The buildup to Christmas is almost as magical as the day itself. And nothing gets me in the holly, jolly spirit quite like an advent calendar. A what? I get it: We’re still a few months away from Santa’s long-awaited arrival, and you’re scoping out Labor Day sales without thinking about the holidays to come — but who’s to say you can’t get in a yuletide state of mind long before you deck the halls? Certainly not Bonne Maman.
Every year, the French jam maker releases an advent calendar packed with 24 tiny jars of joy (in the form of fruit and caramel spreads) — and this year’s version is now on Amazon. If history repeats itself, there’s a good chance it’ll sell out well before December, so snag it while you can.
Amazon
Yahoo readers loved this advent calendar last year, and I can see why: Each day, you’ll uncover a new mini fruit spread — some classic flavors, others less so.
You’ve probably seen the brand’s gingham-lidded jars on the grocery store shelves. And if you haven’t tasted their beloved fruit spreads, you’re in for a real treat. They’re made with simple ingredients — no high-fructose corn syrup, no preservatives, no added color, just fresh and fruity goodness. The advent calendar gives you a sampling of their old standbys (like the Mixed Berries and 4 Berries spreads) along with a number of limited-edition flavors.
I’m not trying to be a Scrooge here, but all of the flavors are listed on the outside of the advent calendar. By all means, you can live in suspense (please skip the next few sentences). But if you want a taste of what’s to come? Behind the doors await 28-gram pots in delicious blends like apricot with orange blossom, pineapple and yuzu, pear with cacao nibs, cherry with pink peppercorn and many, many more. There’s even a caramel with coffee spread, which pairs well with a fresh brew.
A holly jelly Christmas, indeed
As Yahoo’s gifting editor, I’ve unboxed more advent calendars than I can count, and that’s made me a little jaded. But it felt like Christmas morning when this Bonne Maman beauty arrived at my doorstep. For a brief moment, I considered waiting until December to properly count down to Christmas, but my excitement got the best of me and within minutes, I had peeled back all the doors.
Unlike other advent calendars, I’ll actually use all 24 minis — and if there’s a flavor that doesn’t strike my fancy, I can pop it into a loved one’s stocking or add it to a gift basket. Even my boyfriend (who, let’s face it, has also become a little jaded by all the products that arrive at our door) stopped what he was doing to check out my stash. He later confirmed that it was our stash to share.
Mark my words, this is the advent calendar to get, especially if you rely on sweet treats to get you through the season. And while you can certainly have a jam a day in the lead up to Christmas, there’s no rush: The spreads don’t expire until June of next year.
What reviewers are saying
A 4.8-star average on Amazon is a rare feat, but it’ll make sense once you read the rave reviews from more than 3,500 five-star fans.
“My mother loves jam and is fortunate to have no ‘wants’ for Christmas,” one thoughtful buyer wrote. “We live far apart, so I bought one of these jam advent calendars for each of us. Though we didn’t talk every day of December, there was something really nice about knowing we were having a shared experience each day of the month. This turned out to be a great gift and I look forward to making it a tradition.”
The jars can go a little or a long way, depending on how much you use. One five-star fan said it’s “enough for a couple to share on toast.” Another mentioned that each jar has “enough for a slice of bread with a very thick layer of jam or two slices with thinner layer of jam.”
Several shoppers said this is the gift that keeps on giving — once you clean out the jars, you can use them to store buttons, coins and other small doodads. “The little glass jars are so cute and are great for tiny trinkets. I used them to give seeds from my garden to friends,” one shopper wrote, adding that she bought (and loved) the calendar “two winters in a row.”
Amazon
A jam a day keeps the Grinch away! Luckily, this advent calendar comes with 24 mini jars, which are big enough to cover one or two slices of bread (depending on the thickness of the layer).
If you have Amazon Prime, you’ll get free shipping, of course. Not yet a member? No problem. You can sign up for your free 30-day trial here. (And by the way, those without Prime still get free shipping on orders of $35 or more.)
The reviews quoted above reflect the most recent versions at the time of publication.