(Image: Various Retailers)
Forget the humble chocolate behind 24 little cardboard doors, advent calendars for sale across the North East offer everything from £75 candle collections and handmade chocolates to £250 beauty boxes packed with more than £1,000 worth of products.
We've picked out nine unique spins on the traditional advent calendar, offering everything from fragrant candles to garden seeds and beers.
Here are some of the most creative options we've found for this festive season.
The Aromatary Candle Advent Calendar - £75
The Aromatary, a North East-based home fragrance business, has brought back its candle advent calendar for 2026, featuring 24 miniature wooden-wick candles, each with a different signature scent.
Each candle offers a burn time of four to six hours, providing a daily fragrance surprise throughout December.
The calendar is priced at £75, with pre-orders now open and dispatch planned for late November.
The Aromatary Candle Advent Calendar (Image: The Aromatary)
Advent Calendar Making Workshop - £75
La Chocolatrice in Coxhoe, County Durham, is inviting chocolate lovers to make their own advent calendars at a hands-on workshop.
Participants will create 24 handmade chocolate treats with guidance from professional chocolatiers.
The experience also includes a peppermint crisp demonstration, a giant hand-painted chocolate lolly, and a cup of speciality hot chocolate.
Workshops last between 90 and 120 minutes and cost £80 per person, with dates available throughout November.
La Chocolatrice workshop will take place in Coxhoe, DH6 4BZ (Image: La Chocolatrice)
Verve Shelter Seed advent calendar - £15
The Verve Shelter Seed Advent Calendar is a unique option for gardeners and nature lovers.
Instead of chocolates, each door reveals flower, herb, or vegetable seeds, including basil, pumpkins, and sunflowers.
The final door contains a mini grow house, soil tablets, and plant labels.
This calendar is available at B&Q, including its Durham store, for £15.
Verve Shelter Seed advent calendar (Image: B&Q)
Fenwick Beauty 25 Day Advent Calendar - £250
Fenwick’s 2026 Beauty Advent Calendar features 25 days of skincare, makeup, fragrance, and haircare surprises.
The calendar contains 33 products, including 14 full-size items from brands like Charlotte Tilbury, Amouage, and Diptyque.
Priced at £250, it offers more than £1,000 worth of products and includes two complimentary makeup appointments.
One in 50 calendars also contains a £50 Fenwick gift card.
Fenwick Beauty 25 Day Advent Calendar (Image: Fenwick)
12 Beers Of Christmas - £44
Three Brothers Brewing Company in Stockton has launched the 12 Beers of Christmas calendar.
The box contains 12 different beers, both canned and bottled, including seasonal specials and the brewery’s flagship North East IPA.
It is available for pre-order from 26 November 2026 and costs £44.
12 Beers Of Christmas (Image: Three Brothers Brewing Company)
M&S Beauty Advent Calendar 2026 - £75
Marks & Spencer’s Beauty Advent Calendar is available at multiple North East stores, including Durham's Arnison store, and other selected locations.
It offers 25 beauty surprises, with 10 full-size products, from brands including Clinique and Colour Wow.
Valued at over £450, the calendar is available for just £75.
Beauty Advent Calendar 2026 (Image: Marks & Spencer)
Gourmet Marshmallow Advent Calendar - £25
The Naked Marshmallow Co offers a tasty twist with their Gourmet Marshmallow Advent Calendar for £25.
It features 12 flavours, including Chocolate Orange, Cinnamon Churro, S’mores, Gingerbread, and Yule Log.
An optional marshmallow toasting kit is available for those who want to toast each treat.
Gourmet Marshmallow Advent Calendar (Image: The Naked Marshmallow Co)
Classic Advent Calendar by Rituals - £99
Rituals has released a pop-up townhouse calendar with 24 daily beauty and home surprises.
The brand also offers a premium 3D train calendar with more full-size products included for £172.
Classic Advent Calendar (Image: Rituals)
The Grand Advent Calendar - £80
Hotel Chocolat’s Grand Advent Calendar, priced at £80, promises a luxurious chocolate experience.
Each of its 24 doors reveals large chocolate treats, including slabs, cracker decorations, and Velvetised Cream.
The calendar features festive flavours like mulled wine, salted caramel, and classic chocolate reindeer.
The Grand Advent Calendar (Image: Hotel Chocolat)
Whether you're shopping for a beauty lover, a keen gardener or someone with a serious sweet tooth, there are plenty of ways to make the countdown to Christmas a little more exciting this year.
Prices and availability are accurate at the time of writing and may be subject to change.
Some calendars are available to pre-order, while others may sell out before December, so it's worth checking directly with retailers for the latest prices, delivery details and stock information before making a purchase.