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Alternative Advent Calendars For Christmas 2015: Gin, Whisky And Beauty Products Galore

The Best Alternative Advent Calendars Are Here
Natasha Hinde
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The countdown to December has officially begun, which can only mean one thing... It's time to start thinking about advent calendars.

(Any excuse, huh?)

For those who are no longer satisfied by a £3 chocolate-filled calendar from the supermarket, or perhaps if you simply want to steer clear of the sweet stuff this Christmas, we've compiled a list of oh-so-wonderful alternative advent calendars comprising gin, makeup and everything in between.

Christmas 2015: Alternative Advent Calendars
Alternative Christmas Calendars(01 of18)
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(credit:Huff Post UK)
Craft Beer Advent Calendar, £74.99(02 of18)
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The Craft Beer Advent Calendar is an assortment of 24 beers from respected craft brewers. All beers come in the traditional advent calendar format, hidden behind 24 numbered windows and the advent calendar includes a wide range of both bottled and canned beers. Price: £74.99Buy it here. (credit:Craft Beer Advent Calendar)
Gin Advent Calendar, £114.95(03 of18)
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How chic is this advent calendar? Plus this bad girl features 24 3cl samples of gin, so by the time you get to Christmas Day, you should be suitably sozzled. Price: £114.95Buy it here. (credit:Ginvent)
The Whisky Advent Calendar, £149.95(04 of18)
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Highlights among this year’s 24 handmade, wax-sealed drams include a rare 50-year-old Scotch, an award-winning Japanese whisky and the World’s Best Blended Whisky (World Whiskies Awards 2014). Sure it's pricey but this here's no supermarket-brand liquor - it ranges from single grain whisky to rare Scotch worth up to £350 a bottle...Price: £149.95Buy it here. (credit:Master Of Malt)
Beauty Advent Calendar, £15.99(05 of18)
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A must for makeup junkies - this one is filled with cosmetics, nail polish, jewellery and hair accessories. Price: £15.99Buy it here. (credit:Qwerkity)
No7 ’25 Days of Beauty Wonders’ Advent Calendar, £38(06 of18)
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Made up of minis from across the entire No7 range (great for the gym) as well as six full-sized products, this year’s calendar includes beauty goodies worth up to £148. Top picks include: the eye pencils, primer and some goodies from the Protect & Perfect range.Price: £38Buy it here. (credit:No7)
Benefit Party Poppers, £34.50(07 of18)
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Part musical card and advent calender, you open the doors to play a seasonal “Bene-song”. The set includes: the POREfessional mini (7.5ml), remover mini, lollitint mini (2.5ml), high beam mini (2.5ml), ooh la lift mini, watt’s up! mini, BADgal lash mini, ultra plush lip gloss mini in hoola, ultra plush lip gloss mini in sugarbomb, rockateur mini, total moisture facial cream mini.Price: £34.50Buy it here. (credit:Benefit)
Cherish Advent Calendar, £40(08 of18)
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Bath-lovers rejoice: Arran Aromatics’ bath, body and home fragrance collections are wrapped up in this gawjus calendar. Price: £40Buy it here. (credit:Arran Aromatics )
Jo Malone Advent Calendar, £260(09 of18)
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As you'd expect it isn't cheap but my, it's pretty. This advent calendar is a mixture of Jo's amazing colognes and beautiful-smelling body creams. Price: £260Buy it here. (credit:Jo Malone)
Wax Lyrical Advent Calendar, £24.99(10 of18)
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Candles are a lovely part of getting cosy at in December, and Wax Lyrical’s advent calendar comes with a glass tealight holder and a fragranced tea light behind each door. Fragrances include: Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh, Christmas Cookies, Toasted Cinnamon, Mulled Wine, Mandarin and Cranberries, Holly Berry, Vanilla and Cranberry.Price: £24.99Buy it here. (credit:Wax Lyrical)
Carousel Advent Calendar, £31.99(11 of18)
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Yankee Candle's fragrances include Bundle Up, Candy Cane Lane, Icicles, Spiced Orange, Snowflake Cookie, and Winter Glow tealights, as well as Berry Trifle, Bundle Up, Cosy By the Fire and Winter Glow Votives.Price: £31.99Buy it here. (credit:Yankee Candle)
Sweet Treats Christmas Advent Box, £22.50(12 of18)
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If you're a sweet tooth who's looking for an alternative (or addition?) to your choccie calendar, this hits the spot. The box includes 24 gorgeous spotty bags filled with chocolate, bonbons, festive jelly novelties, sweets and hidden somewhere amongst the little bags of goodies is a Sugared Mouse.Price: £22.50Buy it here. (credit:Sweet Memory Lane)
12 Teas of Christmas, £12.95(13 of18)
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We can forgive Harrods for reducing the days of Christmas down to 12 because boy, do we like their tea. The calendar comprises a selection of twelve organic black and green teas with spices and flavourings. Price: £12.95Buy it here. (credit:Harrods)
Paul A Young Advent Calendar, £69(14 of18)
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Take an advent calendar and then think completely outside the box. What you'll then have are 24 extremely cute wooden houses filled with luxury choc. Plus it's sustainable - the houses are designed to be reused again and again.Price: £69Buy it here. (credit:Paul A Young)
Nutcracker Jewellery Advent Calendar, £18(15 of18)
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If you're nuts about ballet (or jewellery) the Nutcracker Ballet Advent Calendar is on point - it's in the form of a jewellery box. Each contains charms to collect that can go on a bracelet. Price: £18Buy it here. (credit:National Gallery Company)
Lego Friends Advent Calendar, £19.99(16 of18)
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This weirdly looks like lady LEGO, but your kids will love it. You’ll find special winter sports equipment, fairground games and Christmas cakes and candies. Price: £19.99Buy it here. (credit:Lego)
Lego Star Wars Advent Calendar, £24.95(17 of18)
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The Mac Daddy of all calendars - we can totally see the adults pitching war against the kids for this one. With figures, mini starships and zooming vehicles hidden behind each door, you're going to need the Force to fight off the rugrats. Price: £24.95Buy it here. (credit:Lego / Harrods)
Advent Calendar For Dogs, £9.95(18 of18)
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It happens every year - your dog watches as you excitedly tear through another calendar and can't understand why there is no treat forthcoming. Just capitulate, would you? Buy the poor mutt a doggie calendar so they can join in on the fun. Price: £9.95Buy it here. (credit:Lily's Kitchen)

A breakdown of the advent calendars on offer:

People who love an excuse to booze it up over Christmas will find themselves tempted by the popular gin advent calendar, which has well and truly captured the nation's attention. For those who don't like gin, there are whisky and beer-filled numbers too.

For beauty-lovers there's the covetable Jo Malone calendar (priced at £260), which is filled with little luxuries including refined colognes and rich and nourishing body crèmes. If price is an issue and you don't want to spend a small fortune, there are also cheaper beauty-filled calendars from Benefit and No7.

For kids who don't like chocolate, try one of multiple Lego advent calendars - pull out a piece of Lego each day and on Christmas Eve they'll be able to construct something truly magical.

And for those who love nothing more than a nice Christmassy smell, check out Yankee Candle's carousel which is crammed with delightful scented candles including spiced orange, snowflake cookie and candy cane.

Oh, and there's even something for the dog. Enjoy!

SEE ALSO:

Gin Advent Calendar Puts The Merry In 'Merry Christmas'

Stop Everything. There's A Craft Beer Advent Calendar

This Year's Primark Christmas Jumpers Are Here

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