Winter wonderland - advent calendar special (addendum)

To round off last week's celebration of advent calendars, I just wanted to add a few examples I encountered over the last few days.

 

This included my own, from luxury chocolatier Hotel Chocolat featuring an elegant yet complex white design printed on a pale blue background.

 

Comprising two units joined by a spine, the Hotel Chocolat advent calendar opens like a book, and can be displayed like a Christmas card.

 

The graphic's main focus is on deciduous trees and their bare branches, with the addition of birds, moose and Christmas tree shapes. This graphic extends from the "cover" to the "centerfold".

 

The "second page" also features a graphic of Santa Claus in his sleigh, being pulled by his trusted reindeer.

 

As with most other advent calendars, perforated windows are numbered out of sequence to help you locate a daily treat. However, with this high-end advent calendar, the numbers are foil embossed for extra luxury.

 

My Hotel Chocolat advent calendar takes pride of place alongside my wife's Thorntons Continental choice (pictured, top), with its triangular shape, Victoriana graphics and fabric bow detail.

 

As well as the front panel being decorated with graphics representing a more traditional image of Christmas, the Thorntons Continental advent calendar is reverse printed, with each window decorated on the reverse with a further graphic and phrase associated with the festive period (pictured, right).

 

Not all advent calendars need be presented in a printed carton though.

 

My nephews have knitted ones that were crafted by hand by my sister a few years ago, with the numbers adorning pockets that are replenished with personalized treats each December 1.