When it comes to the festive season, it’s easy for the dairy-averse to feel left out.
From puff pastry-covered hors d’oeuvres to pigs in blankets fried in butter, those on a plant-based diet may well feel that everywhere they turn at the Xmas ‘do, they’re met with an all-you-can-eat buffet sign clad with a skull and crossbones and the dreaded dietary note, “not suitable for vegans”.
Yet with such a bustling variety of vegan and dairy-free alternatives on the market as of late, we’re not giving Christmas party hosts any excuse not to accommodate our ethically minded and allergic friends in 2024. Perhaps the easiest, most delicious and widely available vegan alternative which serves as a classic Christmas treat is chocolate. In fact, non-vegans sometimes prefer plant-based chocolate made with tasty alternatives like oat milk.
We’re taking our dietary-inclusive festive declaration one step further for 2024 and beyond. The vegan and dairy-free lot in our lives should not only be able to enjoy a mouth-watering Christmas meal, but also have their very own lactose-less advent calendar to celebrate the festive countdown. Luckily, there are a variety of moreish options already on the market and available for order.
Sweet-toothed vegans needn’t go without a delicious chocolatey countdown with the likes of luxury chocolatiers Chococo, H!P, Ombar, Hotel Chocolat, Monty Bojangles and so many more offering a selection of opulent, dairy-free treats to enjoy every day throughout December right up until Christmas morning (with some even including that all-important bonus treat for the December 25).
A vegan advent calendar doesn’t necessarily need to be filled with vegan chocolates, either. Plant-based skincare and beauty brands have also hopped on the ethical advent train, with a myriad of lavish non-edible calendars available for pre-order.
We’ve curated a selection of the best vegan advent calendars on the market this year. Keep scrolling for a sustainable Christmas countdown.
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Chococo, The Plant-based Christmas Countdown Advent Calendar Selection Box
Complete with an assortment of opulent dark and oat milk chocolates, this glorious vegan-friendly chocolatey countdown box features plenty of Chococo’s award-winning flavours such as Sticky Toffee Pudding, Oat M!lk Hazelnut Latte, Panela Panache Truffle and so much more.
Buy now £29.00, Chococo
Hotel Chocolat Unbelievably Vegan* Up To Snow Good Advent
Hotel Chocolat always has a fabulous offering for the festive season, and this year’s dairy-free advent calendar is no different. It includes 24 adorable little Nutmilk chocolate penguins, snowmen and Santas with lovely countdown messages and an oversized delight to enjoy on Christmas Eve. It’s also available in milk chocolate for the non-vegans.
Buy now £8.95, Hotel Chocolat
Joe & Seph’s Vegan Popcorn Advent Calendar
Officially approved by the Vegan Society, this gourmet popcorn calendar by the cinema snack specialists Joe & Seph’s offers a highly unique plant-based approach to the festive tradition. Behind each of the 24 Christmassy cubbyholes is a miniature pack of Joe & Seph’s handmade popcorn in eight different vegan flavours.
Buy now £30.00, Joe & Seph’s
Bird & Blend Matcha Tea Advent Calendar 2024
Matcha lovers unite, because new to Bird & Blend’s Christmas offering is the mean green advent machine. Enjoy an array of different, highly unique matcha flavours every morning in the run-up to Christmas with this plastic-free selection of limited-edition fan favourites. The 24 matcha pouches produce a whopping 48 cups of matcha, making it a great option for couples and roomies.
Buy now £52.00, Bird & Blend
Bird & Blend Tea Advent Calendar
Enjoy a cuppa every day of the Christmas countdown with Bird & Blend’s tea advent calendar. Ideal for those who’d prefer a soothing tipple over a sweet treat, the fully vegan calendar is a creative alternative to a classic chocolate option. Cosy up by the fire and discover what flavours await inside.
Buy now £38.00, Bird & Blend
Ombar Vegan Chocolate Christmas Advent Calendar
Complete with a variety of plant-based, festive chocolate delights, the true prize in this brilliant vegan advent calendar is the extra-large spiced orange and hazelnut truffle bar.
Buy now £14.99, Amazon
Montezuma's Dark Chocolate Advent Calendar
An oh-so-adult selection of dark chocolate which is sure to keep little paws off, Montezuma’s sumptuous selection makes for a perfect after dinner treat throughout the month of December.
Buy now £13.00, Ocado
NOMO Premium Advent
Whether you’re into plant-based chocolate by choice or by dietary requirement, NOMO is a fan-favourite for a reason. This delicious plant-powered advent calendar contains a selection of NOMO’s most delicious dairy-free, gluten-free, nut-free, egg-free and palm oil-free flavours as well as a full-size caramel bar.
Buy now £12.00, Amazon
Monty Bojangles Vegan Cocoa Dusted Truffles Collection Premium Advent Calendar
If you’re familiar with Monty Bojangles, you’ll understand why we were so excited to see this hit the market. The brand’s vegan advent calendar features an array of cocoa-dusted vegan truffles for all ages. Comprised of three multi-award winning flavours such as Cocoa Nib Nights, Cocoberry Blush and Caramel Haze, the calendar promises a delicious 24-day countdown to Christmas.
Buy now £12.00, Ocado
H!P Oat Milk Vegan Chocolate Christmas Advent Calendar
H!P's Christmas advent calendar is filled to the brim with surprises. There are four different flavours of creamy oat milk chocolate treats to delight any plant-based muncher. Flavours include creamy and smooth, salted caramel, gingerbread and orange.
Buy now £9.99, Selfridges
Candy Kittens Advent Calendar
We know we’re cheating by including a non-chocolate advent calendar in this round-up, but we couldn’t resist the pull of this extravagant gourmet advent calendar from Candy Kittens. Filled to the brim with delicious, fizzy flavours from the brand’s addictive range, you’ll get a sweet treat every day for 24 days.
Buy now £12.00, Amazon
Bamford Twelve Days of Christmas Advent Calendar
- Release date: Available now
- Worth: £271
Invigorate the senses with the botanical blends that make up the Bamford collection. The Cotswold-born brand is bringing its revitalising bath, body and home fragrance favourites to the comfort of your own home this Christmas to infuse its aromas and calm-inducing properties. Within the beautifully adorned festive exterior are the full-sized Geranium Hand & Body Lotion, Wash and Bath Oil and the Fig candle among eight other sample or deluxe-sized products.
Buy now £195.00, Bamford
Nuxe Advent Calendar 2024
- Release date: Available now
- Worth: TBD
The British winter may not provide much illumination but with Nuxe’s advent calendar on hand, you’ll shimmer and shine through to Christmas with its selection of glow-getting skin and body. The luxe French label is perhaps best known for its Huile Presdigieuse and that is of course among the selection, set along the beautifully scented micellar water, the Multi-Correction Glow-Boosting Cream-Gel, Micro-Exfoliating Purifying Gel and Rêve de Miel Lip Moisturizing Stick with 24 products in total.
Buy now £75.00, Nuxe
Holland & Barrett Beauty Advent Calendar
- Release date: Available now
- Worth: £219.23
- Brands: Evolve, Dr Organic, Faith in Nature and Tisserand
Holland & Barrett is putting relaxation on the agenda this Christmas with an advent packed to the gills with products designed to encourage you to take some well-deserved me-time. This includes a sumptuous candle, silky oils and beautiful bath salts - with all the contents vegan-friendly.
There are 16 full-sized products, the most the retailer has ever included, and you can expect the Weleda Skin Food Cleansing Balm alongside heroes from Wild, Q+A, Faith in Nature and Tisserand.
Buy now £45.00, Holland & Barrett
Cocoa Libre Luxury Vegan Advent Calendar
Perfect for those with a sweet tooth, Cocoa Libre's advent calendar will build anticipation for anyone who receives it. There are 24 cocoa bites inside that await discovery behind each door, made from top-quality, natural ingredients. The pieces have been carefully modelled on classic Christmas objects such as gifts, baubles and more.
Buy now £16.99, NOTHS
Happi 3 Flavour Christmas Vegan Advent Calendar 2024
Featuring 24 gluten-free oat milk chocolates in salted caramel, orange and classic oat milk flavours. It contains an impressive 25 per cent less sugar than most traditional dairy chocolate brands, making it a healthy and delicious alternative chocolatey countdown.
Buy now £15.00, Amazon
