Local businesses put out own advent calendars to count down the holidays

Vintage Fork's tea advent calendar. (Miriam Valdes-Carletti/CTV News Edmonton)

While Christmas is more than a month away, some Edmonton businesses are finding ways for people to enjoy the festivities leading up to the holiday through a childhood staple: advent calendars.

CHOCOLATE ESCAPADE(opens in a new tab)

Melissa Simon grew up enjoying chocolate advent calendars, which helped stem her passion for creating unique pieces of edible art.

“I grew up with my mom and I baking and sharing it with people and [enjoyed] how it brings people together and makes people happy,” said Melissa Simon, the owner and chocolatier behind Chocolate Escapade.

Wanting people to get a more luxurious taste of the advent calendars she grew up with, Simon created a chocolate calendar that comes with 24 unique flavours and designs.

“If it tastes amazing, why wouldn’t you want it to look amazing too? Because we eat with our eyes and it just feels like something that exquisite should be in a beautiful package,” Simon told CTV News Edmonton.

Chocolate Escapade's advent calendar. (Miriam Valdes-Carletti/CTV News Edmonton)

Simon hopes people get a taste of nostalgia while eating her handmade chocolates (which can be eaten a day at a time or all at once).

Some of the unique flavours include yuzu and black sesame, mini Nanaimo bar, guava crisp and eggnog. The calendar retails for $70(opens in a new tab).

VINTAGE FORK LOOSE LEAF TEA(opens in a new tab)

For those looking for comfort through a warm cup of tea leading up to Christmas, Vintage Fork co-owner Sarah Melli hopes people will try her tea advent calendar(opens in a new tab).

The calendar comes in three options: Black tea, herbal tea and every kind of tea.

Each day comes with a different flavoured pre-bagged tea, including a special surprise on the 24th day, and has instructions on how to enjoy it best. It retails for $59.99.

“It’s such a great way to sample a bunch of tea without having something that you don’t like and having a bunch leftover,” Melli said.

People can also go to their store in person to shop for over 100 varieties of loose leaf tea.

ANALOG BREWING(opens in a new tab)

Craft beer lovers can enjoy a dozen unique flavours, while also giving back to the community, through Analog Bewing’s 12 Beers of Christmas box.

“We have a little bit of everything in there, lots of fun things. [We are] constantly just experimenting and trying weird new ingredients, weird new recipes,” said Analog Brewing co-owner Bryan Launier.

Supporting local is the heart of the box, for each box sold $5 will go toward the Edmonton Food Bank.

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A post shared by Analog Brewing (@analog_brewing)(opens in a new tab)

“Year after year the Edmonton Food Bank has been hit harder and harder with how the economy is currently going,” Launier said.

Analog Brewing says it partnered up with four other local brewers in the city to come up with the flavours months in advance.

Some of the flavours brewed specifically for the box include a mango sticky rice sour, a chocolate fig sour and a crème brulee stout.

The advent box retails for $75 and can be bought in person.

LUMBERJILL APPAREL(opens in a new tab)

The duo behind LumberJill Apparel have a unique spin and message behind their advent box: supporting local businesses in Canada.

Co-owner Meagan Ryan wants people to know what local options are available for people to shop as they prepare to buy gifts in December.

The outdoor women’s apparel shop based in Edmonton is offering a box this year that features items for various local businesses in Alberta and across the country.

“We can support other people by raising them up, saying their names in a room and knowing that there’s enough space for all of us to be in business together,” said business co-owner Krista King.

“Now more than ever, it’s so important that we support our local community.”

People will be able to open items that range from personal care to food and clothing. The 60 boxes available this year are sold out, but the owners are already preparing for next year.

King says businesses have already reached out to take part in next year’s local advent box.