One of the worst aspects of old-style Advent calendars was the way they were made with card glued to transparent plastic, making them almost impossible to recycle. Finance is provided by PayPal Credit (a trading name of PayPal UK Ltd, Whittaker House, Whittaker Avenue, Richmond-Upon-Thames, Surrey, United Kingdom, TW9 1EH). Pick one that fits on your mantelpiece and you’ll have a wonderful way to count down the days until Christmas.

INGREDIENTS : AQUA (WATER), BUTYLENE GLYCOL, GLYCERIN, RICE FERMENT FILTRATE (SAKE), POLYGLYCERYL-10 LAURATE, 1,2-HEXANEDIOL, HYDROXYACETOPHENONE, LECITHIN, MALTOSE, SODIUM POLYACRYLATE, PARFUM (FRAGRANCE), AGAVE TEQUILANA LEAF EXTRACT, SORBITAN CAPRYLATE, XANTHAN GUM, SODIUM HYALURONATE, CAFFEINE, CAMELLIA SINENSIS LEAF EXTRACT, CI 19140 (YELLOW 5), CITRIC ACID, COFFEA ARABICA (COFFEE) SEED EXTRACT, CI 16035 (RED 40), SODIUM BENZOATE, POTASSIUM SORBATE, CI 42090 (BLUE 1). You can purchase specially decorated Advent candles from companies like Royal Design, Crusader Gifts and – most commonly of all – Yankee Candle. INGREDIENTS : CI 77499 (IRON OXIDES), ISODODECANE, TRIMETHYLSILOXYSILICATE, DIMETHICONE, SYNTHETIC WAX, POLYETHYLENE, SYNTHETIC FLUORPHLOGOPITE, POLYBUTENE, SILICA, CI 77510 (FERRIC AMMONIUM FERROCYANIDE), POLYGLYCERYL-4 DIISOSTEARATE/POLYHYDROXYSTEARATE/SEBACATE, CAPRYLIC/CAPRIC TRIGLYCERIDE, CI 77492 (IRON OXIDES), STEARALKONIUM HECTORITE, PROPYLENE CARBONATE, TOCOPHEROL.However, if you want a standard Advent calendar that can definitely be recycled, go for one without food inside. Great examples include the beard oil themed designs from The Bearded Man Company and makeup advent calendars from Benefit, Ciate or Mad Beauty. This product must not be used in conjunction with other products containing acids, including retinoic acid, AHAs or BHA exfoliants. Butyl acetate, Ethyl acetate, Nitrocellulose, Acetyl tributyl citrate, Adipic acid/neopentyl glycol/trimellitic anhydride copolymer, Isopropyl alcohol, Styrene/acrylates copolymer, Stearalkonium bentonite, Silica, N-butyl alcohol, Benzophenone-1, Diacetone alcohol, Trimethylpentanediyl dibenzoate, Polyethylene, Phosphoric acid, CI 19140 (Yellow 5 lake), CI 15850 (Red 6 lake), CI 77000 (Aluminium powder), CI 77499 (Iron oxides). Mica, Talc, Isostearyl neopentanoate, Tapioca starch, Zinc stearate, Polybutene, Silica, Dimethicone, Octyldodecyl stearoyl stearate, Polypropylene, Caprylyl glycol, Aqua (Water), Isononyl isononanoate, Butyl stearate, Hexylene glycol, Lauroyl lysine, Tin oxide, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium sorbate, Kaolin, Maltodextrin, [+/- CI 77891 (Titanium dioxide), CI 77491 (Iron oxides), CI 77492 (Iron oxides), CI 77742 (Manganese violet), CI 77499 (Iron oxides), CI 77007 (Ultramarines), CI 75470 (Carmine)].

Unfortunately, many food-filled calendars are still problematic to recycle due to the need to keep the contents fresh. This calendar was developed using a more responsible approach: the cardboard was produced from sustainably managed forests.

Please refer to leaflet for directions and warnings, and ensure you read carefully before your first use and retain for future reference. Savoury food calendars – Believe it or not, savoury snacks like crisps are also finding their way into Advent calendars.