As the festive season approaches, new trends in chocolate treats are emerging, offering delightful alternatives to traditional advent calendars and selection boxes. Parents and gift-givers are exploring unique and personalized ways to celebrate Christmas with sweets, moving beyond conventional supermarket offerings.

One such innovative trend comes from savvy businesswoman Diane Webster, who has created impressive fold-out chocolate boxes. These deluxe festive boxes, priced at £45 plus a £5 postage fee, feature four layers packed with a variety of chocolate bars and sweets. The center of each box also contains a smaller selection box filled with more delicious chocolates. The offerings include popular treats like Double Deckers, Crunchie bars, Fudge, Twisted, Freddos, Milky Way bars, and Kinder treats. For those with a preference for sweets, the boxes also contain Refreshers, WHAM bars, Chewits, Skittles, Drumsticks, and Vimto. Diane, who also offers gluten-free versions, began taking Christmas orders months in advance due to overwhelming demand. She started her online sweet shop, 'My Kind of Flowers,' in April, seeking an activity after a personal loss and fulfilling a long-held dream of owning a sweet shop. Her creations have garnered significant praise online, with many social media users describing them as 'amazing' and a 'dream present.'

Another popular trend is the DIY chocolate bouquet, providing a cost-effective and personalized alternative to pre-made selection boxes. This hack, shared by Facebook user Zarartisticflows, allows individuals to craft impressive homemade chocolate displays. The process involves attaching favorite chocolate bars, such as KitKats and Dairy Milk, to wooden sticks. These are then arranged in a bouquet display within a rectangular piece of styrofoam, which is wrapped in brown paper. For an added touch, homemade crepe paper flowers are incorporated, and the entire bouquet is wrapped in decorative festive paper. This method allows for a personal selection of treats, ensuring the recipient receives only their favorites. Utilizing multi-packs, this DIY approach can significantly reduce costs compared to buying traditional, often pricey, selection boxes. The versatility of the chocolate bouquet makes it a perfect gift for various recipients, from children to co-workers, and it can be easily repurposed for other occasions using leftover styrofoam.

These emerging trends highlight a growing desire for more personal, creative, and sometimes more elaborate chocolate gifts during the Christmas period. Whether opting for a meticulously crafted multi-layered box or a custom-made bouquet, these ideas offer exciting ways to make festive celebrations even sweeter.