Countdown to Christmas

Creative Calendars for less than £20

Gone are the days of advent calendars filled only with pieces of chocolate.  While extravagant ones fill the shelves of high-end stores, there are ones that are equally fun and frivolous for a lot less:

BeanBoozled (£15) — BeanBoozled popular Russian Roulette candy game has been made into a Naughty or Nice? calendar.  The advent calendar features 24 packages of randomly mixed jelly bean flavors.  The tasty (and not so tasty) combinations, include: buttered popcorn / rotten egg, caramel corn / moldy cheese, chocolate pudding / canned dog food and tutti fruitti / stinky socks to name a few.  Only for those that are up for a dare!
www.jellybelly.co.uk

Kellogg's (£4) — Kellogg's has released the UK's first breakfast calendar.  The limited edition Variety Advent Calendar features '24 bowls til' Christmas' and is only sold in Tesco stores.  The pack includes classics like Coco Pops, Corn Flakes, Rice Krispies and more.  Considering my parents wouldn't buy us sugary cereals growing up — I have a feeling I am more excited by this one than my kids are.

Mad Beauty (£19.99) — There are 24 mini beauty gifts in all.  The set includes one compact, eye liner and lip liner, two blushers, eye shadows and lipsticks along with five lip glosses.  It even has numerous applicators, brushes, decals and more — everything you need to fill up a makeup bag.  

www.madbeauty.com

Wax Lyrical (£19.99) — Wax Lyrical's Night Before Christmas Calendar features 24 tea lights and tea light holder.  Their popular holiday fragrances Gold, Frankincense & Myrrh, Toasted Cinnamon and Vanilla and Cranberry are included.  With combined burn time of 150 hours, this set will last throughout the holiday season. 

Last, but not least is the world's first Cheese Advent Calendar (£8) featuring 24 individually wrapped cheeses and sold by ASDA.  Flavors include Applewood, Jarlsberg, Mature Cheddar, Red Leicester and Wensleydale varieties.  So far I haven't had luck getting my hands on one — let me know if you do!

For more: Download the London via Surrey Book App