COVID-19 has changed how many will celebrate the Christmas holidays. One of the traditions getting an update in 2020 is the Advent calendar. In Christianity, Advent marks the lead up to Christmas. It is a somber time of reflection, traditionally observed by lighting candles. The first Advent calendars were used by Germans around the 1850s. These early Advent calendars included a Biblical verse behind each date’s panel and a goodie like chocolate. Then came COVID-19 lockdowns. No more holiday parties.
The new COVID era Advent calendars are different. They are usually made of cardboard with perforated daily panels that can be punched out to reveal the bottle inside. The WineEnthusiast explains that the calendars can include: beers, wines, gin, and whiskey, and more. They can be bought at retailers like Costco and Aldi as well as online. There are online forums, websites, and Facebook groups dedicated to the COVID era Advent calendars. Here are some of the best of the new 2020 Advent calendars.
Beer Advent calendars
GiveThemBeer’s take on the advent calendar $79.00 isn’t for people playing around: There are 12 full-size cans of U.S. brewed craft IPAs, Stouts, and Ales hiding behind festive little doors. Expect suds from Dogfish Head, Ballast Point, Cigar City, Bell’s, Oskar Blues, Founders, and Victory.
Alameda California’s Almanac Beer has two different holiday boxes. One for the 12 days of Christmas ($88.00) and another for the eight nights of Hanukkah ($68.00). Customers can choose their flavor of drink based on their taste preferences, including sour ales or hoppy IPAs.
Whiskey
The Flaviar Whiskies of the World Advent Calendar costs $250.00 and features premium sips from around the globe. The advent calendar includes whiskeys from major producers like Scotland and Japan. It also includes niche offerings from countries like Israel and India. Food and Wine notes that the 2020 calendar holds two dozen 1.7-ounce vials of award-winning whiskies from single malts to rich blends. The selections include Tennessee’s Uncle Nearest Bourbon, Kilchoman 2010 Vintage from Islay’s farm distillery, and an impressive release from Compass Box. It comes with everything needed to appreciate the flavorful tour: a Glencairn whiskey tasting glass, a coaster, and a tasting notes booklet, so you know exactly what you’re sipping.
Jack Daniel’s whiskey-filled holiday calendar includes 24 windows to crack open in December. The $80.00 calendar includes 50ml bottles. There are four bottles each of Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey and Jack Daniels Tennessee Honey, three bottles each of Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Fire and Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Apple, and two each of Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Rye, Gentleman Jack, and Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Select.
Wine Advent calendars
Vinebox is offering a 12 Night of Wine with a mix of reds and whites. You can buy the Nice Edition or the Naughty Edition each for $129.00. The Nice Edition features “crisp, harmonious whites and silky soft reds.” The Naughty Edition contains “brooding reds and sultry whites to tempt even the most pure.” For any wine-lovers who can’t decide whether they’ve been naughty or nice – there’s also the option to buy a bundle that includes all 24 bottles from both boxes.
The Aldi Wine Advent Calendar costs $69.99: Each of the 24 mini bottles of booze inside comes to about $2.91. Plus, the box is pretty enough to leave out under the tree! there are 24 wines inside, including riesling, chardonnay, pinot noir, and more. Some are great. But even the duds are good for cooking.
Gin
This one comes from That Boutique-y Gin Company, so it’s filled with—you guessed it—24 gins all independently made in England. They start shipping out October 15, but sadly, not to the U.S. – guess we gotta plan a trip to London!
Irish Cream
There’s also an O’Donnells 12 Days of Irish Cream Calendar is $29.99 at Aldi. The Thrilliest writes that Irish cream is a boozy holiday favorite hiding in coffee cups at all hours, and has become more popularized in recent years You can get your Irish cream fix with this calendar, which has 12 mini 100ml bottles with flavors ranging from tiramisu to mint chocolate to white chocolate.
The Baileys Advent calendar contains 12 50ml miniature bottles of three different flavors of the world-famous Baileys, wonderful creamy liqueur; Coffee Liqueur, Orange Truffle, and the traditional Irish Cream. It also features a selection of recipes too, so you can try adding some delicious new drinks to your festive holiday zooming. Sadly, not available in the U.S.
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Hopefully one of these adult advent calendars makes it under your tree and you can spend many happy holiday Zoom visits with friends and family this holiday season.
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Ralph Bach has been in IT long enough to know better and has blogged from his Bach Seat about IT, careers, and anything else that catches his attention since 2005. You can follow him on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. Email the Bach Seat here.