Why This Advent Calendar Became My Favorite Holiday Tradition

Hand-crafted by 25 of North America’s most inspired chocolatiers

Update for our readers: The Dandelion Chocolate Advent Calendar sells out long before the holiday season. Pre-Order Here Now

Growing up December was my favorite month of the year. For the most part my family was never very festive, but when it came to the holiday season all the decorations would come out. It was a month of family, tradition, and memories that I’ve carried with me all these years later.

So now, every December, I look forward to the small traditions that make the season feel special. And while there are many little things that bring joy to the holidays, something that I’ve always loved are advent calendars. When I was younger, I was so impatient that my parents eventually bought me a second one because I’d tear through the whole thing in a day.

As an adult, I’ve learned a little patience and happily share this tradition with my partner. Over the years we’ve discovered some wonderful calendars, but this time he surprised me with one from Dandelion, and it has felt unlike any other. Wrapped with a bow in an illustrated box, I recognized it right away. Still, I had to do everything in my power not to open it before December 1st, the anticipation pulling me right back to my childhood.

Inside were twenty-five small ornament-style boxes, each holding a piece of chocolate. Opening one each day became a ritual I looked forward to, and what struck me most was how beautiful and intricate each piece was. Some were brushed with gold, others shaped like stars, each one crafted by a group of hand-selected artisans across the country. Rich, buttery bonbons with surprising flavor combinations that melted slowly on the tongue. I thought I knew chocolate, but this made me pause. Every bite felt like an experience of its own.

I had never heard of Dandelion before receiving this gift, but after the first few days I wanted to know more. What I found was a company whose philosophy matched the quality of what I was tasting. Their chocolate is made with just two ingredients: cocoa beans and organic cane sugar, and the entire process, from sourcing to tempering, is handled with care. Reading about their relationships with farmers and the transparency of their craft made me think differently about chocolate, and about how many shortcuts I had probably accepted from brands I’d grown used to.

That’s why this gift has felt so memorable. It wasn’t only the beauty of the box or the excitement of a new flavor every day, but the thoughtfulness behind it, the sense that this was something made with time and intention. Each piece carried a little story, one that made me appreciate both the chocolate and the season more fully.

Looking back, what I loved most about this Advent Calendar was how it reminded me of that childhood joy of counting down to the holidays, while also giving me something entirely new to savor as an adult. The care, the craft, the patience. It made every day in December feel just a little more special.

The Dandelion Chocolate Advent Calendar sells out long before the holiday season, so don’t wait!

Click Here to Pre-Order Now!