Advent, Advent, a little light is burning – and in addition, 24 little doors will soon be waiting to be opened. The pre-Christmas period is approaching, and anyone who thinks that advent calendars are only for children has not yet seen the beautiful creations from Berlin that are coming onto the market this year.
After all, it doesn’t always have to be the boring chocolate calendar, even colorful pictures or gracious sayings hardly attract anyone from behind the oven. If you have the time and creative energy, you can do handicrafts and fill them yourself anyway. Everyone else might get their money’s worth with our tips for special Berlin advent calendars. But be careful, there will be spoilers here and you can take a look behind the little doors.
Crunchy, crunchy, grains: The popcorn advent calendar
Yes, there is a popcorn pastry shop in Berlin – and the associated shop at Raumerstraße 32 in Prenzlauer Berg. The creations of the Popkornditorei Knalle, which has existed since 2016, are sold there, sometimes sweet, sweet-salty, sweet-spicy, sometimes vegan, but always popped in the in-house bakery with hot air and then refined and baked with fine ingredients.
In the run-up to Christmas, the Knalle team is also bringing its crispy products onto the market as an advent calendar. It pays to be quick: In the past, the “AdventsKNALLEnder”, which featured 24 surprises, sold out in no time.
With dimensions of 90 by 50 centimeters, the calendar is also an official furnishing element – and almost a shame to take it down again.Popkornditorei Knalle
Behind the doors are 19 mini bags of 10 grams each with a mixture of the confectionery’s most popular creations: butter caramel Tahitian vanilla, dark chocolate roasted almond, peanut butter salted caramel, nougat hazelnut, coffee biscuit, tonka bean coconut. In addition, there is the Christmas creation “Poppy Seed” and the special Florentiner snack, which is only available in the calendar.
Chocolate with candied walnuts, chocolate-covered popcorn and Christmassy granola for breakfast on the Sunday in Advent are also included, as well as candied pretzels and a voucher for other sweets. The hand-sewn fabric calendar made of organic cotton is reusable and can be filled again next year with a refill pack or with your own ideas.
AdventsKNALLEnder: filled 48 euros, refill pack 32 euros, available online at www.knalle.berlin and in the shop at Raumerstraße 32
Something is blooming here: the seed advent calendar
If you are longing for spring in December, you can treat yourself or others to a seed advent calendar. This consists of 24 colorfully printed and numbered bags that are hung on a string with small wooden clothespins. It is sold by Café Pomeranze, which is based in Schillerkiez in Neukölln and has its own small urban gardening department.
Nicely packaged and spring-like: the seed calendar from Neukölln.Bitterness coffee bar and balcony supplies
In addition to the seed bags, the calendar contains the string made of natural hemp fibers and beeswax, 24 wooden clothespins and an information booklet with detailed sowing instructions in German and English, which contains many good tips for successful sowing.
The seeds are seed-proof and come from certified European organic farms. There is the calendar with insect-friendly colorful perennials, summer flowers and wild flowers such as verbena, nasturtium, marigold. Or you can choose the variant to fill yourself for everything you want to bloom in the garden and balcony.
Seed advent calendar from Pomeranze Berlin: 39.95 euros, available in the shop at Leinestraße 48 and at www.pomeranzeberlin.de
Aromatically surprising: the tea advent calendar
The Berlin company Paper & Tea was founded eleven years ago by Jens de Gruyter with the aim of developing a modern tea culture in Germany. The passion for tea can not only be experienced in the Berlin shops, but also at home when opening the little doors. There are three stylish and sustainably produced advent calendars to choose from this year.
The cheapest is called Master Blends and contains 24 of the most popular organic blends in cotton tea bags. The slightly more expensive Origin advent calendar hides portions of loose tea, enough for a whole pot. The premium version for 249 euros is then the most luxurious offer – a calendar full of high-quality tea tins and accessories. The 24 gifts in reusable cotton bags, decorated with illustrations and mottos, have a total value of more than 300 euros, so the calendar can easily pass as a Christmas present.
Pleasantly warming: There is a lot of tea in this calendar.Paper and Tea/Mirka Pfluger
Included are various types of whole-leaf teas and tea blends in cans, with and without caffeine, as well as accessories and utensils for the preparation. One day you unpack an Orange Kiss, which combines chamomile tea with refreshing orange, the next a finely carved bamboo spoon is waiting for the right portioning.
P&T Advent Calendar: three versions for 39, 49 or 249 euros, available in the three Berlin stores (Bleibtreustraße 4 in Charlottenburg, in KaDeWe and in Alte Schönhauser Straße 50 in Mitte) and online at www.paperandtea.de
Crafts with percentages: The beer advent calendar
A Franconian, a Berliner and a Mecklenburger founded the Berlin beer brand BRLO in 2014. Three years later, the associated brewery opened on a wasteland in the middle of Kreuzberg. Today, the BRLO specialties are even available at KaDeWe, and brewing is no longer just at the Gleisdreieck, but also at another location, the craft center in the Havelwerke in Spandau.
Here, whatever the range has to offer is filled into bottles, cans and barrels: Light and Pale Ale, Happy Pilsner, Porter, the alcohol-free Naked, Berliner Weisse and Cider in three flavors. The best of all trades is then in the BRLO Advent calendar these days.
To give away or to keep: the BRLO calendar.Maria Schiffer
It is suitable for giving away, sharing or enjoying alone. Behind 24 doors are exclusive beers, including charity specials, limited editions, seasonal, barrel aged and non-alcoholic varieties, as well as two organic ciders, a soft drink and two merchandise surprises. The edition is limited, orders should be placed by November 26th so that the first door can be opened on time.
BRLO Advent Calendar: EUR 64.90 including packaging and deposit. Available at www.brlo.de
Best of Gin: The cocktail calendar
High-percentage continues – with the Drink Syndikat, which was launched in 2014 and was founded for people who love good drinks and want to enjoy them at home and not just professionally mixed in the bar. Founder Erik Pfauth comes from a family of wine and spirits merchants and today, together with his team, creates boxes that you can mix yourself for the living room at home. Each cocktail set contains the right spirits and recipes for a new beverage creation. An idea that came up long before Corona, but gained momentum again during the lockdown.
Ready to mix: This calendar contains all the essential ingredients for delicious gin cocktails.Drink Syndicate
Last year, the advent calendar from the Neukölln company celebrated its successful premiere. The second edition now comes with a gin special. An exquisite ingredient is hidden behind every door, so that you can mix yourself a new gin cocktail every two to four days – with spirits from small, independent manufacturers and other, often homemade ingredients.
The makers have developed the recipes from the most popular drink syndicate sets of the last eight years. These include the Pink Float with fresh notes of elderberry, grapefruit and orange, Reserve Coffee Sour with nutty, Christmassy aromas or a glamorous sparkling wine drink with Riesling, Verjus and fine vintner’s sparkling wine to toast to the past year. After all, New Year’s Eve is coming up soon.
Advent calendar from Drink Syndikat: EUR 109.90, available during opening hours at Hobrechtstraße 67 and online at www.drink-syndikat.de