How to make a Lindt advent calendar filled with Lindor

At nine and four, they might be at very different stages, but when it comes to chocolate, they are very much on the same page.

So, when I discovered that you could make your own Lindt advent calendar at the Lindt Chocolate Shop at the Trafford Centre, I knew it was something we had to try.

And with the chance to pick our own LINDOR truffles from a selection of more than 25 flavours, it sounded like a lovely way to get into the festive spirit while doing something a little different from our usual Christmas shopping trip.

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Making our own Lindt advent calendars

The idea behind the Lindt Pick & Mix advent calendar is simple: rather than settling for a pre-filled calendar, you get to choose which chocolates go inside.

For my girls, that was easily the most exciting part.

Instead of opening the same type of chocolate every morning, they could help create a calendar filled with flavours they actually wanted to try.

The selection includes classic milk chocolate alongside white chocolate, salted caramel, hazelnut, raspberry and cream, strawberries and cream, pistachio and even more unusual options such as matcha, popcorn and cinnamon roll.

There is plenty of choice, whether you are a traditional milk chocolate fan or someone who likes to try something a little different.

I loved the idea of giving the girls a say in what went into their calendars. At nine, my eldest was able to think about which flavours she wanted to include, while my four-year-old could get involved in choosing the chocolates that caught her eye.

It turned what could have been another Christmas shopping errand into a little festive activity of its own.

We visited the Lindt shop at the Trafford Centre to make our own Pick & Mix advent calendars. Here's how it works, the flavours available and how much it costs. (Image: PATRICK BANNON)

More than 25 flavours to choose from

One of the biggest selling points is the sheer range of LINDOR truffles available.

There are familiar favourites, including milk chocolate, white chocolate and salted caramel, as well as flavours that feel a little more adventurous.

The full selection can include:

• Classic favourites: milk chocolate, white chocolate, double chocolate and hazelnut.
• Caramel lovers: salted caramel, caramel and golden caramel and hazelnut.
• Fruity flavours: raspberry and cream, strawberries and cream, blood orange and cherry blossom.
• Something different: pistachio, matcha, popcorn, cinnamon roll and shortbread.
• For dark chocolate fans: 45% dark chocolate, 70% dark chocolate and dark mint.

There are also flavours such as tiramisu, coconut and Irish cream, giving grown-ups plenty of reasons to get involved, too.

Of course, with so much choice, the difficult part might be narrowing it down - but it means you can build a calendar around your own tastes rather than having to work your way through chocolates you might not normally choose.

How much does the Lindt Pick & Mix advent calendar cost?

The Lindt Pick & Mix advent calendar cost £17.50 when we went, and there's currently 15% online, so down to £15.

Each calendar has a 300g capacity and 24 individual doors or pockets, giving you a chocolate countdown for the 24 days leading up to Christmas.

That works out at around 63p per day for the calendar itself, before taking the chocolates into account.

You can visit a physical Lindt Chocolate Shop to create your own selection, choosing from the available LINDOR flavours and filling your calendar with your favourites.

If you cannot get to a shop, there is also an online option through the Lindt UK Online Shop, so you can explore the possibility of building or ordering a version from home.

We made personalised advent calendars packed with our favourite chocolates. (Image: Jade Wright)

A Christmas activity that feels a little more personal

What I liked about the idea was that it offered something beyond simply buying another advent calendar.

Christmas can be expensive, and there is certainly no shortage of festive treats on shop shelves. But being able to choose the contents makes this feel more personal.

It is also an opportunity to let children take part in the preparations rather than leaving all the decisions to the grown-ups.

Whether you are shopping for your own children, looking for a gift for a chocolate-loving friend or simply fancy putting together a more personalised countdown, the concept is an appealing one.

And let's be honest: a calendar filled with Lindt LINDOR truffles is unlikely to be a hard sell to most chocolate fans.

The verdict? If your family loves chocolate, a visit to the Lindt shop at the Trafford Centre could be a sweet way to kick off the countdown to Christmas – and with 24 doors to fill, there is plenty to look forward to when December finally arrives.

And while Christmas is still a little way off, it is never too early to start building those little traditions that make the season feel special.

Lindt Chocolate Shops in the UK

Prices and flavour availability may vary. Check with the Trafford Centre Lindt shop before visiting to confirm the Pick & Mix calendar is available and which flavours are in stock.

• LINDT Chocolate Shop Bluewater – Unit L085, Bluewater Parkway, Kent, DA9 9ST. Tel: 01322 387434
• LINDT Chocolate Shop Ashford – Unit 37, Ashford Designer Village, Kimberley Way, Ashford, TN24 0SD. Tel: 01233 630766
• LINDT Chocolate Shop Wembley – Unit 91, Designer Outlet, Wembley Park Boulevard, Wembley, HA9 0FD. Tel: 020 8795 5025
• LINDT Chocolate Shop Portsmouth – Unit 2, Gunwharf Quays, Portsmouth, PO1 3TZ. Tel: 023 9281 6605
• LINDT Chocolate Shop Livingston – Unit 68, Designer Outlet, Almondvale Avenue, Livingston, EH54 6QX. Tel: 01506 460030
• LINDT Chocolate Shop East Midlands – Unit 8, East Midlands Designer Outlet, Mansfield Road, Alfreton, DE55 2JW. Tel: 01773 252622
• LINDT Chocolate Shop Somerset – Unit 65, Clarks Village, Farm Road, Somerset, BA16 0HN. Tel: 01458 441805
• LINDT Chocolate Shop The O2 – Unit 7.15, Icon at The O2, Peninsula Square, London, SE10 0DX. Tel: 020 8858 1429
• LINDT Chocolate Shop Braintree Village – Unit K3 (53), Braintree Village, Charter Way, Chapel Hill, Essex, CM77 8YH. Tel: 01376 340346
• LINDT Chocolate Shop Swindon Designer Outlet – Unit 1, Kemble Drive, Swindon, SN2 2DY. Tel: 01793 612949
• LINDT Chocolate Shop West Midlands – Unit 69, Eastern Way, Cannock Designer Outlet, Staffordshire, WS11 7JZ. Tel: 01543 500763
• LINDT Chocolate Shop Leeds – Unit 2.28, Albion Street, Leeds, LS1 5AR. Tel: 0113 244 0665
• LINDT Chocolate Shop Cheshire Oaks Designer Outlet – Unit 96, Kinsey Road, Ellesmere Port, CH65 9JJ. Tel: 0151 355 1529
• LINDT Chocolate Shop Arndale Centre – Unit L38b, Manchester Arndale Shopping Centre, Cannon Court, Manchester, M4 3AJ. Tel: 0161 839 3815
• LINDT Chocolate Shop Gloucester – Unit 33, Gloucester Quays Designer Outlet, St Ann Way, Gloucester, GL1 5SF. Tel: 01452 312100
• LINDT Chocolate Shop Liverpool One – Unit 142, 37b Paradise Street, Liverpool, L1 3EU. Tel: 0151 707 6227
• LINDT Chocolate Shop Resorts World Birmingham – Unit 43, Resorts World, NEC, Birmingham, B40 1NT. Tel: 0121 767 5837
• LINDT Chocolate Shop Dalton Park Outlet – Units 83/84, Dalton Park Outlet, Murton, County Durham, SR7 9HU. Tel: 0191 517 0558
• LINDT Chocolate Shop Bridgend Designer Outlet – Unit 56, The Derwen, Bridgend, CF32 9SU. Tel: 01656 818822
• LINDT Chocolate Shop York – Unit 126, York Designer Outlet, Saint Nicholas Avenue, Fulford, York, YO19 4TA. Tel: 01904 675840
• LINDT Flagship Store Piccadilly – 1–17 Shaftesbury Avenue, London, W1D 7EA
• LINDT Chocolate Shop Cotswolds – Unit 16, Cotswolds Designer Outlet, Platinum Drive, GL20 7FY. Tel: 01684 342327
• LINDT Chocolate Shop Richmond – 80 George Street, Richmond upon Thames, TW9 1HA. Tel: 020 3137 9601
• LINDT Chocolate Shop Sheffield – Unit 31, The Arcade, Meadowhall Shopping Centre, Sheffield, S9 1EH. Tel: 0114 256 9519
• LINDT Chocolate Shop Stratford – Unit SU0034, Westfield Stratford City, London, E20 1EJ
• LINDT Chocolate Shop Trafford Centre – Unit U61, 149 Regent Crescent, Trafford Centre, Manchester, M17 8AR
• LINDT Chocolate Shop Milton Keynes – 33B Silbury Arcade, Centre:MK, Milton Keynes, MK9 0ES. Tel: 020 8602 4153
• LINDT Chocolate Shop Bicester – Unit 86a, Bicester Village, 50 Pingle Drive, Bicester, OX26 6WD. Tel: 01869 221410
• LINDT Chocolate Shop Caledonia – Unit 9, Caledonia Park Designer Outlet, Glasgow Road, Gretna, DG16 5GG. Tel: 01461 339705