proseccos Della Vite Superiore and Della Vite Treviso Rose) and this again is truly wonderful family affair: this time the sisters worked closely with a 4th generation French wine-making family in Beziers, France, who cultivate Della Vite Zero using Grenache grapes, the liquid undergoing a careful de-alcoholisation process to create complex and fresh flavours, and that all important pop of fizz. 

Because after all, everything seems better with bubbles, right? What's more, Della Vite Zero has one of the lowest sugar and calorie levels for this kind of product: perfect for those looking for healthier options during the Festive season.

Says Cara Delevingne:  “Alcohol-free doesn't mean having to compromise on taste, fun or new experiences. I've really wanted to create something like this with my sisters for a long time, but we were patient and finally found the right partners to work with. 

"It was well worth the wait. Sugar-free, low calorie, vegan, sustainable and absolutely bursting with flavour. There's no need to miss any party now, and you can show up 100% at 0% this Xmas be it at the family Christmas Dinner, the Christmas Office Party or gatherings with family or mates."

Cara explains: "We initially sold out via Selfridges so next we wanted to make sure thatno one missed out on the next batch, so we're delighted to share Della Vite Zero via Selfridges and Amazon, too. Come join us for a sip!"

Della Vite launched in 2020 and is now a multi-award-winning global sparkling wine brand with listings across the world as well as World Duty Free. Della Vite Zero is the brand's first foray into 0%.

Follow @della_vite for news, serving suggestions and more 

Della Vite Zero 0% the RRP is£14.99 to £15.64, 750ml, available from Selfridges and Amazon.

Mixing drinks this Christmas? You'll need Fever-Tree

Effortless Christmas entertaining is now just a pour away!

Don’t go into the festive hosting season without your favourite cocktails essential mixers: All you need do is just mix your favourite gin, vodka, tequila or rum with one of Fever-Tree’s Cocktail Mixers to create absolutely delicious, cocktail lounge quality cocktails which taste utterly delicious and perfect every time.

Available for £4.50 from Tesco, Sainsburys, Waitrose, Ocado, Morrisons and your Co-op:

Options include:

Fever-Tree Espresso Martini Cocktail Mixer, 500ml – Start your evening with a boost! Simply combine with your favourite vodka.

Fever-Tree Passionfruit Martini Cocktail Mixer, 500ml - To liven up any party, shake together with vodka for an impressive and fruity serve.

Fever-Tree Margarita Cocktail Mixer, 500ml – Always popular with the ladies, just combine with your favourite tequila and serve with a touch of sea salt on the rim for that perfect serve.

Fever-Tree Mojito Cocktail Mixer, 500ml – Popular with everyone, introduce your favourite rum to Fever-Tree’s new Mojito Cocktail Mixer to create a truly memorable, zesty cocktail in minutes.

Easy Espresso Martinis with Fever-Tree Espresso Martini Cocktail Mixer, 500ml

RRP £4.50 Tesco, Sainsburys, Waitrose, Ocado, Morrisons:

To end the perfect evening, simply combine your favourite vodka with Fever-Tree’s new Espresso Martini Cocktail Mixer to create a delicious, impressive cocktail without the hassle of buying ingredients or having to run the coffee machine.

Blended Indonesian coffee extracts and sweet notes of vanilla come together alongside subtle flavours of 

Fever-Tree Passionfruit Martini Cocktail Mixer, 500ml:

RRP £4.50 Tesco, Sainsburys, Waitrose, Ocado, Co-op:

To sweeten any party, shake together vodka and Fever-Tree’s Passion Fruit Martini Cocktail Mixer for an impressive fruity serve.

Crafted with the finest Maracuja passionfruit from Ecuador, ripened mango and vanilla, this zingy tropical blend creates a delicious fruity Passion Fruit Martini.  

High res images: ​Folder icon Fever-Tree Passionfruit Martini Cocktail Mixer

Fever-Tree Margarita Cocktail Mixer, 500ml

RRP £4.50 (Tesco, Sainsburys, Waitrose, Ocado, Morrisons):

For effortless entertaining, simply combine your favourite tequila with Fever-Tree’s new Margarita Cocktail Mixer and stir or shake for a bright and zesty Margarita.

Packed full of fresh Mexican limes and Italian blood oranges, this zesty Margarita Cocktail Mixer is expertly balanced with subtle notes of sweet orange, grapefruit & angostura bitters. Finished with a touch of sea salt.

Fever-Tree Mojito Cocktail Mixer, 500ml

RRP £4.50 (Tesco, Sainsburys, Waitrose, Ocado, Morrisons, Co-op):

If your evening calls for a refreshing beverage, introduce your favourite rum to Fever-Tree’s new Mojito Cocktail Mixer to create a memorable, zesty cocktail in minutes.

Build anticipation amongst your guests as crisp and sweet Mexican limes and fragrant Moroccan mint leaves complement each other in this crowd-pleaser cocktail. Making the perfect Mojito at home every time couldn’t be easier.

You can also use alcohol-free drinks with the above mixers for fantastic alcohol-free versions of the above iconic cocktails.

And check out the entire Fever Tree range here https://fever-tree.com/en_GB

Apricot Mince Pies

This interesting and somewhat different recipe for mince pies is from our friends at Bonne Maman.

Ingredients

100g unsalted butter, at room temperature and cubed, plus extra for greasing

200g plain flour, plus extra for dusting

1tsp ground mixed spice

1tbsp caster sugar

6tsp Bonne Maman Apricot Conserve

6tsp good-quality mincemeat

1 beaten egg to glaze

icing sugar, to dust

How to make them

Preheat the oven to 200°C (fan oven 180°C), gas mark 6. Lightly grease a 12-hole cake tin.

Put the flour into a mixing bowl, add the butter and rub into the flour until the mixture is like fine breadcrumbs.

Add the mixed spice to the sugar in a pestle and mortar or a strong bowl with the end of a rolling pin and grind together until well mixed and a little powdery. Add this to the flour and butter and stir in.

Using a round-bladed palette knife, mix in 3-4 tbsp cold water, stirring until it comes together. Then, with your hands, work the dough gently into a ball, wrap in cling film and allow to rest for about 20 mins.

Roll out the pastry thinly on a lightly floured work surface. Stamp out 12 circles with a fluted pastry cutter, slightly larger than cake holes, and press the circles into the tin.

Put about 1/2 tsp of apricot conserve into each pastry case, then top with about 1/2 teaspoon of mincemeat.

Re-roll the pastry trimmings and cut out 12 smaller circles and put them on top of the mincemeat. Glaze the tops with a little milk or beaten egg, if available, and bake in the preheated oven for 12-15 mins until the pastry is crisp and golden.

Cool in the tin for 5 mins, then remove and cool on a wire rack. Dust with icing sugar to finish.

Spiced Ginger bread Wreath from Bonne Maman

Ingredients

50g unsalted butter, diced

50g Demerara sugar

100g golden syrup

1 tsp mixed spice

1 tsp finely grated fresh ginger

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

30ml beaten egg

250g plain flour

20 tbsp Bonne Maman conserve in many flavours and colours

250g white fondant icing

250g Royal icing sugar

To make the gingerbread dough, put the butter in a large bowl.

In a saucepan, stir together the sugar, syrup, spices and ginger and bring to the boil. Add the bicarbonate of soda (it will puff up) and pour the hot mixture over the butter. Stir until the butter has melted.

Beat in the egg and slowly blend in the flour. It will look as though there is too much flour but it will blend in.

Knead the dough in the bowl until smooth and cut into quarters. Wrap each piece in clingfilm. Roll out a quarter of the dough at a time to make the biscuits.

Roll the dough out between two sheets of baking parchment, to about 3mm thickness. Use a variety of Christmas cutters to stamp out about 50 biscuits of varying sizes. We used snowflake cutters from 12cm across down to 4cm. Remember you will need two of each size, to sandwich together. Re-knead and re-roll the trimmings.

Lay the biscuits out on baking sheets, lined with baking parchment. Stamp out the centre from half the biscuits to create the space for the conserve. We used a 2 1/2cm and 1 1/2cm round cutter. Chill the biscuits for a good hour before baking.

Heat the oven to 170C, 150C fan, gas 3. Bake the biscuits in batches until golden and crisp. They will take between 7 and 10 mins, depending on size. Cool on a wire rack.

While the biscuits are cooling, roll out the fondant icing on a surface dusted lightly with icing sugar and stamp out 6 or 7 snowflakes, using the same cutters. Stamp out the centres, using the same round cutters. Brush the top biscuits with a little conserve and lightly press on the matching icing.

Brush all the base biscuits lightly with conserve and press on the top biscuits. You should now have about 25 snowflake biscuit sandwiches of various sizes, some iced with fondant and some plain.

Put the Royal icing sugar in a bowl with 40ml of cold water. Gradually beat the icing until it forms a stiff but pipeable paste. Spoon into a piping bag with a small nozzle and pipe or drizzle icing across most of the biscuits to resemble snowflakes. Leave the icing to set for 10 mins. Fill the biscuit centres with various flavours and colours of Bonne Maman Conserve. Store the biscuits in airtight containers until ready to use.

To serve, arrange the biscuits in a generous wreath on a large white board and take to the table for Christmas tea.

Rudolph Reindeer Cake from Bonne Maman

Ingredients

400g mixed dried fruit

300ml dry cider or apple juice

225g stoned whole dates

1 tbsp mixed spice

2 tbsp Bonne Maman Apricot, Mirabelle Plum or Fig Conserve

1 large ripe banana

finely grated zest 1 orange and 1 lemon

120g fine polenta

2 tsp baking powder (use gluten-free baking powder if wished)

2 large egg whites or 5tbsp chilled aquafaba, if you wish to make a vegan or egg free version.

2 tbsp brandy or dry sherry, optional

Metod

Put the dried fruit in a large mixing bowl and pour in 100ml of the cider or apple juice. Leave to soak overnight.

Heat the oven to 180C, 160C fan, gas 4. Line an 18cm round, 10cm deep cake tin or 6 small 220g baked bean tins with baking parchment.

Put the dates, spice, conserve and remaining 200ml cider or apple juice into a saucepan and simmer gently for 5 mins. Take off the heat and leave to cool.

In a blender or processor, puree the date mixture with the banana. Transfer to a mixing bowl and fold in the citrus zest, soaked dried fruit, polenta and baking powder.

In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites or aquafaba into soft peaks and fold into the fruit mixture. Spoon into lined cake tins.

Bake for 25-30 mins for individual cakes or 45-50 mins for a large one, covering with foil after 30 mins. A skewer pushed into the centre of the cake should come out clean when it's cooked.

Drizzle the brandy or sherry over the hot cake, if using, then leave to cool in the tin. The cooked cakes keep well, wrapped in clingfilm and foil, in an airtight tin for up to 3 days, or can be frozen undecorated.

Christmas Carrot Cake from Bonne Maman

For the Cake

200g dark brown sugar

50g Bonne Maman Apricot Conserve

3 large eggs

225ml sunflower oil

80g desiccated coconut

250g carrot, coarsely grated

1 tbsp finely grated fresh ginger or 1 tsp ground

200g self-raising wholemeal flour

1 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

3 teaspoon mixed spice

grated zest of 1 large orange

For the Frosting

250g tub mascarpone cheese

300ml carton extra thick double cream

180g tub light soft cheese

2 tbsp icing sugar

150g Bonne Maman Apricot Conserve

How to make it

Heat the oven to 170C, 150C fan, gas 3. Line a 20cm round, 10cm deep cake tin with baking parchment.

With an electric whisk, beat together the sugar and 50g of conserve with the eggs and oil for 3-4 mins.

Stir in all the remaining ingredients until evenly mixed and spoon into the prepared tin. Bake for about 1 1/2 hours or until golden brown and firm to the touch.

A skewer pushed into the centre should come out clean. Leave the cake to cool in the tin before turning out.

Meanwhile, make the frosting. Put the mascarpone in a bowl and gradually beat in the cream with a wooden spoon until thick and smooth. Now beat in the soft cheese and icing sugar. Chill the mixture for 15 mins.

Cut the cold cake into three layers. Set aside the top of the cake and spread the bottom and middle layer generously with the remaining apricot conserve. Lightly dollop about a third of the frosting onto the conserve and spread evenly. Layer up the cake again and lightly cover the top and sides with the remaining frosting. Some of the cake should show through.