Once upon a time, an Advent calendar was not a thing of luxury. Instead, it meant a lovely cardboard scene, 24 little doors and, if you were super lucky, a chocolate behind each one. These days, of course, the whole thing has become something of an arms race, with calendars containing everything from luxury skincare to jewellery, gin and goodness knows what else. Call us old-fashioned, but we'd rather stick to the pleasures of childhood: a beautiful illustration, a very good chocolate or – at a push – a little toy to add to a growing collection. That's not to say we're entirely immune to the charms of a more extravagant offering, particularly when it involves exceptionally good chocolate. But whether you're spending a fiver or splashing out on something rather grander, we reckon the best Advent calendars are those that retain a little of the magic of Christmases past.

Here are our favourites to make the wait for Christmas that bit sweeter.