This week, Aldi’s scented candle advent calendar is landing in stores. First introduced last year, Aldi’s bringing back the £24.99 calendar – with the price point staying the same as last year – set to launch this Sunday 25th October. But I got my hands on the calendar ahead of the release and got to try and assess its contents, value for money and more.

I got a first look at the best advent calendar on a budget at the Aldi Christmas Specialbuys preview earlier this month. But that only left me wanting an up-close look and hands-on try of the calendar – and I was lucky enough to be granted this wish. And after getting my hands on it, I really believe it’s one of the best value-for-money advent calendars I’ve seen and tried this year.

I was most impressed with the presentation, look and the feel of the actual calendar which comes across as more expensive than its £24.99 price tag. It features a gingerbread house design made from thick card – Aldi describes it as a reusable calendar which I fully get behind. You could definitely keep the box and fill it with your choice of little treats next Christmas.

Once you open the calendar, you’re greeted with 25 whimsically illustrated little drawers, each containing a 40g mini candle. There are five different seasonal scented candles which repeat throughout the calendar – my favourite Iced Berries, Hot Cocoa, Frosted Fir, White Christmas and Cinnamon Spice – but on the 25th, you’ll be treated to something a little different in the form of the only Warm Gingerbread candle which is pretty delicious.

If you were to compare this scented candle advent calendar to some of the pricier alternatives like the hugely popular John Lewis scented candle advent calendar, you do get what you pay for when it comes to the actual candles and their scents. In other words, the scented candles in other advent calendars with higher price points smell nicer and look more expensive (since they are).

But if you’re after an affordable but pretty candle advent calendar, whether it’s a gift or as a little treat for yourself, I couldn’t recommend this Aldi one enough.

Just like all of Aldi’s Specialbuys, this advent calendar, too, is reserved only for the supermarket’s physical stores. So I wish you luck on Sunday and hopefully you’ll get to snap one up from the middle aisle.

But just in case your mission is unsuccessful, here are a few similarly priced alternatives from other brands and retailers you can get instead.

Alternatives

Which one is your favourite?

It may still be too early for Christmas cheer for many, but I just spotted what I think is about to be a must-have for the cosiest time of the year: Next’s new Gingerbread Hot Chocolate Station (£45).

This year’s Christmas decor trends have all embraced a return to the traditional motifs of the festive season that we all know and love from our childhood – gingerbread included. And seeing as Next has already had a huge hit with its sellout gingerbread Christmas tree skirt, it seems plausible that this adorable hot chocolate station kit could go the same way.

Here’s a closer look at this set which is sure to delight the whole family once December rolls around if you want to put a charming hot chocolate station idea into practice in your own home.

If Google Trends are anything to go by, there’s a growing appetite for DIY hot chocolate stations in the UK – the term is reportedly up 12% to +18% year on year. If you want to stage your own sweet treat display, then this set feels like something that you’d be able to pull out of storage year after year to make use of.

Dedicated hot chocolate makers, which might have prompted the surge in at-home stations, have been hugely popular since the launch of The Velvetiser by Hotel Chocolat back in 2018. With a jug design that carefully whisks all kinds of chocolate (including your favourite high street bars) into a silky hot drink, these frothers can also double up for use alongside the best coffee machines if you’re a latte lover.

Or, Salter’s The Chocolatier is an alternative kind of appliance that’s been a huge hit with those looking for a more affordable version – I loved it when I tried it out at home. Whichever hot chocolate maker you opt for (or if you’re a purist for the hob method!), a serveware set made for the occasion is always going to be a hit when you’re hosting or just entertaining your own family.

There’s certainly one customer, who has awarded the set a five-star review already, who’s impressed by its quality. ‘It really is lovely and very well made’ said the reviewer. ‘I think the mugs could also be used to hold dipping sauces, hummus, etc. I really am delighted with my purchase and can’t wait to use it over the festive period’.

Given that the nights are well and truly drawing in now, a hot chocolate station might be just the thing to brighten your spirits as we make our way towards Christmas. Can you see the appeal in this whimsical set?