I share Anne Abbott’s irritation (Letters, 17 November) at the depressing and materialistic selection of advent calendars reviewed in G2 (16 November). However, the sort she yearns for does exist. The Meaningful Chocolate Company, an ethical trading company, produces a cheerful and affordable one featuring the true Christmas story, and including an excellent children’s story and activity booklet with a page for every day in advent. Money from sales goes to support the Funzi and Bodo Trust in equipping a clinic in Kenya. These can be obtained at cathedral shops, some major supermarkets, and elsewhere. Details on www.realadvent.co.uk and www.meaningfulchocolate.co.uk. My lovely German daughter-in-law annually hand-crafts a beautiful advent calendar for our grandchildren, but we still always buy Meaningful Chocolate’s for our adult sons and daughters-in-law, knowing the booklets will go to their children (even if the chocolates don’t.).
Anne Johns
Derby
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