«Breaking News» Countdown to Christmas: 14 of the best boozy baubles, Advent calendars and crackers

Once upon a time the countdown to Christmas was marked with a cardboard Advent calendar, perhaps illustrated with a picture of your favourite cartoon character, and filled with sad squares of oddly plastic-tasting chocolate. 

Celebratory drinks usually swigged during the festive season (Buck’s Fizz, eggnog, a double strength cocktail) were firmly on the special occasion booze list.

But now alcohol can be considered a decorative essential, perfect for dressing the mantelpiece, glamming up the tree or making table settings sparkle.

Here, MailOnline reveals the best blinged up baubles bearing gin, stylish party crackers filled with tempting tipples, and swish calendars stuffed with tiny wine bottles, hidden behind clever window dressing:

Novelties

1. Daffy’s Gin Christmas Card (5cl), from £7.49, single card; box of 6 cards, £44.94, Daffy’s Gin

We love this luxe boxed gin-centric card with festive message on the back: ‘The weather outside is frightful but the gin inside delightful, let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!’

Daffy’s Gin Christmas Card (5cl), from £7.49, single card; box of 6 cards, £44.94

2. Tipplesworth Christmas Cocktail Stocking, £15, Tipplesworth

A stocking to hang by the mantlepiece, with a festive punch cocktail mixer (50cl) and two miniature bottles of Tanqueray Gin.

Tipplesworth Christmas Cocktail Stocking, £15

Baubles

3. Decorative Snowflake Baubles, from £8.95 (3cl), The Whisky Exchange

Decorative Snowflake Baubles, from £8.95 (3cl) 

The perfect measure of whisky, bourbon, rum and gin, for a quick fix come the big day.

4. Gin Baubles Gift, £29.75 for six, Laithwaite’s

Gin Baubles Gift, £29.75 for six 

Pickering’s Gin baubles can be threaded through a red ribbon and pinned as a garland, plus they’re refillable, which is good to know if hanging them becomes thirsty work…

Crackers

5. The Lakes Gin & Vodka Christmas Crackers, £5.95 (5cl) each, The Lakes Distillery

The Lakes Gin & Vodka Christmas Crackers, £5.95 

Just the tonic for gin and vodka lovers, dress the table with these festive crackers, which work just as well for small soirees as well as larger grown-up gatherings.

6. Moët & Chandon Imperial Brut Cracker (20cl), £19, Clos19

Moët & Chandon Imperial Brut Cracker 

Embrace those Moët moments with a burst of confetti, in tune with the sound of corks popping when you pour yourself a delicious glass of bubbly.

7. Festive Gin Crackers (set of six), £19.99, Aldi – coming soon

Festive Gin Crackers (set of six) £19.99 

Cocktail hounds will enjoy setting the scene with these miniature bottles of six swanky ‘black tie’ gins.

8. Prosecco Christmas Crackers (set of six), £32.99, Virgin Wines

Prosecco Christmas Crackers (set of six), £32.99 

Fizz, bang, pop! A must for prosecco parties, just make sure to have an ice bucket on hand to chill this fragrant fizz.

Advent Calendars

9. Drinks by the Dram Whisky Advent Calendar,£149.95, Ocado

Drinks by the Dram Whisky Advent Calendar,£149.95 

A 24-stop whisky trail of discovery, with windows filled with different 3cl wax-sealed drams.

Scrooge was visited three Christmas spirits, but with this calendar, you’ll meet 24. This advent season, try this great selection of Scotch, bourbon and other whiskies from around the world. From Japan to England, Ireland to America, embark on an adventure of global whisky distilleries this advent. 

10. Chase Distillery 12 Festive Spirits Gift Set, £59.95, 31 Dover

Chase Distillery 12 Festive Spirits Gift Set, £59.95 

An open invitation for a festive field trip to discover 12 multi-award winning gins and spirits – talk about top drawer.

11. Adnams Beer Advent Calendar 2018, £54.99, Adnams

Adnams Beer Advent Calendar 2018, £54.99 

A boxed set of 24 beers, featuring 18 different brews (some so tasty they feature twice) to introduce hop heads to this stellar Southwold brewery.

12. That Boutique-y Gin Company Advent Calendar £99.95

That Boutique-y Gin Company Advent Calendar £99.95

A pretty box and 24 different Boutique-y Gins make this the perfect gift for the discerning gin-lover in your life.

13. Laithwaite’s 2018 Wine Advent Calendar, £79.99, QVC 

Laithwaite’s 2018 Wine Advent Calendar, £79.99 

With bright whites, bold reds, soft rosés and a medal winning champagne to crown Christmas Eve, this selection offers 24 magical ways to delight wine lovers.

14. Gin Advent Calendar from Edinburgh Gin, £120, John Lewis  

The calendar contains 25 5cl bottles of Edinburgh Gin. The calendar contains a mix of the full Edinburgh Gin range including the Edinburgh Gin Cannonball, the Edinburgh Gin Christmas and a selection of the ever-popular Edinburgh Gin Liqueurs.

Gin Advent Calendar from Edinburgh Gin, £120

Linkhienalouca.com

https://hienalouca.com/2018/12/01/countdown-to-christmas-14-of-the-best-boozy-baubles-advent-calendars-and-crackers/
Main photo article Once upon a time the countdown to Christmas was marked with a cardboard Advent calendar, perhaps illustrated with a picture of your favourite cartoon character, and filled with sad squares of oddly plastic-tasting chocolate. 
Celebratory drinks usually swigged during the festive season (Buck’s Fi...

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Emily Ratajkowski is a showman, on and off the stage. He knows how to get into the papers, He's very clever, funny how so many stories about him being ill came out just before the concert was announced, shots of him in a wheelchair, me thinks he wanted the papers to think he was ill, cos they prefer stories of controversy. Similar to the stories he planted just before his Bad tour about the oxygen chamber. Worked a treat lol. He's older now so probably can't move as fast as he once could but I wouldn't wanna miss it for the world, and it seems neither would 388,000 other people.

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