Yahoo News Best sustainable advent calendars for Christmas 2020 that are eco-friendly and reusable
The once-simple tradition of an advent calendar counting down to Christmas has turned into a treat-a-day bonanza. Now, modern advent calendars are designed for all budgets and all tastes, with everything from gin miniatures to luxury travel-sized beauty hiding behind their festively festooned windows.
While there are new designs to marvel at every year, a beautifully crafted wooden calendar offers a rustic charm that’s irresistible come Christmastime.
Skilfully made, they’re timeless pieces and are destined to become treasured family heirlooms, to be handed down through the generations.
From classic woodland scenes to grand designs that Kevin McCloud himself would be proud to showcase, there are hundreds of wooden advent calendar styles that you can fill with a bounty of your own surprises, hand-selected especially for the lucky recipient.
They’re a particularly helpful option for parents who want to make sure their little one gets an age-appropriate gift or something healthier than a piece of chocolate every single day. Not to mention, they offer superb value for money in that you need only replace the gifts every December, rather than fork out for a brand new advent calendar.
They’re not just for kids either; it’s a great concept for adults too, allowing you to enjoy a personal curation of goodies every day leading up to Christmas.
If you’re looking for a wooden advent calendar to establish your very own Christmas traditions, we’ve rounded up some of our favourites below.
Shop more of the best advent calendars for Christmas 2020:
WeRChristmas Pre-Lit Wooden Village Scene House Advent Calendar
Stunningly detailed, this wooden advent calendar is crowned with a woodland village scene, complete with snow-covered trees, lampposts and illuminated cottages.
Each drawer features the same dimensions - 3 x 4.5cm - allowing you to stash a variety of small treasures within.
Requires 3 x AA batteries (not included).
Paperchase Advent Tree Calendar
With tree ornaments and a chest of wooden drawers to hide advent gifts, this calendar is a gorgeous heirloom piece that you're bound to treasure for years to come.
Melissa & Doug Countdown to Christmas
Allow children to revel in the joy of Christmas with this cheerful wooden advent from Melissa & Doug. Little ones can countdown to the day by placing 24 magnetic ornaments on the tree, one each day until December 25.
Reusable DIY Gift Drawers Locomotive Train
Amazon has a massive selection of fun advent calendars, from 12-day train-shaped calendars to snow-capped gingerbread houses with 24 windows for gifts. They’re so beautifully made they can double up as Christmas decorations for each room of your house too.
Wooden House Advent Calendar
For a completely unique take on an advent calendar, Hobbycraft has this house-shaped shell with 24 drawers to paint and decorate to your tastes. Get little ones involved in creating their own advent calendar with paint, fabric swatches, buttons and sequins. They’ll love it even more if they had a hand in its creation.
Christmas Tree 3D Wooden Advent Calendar
Stunningly crafted, this 3D wooden calendar uses 20 LEDs to take it to the next level and get you fully into the festive spirit. There are 24 numbered boxes ready for you to fill with a selection of small gifts, and there’s a six-hour timer function so you can set it to illuminate the dark winter nights. Requires 2 AA batteries, sold separately.
Measures: 35 x 31 x 31cm.
Woodland Christmas Advent Calendar
This beautiful calendar replaces opening small presents every day with the simple pleasures of decorating the wooden fir tree with ornaments. Perfect for small children who may be too young to appreciate a traditional calendar, it’s a stylish piece that will bring festive cheer to any kid’s bedroom.
£45 | Great Little Trading Company
HARRODS Truck Advent Calendar
Readers of certain vintage may remember the excitement of the Coca-Cola Van Christmas advert, which signalled the start of the countdown to December 25. This Harrods calendar recreates the thrill with a branded truck carrying 24 wooden boxes, designed to be filled with tiny trinkets and treats. Decked out in festive red, green and white with gold details, it’s a fun idea that kids can continue to play with after the 24 December days have passed.
Clever Creations Traditional Wooden Advent Calendar
This battery-operated design will make your child the envy of all their classmates - not solely for the detailed carvings and whimsical village designs, but also for the fact that it lights up, doubling as a festive night light.
Features 12 wooden drawers with handles.
Refillable Wooden Advent Gin Christmas Tree
If you're tickled by the thought of a gin advent calendar enough to know you want one year after year, invest in this wooden structure shaped like a Christmas tree.
It comes with 24 mini bottles of flavoured or plain gin, but the best thing about it is the tree is wooden so can be stored away until Christmas 2021 when you can countdown to the big day by way of gin all over again. Simply refill the holes with 5cl bottles of your favourite spirit.
Refillable Dog Biscuit Advent Calendar
Give man's best friend the best festive treat they could wish for with this wooden advent calendar that holds a dog treat a day until Christmas. It comes with a white ceramic keepsake personalised bone decoration that's perfect for hanging on the tree for future Christmases once all the treats have been snaffled. The biscuits are all made with natural ingredients and should be easy to replace to use the calendar again in the years to come.
Wooden House Scene LED Advent Calendar
Fitted with golden glowing fairy lights, this calendar is destined to be the centrepiece of your holiday decor. Numbered boxes surround a intricately cut woodland scene and all the boxes measure the same size apart from box 24 which is bigger and allows you to wrap a particularly exciting prize to discover the night before the big day.
Verdict
If you want to make an advent calendar an annual tradition, buying a reusable one made from robust wood makes sense not just financially but for the sake of the planet too. This pre-lit wooden village scene is a beautiful design and classic enough to roll out year after year.
