One of the most delightful holiday traditions is counting down the days to Christmas with an advent calendar, especially with one filled with chocolate. The tradition of advent calendars dates back to 19th-century Germany, where people marked the days leading up to Christmas with daily small treats. The first printed advent calendar appeared around 1903, with religious images behind small numbered doors. Over time, the concept evolved to include a variety of themes, from chocolates to toys and was adopted outside of Germany too. Here are ten of the finest luxury chocolate advent calendars, created by the world’s top chocolatiers.
Belgian chocolatier Pierre Marcolini’s festive woodland-themed calendar was inspired by the traditional flavors of Christmas and the sweet memories of our childhood. Each day of the advent reveals enjoyable chocolate surprises and flavors including gingerbread, cinnamon, orange, caramel, vanilla and hazelnut. The 24 windows contain chocolates from Maison Pierre Marcolini's permanent range as well as from the Christmas collection. Among the moreish treats, you’ll find chocolate hearts in flavors like lemon, raspberry, caramel and passion fruit. Also included are chocolate pralines filled with caramel, pistachio-hazelnut, or honey caramel plus salted butter caramel truffles. Each chocolate carries the unique story of its origin, meticulously sourced from different countries and plantations.
This wonderful giant artisan advent calendar, designed in-house by small team of creatives in Melt Chocolate’s Holland Park studio, overflows with luxury gift boxes of British-made chocolates, best-selling dark and milk chocolate bars, hot chocolates, orangettes and Melt’s moreish gianduja spread. Inside the house you will find a whole selection of iconic British architecture, including the Pineapple House, Chiswick House and Kenwood House.
A top luxury pick for adults, this chocolate truffle advent includes a decadent selection of flavors including milk chocolate sea salt, maple and pecan praline, dark chocolate orange, milk chocolate Christmas pudding truffles with spice, rum and brandy and Marc de Champagne truffles.
This limited-edition snowflake-shaped Holiday Advent Calendar doubles as a pretty ornament. Famed French chocolatier La Maison du Chocolat offers chocolatey delights behind each of the 24 windows in an eco-designed calendar, 100% cardboard and 100% recyclable.
Soko Advent Calendars are filled with a range of delicious seasonal chocolates and truffles created by Bake Off: The Professionals finalist, Bharat Chandegra and his team at Soko Patisserie in the UK’s Midlands. Each chocolate is handmade and takes three days to produce. This year’s flavors include: Masala Chai
The website maxtravelz.com is an aggregator of news from open sources. The source is indicated at the beginning and at the end of the announcement. You can send a complaint on the news if you find it unreliable.
Many experiences in Chiang Mai are ideal for the budget traveler – grazing on street food, enjoying relaxing traditional Thai massages, sipping red iced tea, renting a scooter to buzz out to waterfalls and hot springs – but everyone knows that the best things in life are free. And Chiang Mai has experiences by the bucketload that cost absolutely nothing at all.
Food is love, and it is also the perfect gift for a host, a gourmand, a home cook, or anyone who appreciates a truly special culinary experience, and a lovely bottle of something special (alcoholic or non-) to pair it with. Look no further. With these 20+ “global entries,” you are certain to find a delicious gift inspired by great cuisines and chefs from around the globe.
Every day at 11:11am there is a ritual: we make a wish. And every day at 11:11am, we have been wishing for this year’s most over-the-top, extraordinary and extra-plus travel experiences (and luggage).
From soft knits to plaid PJs, one of these cosy gifts is perfect for the traveler in your life. Our pick of winter-warming accessories are perfect for those traveling to cooler destinations, to use in-transit or in-flight. In fact, these presents will not only keep them warm, but will also keep you close to their hearts.
Skipping the buzz—and the calories – has gotten much more enjoyable. Even in the past six months, the non-alcoholic wine space has improved dramatically, with new offerings showing surprising complexity. My list this year includes a couple of debuts and some old favorites. I’ve noted how these beverages were made – some start with fermented grapes – actual wine—then use complex chemistry to remove the alcohol. These might hew closer to a traditional wine to many palates. Then there are beverages that use a mixture of teas, juices, spices or other elements to give the experience of wine – mouthfeel, complex nose and palate. These alternatives are generally not meant to emulate a particular varietal, but rather give the drinker a pleasing adult beverage to enjoy in situations where you’d normally drink wine. Here are this year’s top picks.
Travelers often overlook Belgium in favor of neighbors like France and the Netherlands, but it’s one of Europe’s best kept secrets. Because of its history, Belgium is linguistically and culturally diverse; it’s also small and compact, so visitors can travel to multiple destinations with ease.
In a groundbreaking triumph, Haute Retreats, renowned for curating unparalleled luxury travel experiences, has been crowned the winner of the Best Luxury Villa Rental and Accommodation Service in Europe for the year 2023 by Luxury Lifestyle Awards.
For travellers with time on their side and a thirst for adventure, America’s old-school train network offers a charming way to see the country. Brought together under the banner of Amtrak services in 1970, rail tracks wind between almost every state. Travellers can chug through the Rockies, cross the Great Plains or skirt the Pacific Ocean in California, watching the US’s diverse landscapes unfurl from the comfort of a cabin. To get the best value, helpful booking tips and find out what facilities are on board, try this handy guide.
Know someone who feels perpetually drawn to America’s most beautiful spaces? Treat them to a National Park-themed gift for the holidays. From hand-drawn maps to outdoor apparel, these gifts will keep National Park enthusiasts connected to the most cherished landscapes in the country. Some of these treasures might even put new parks on their radar, inspiring their next adventure in the great outdoors.
One of the best ways to get to know a country is through its food and beverage offerings. For the holiday season, check out these excellent wines from under-the-radar wine regions in different parts of the world (which we should be drinking more from!) for your wanderlust wine-loving friends who are eager to try something new. Note: All wines mentioned are available in the United States.