From bone china to rare whisky, Advent calendars open doors to more luxuries

Some countdown-to-Christmas offerings from stores and brands now cost hundreds, and even thousands, of poundsIt started with small chocolates and quickly graduated to Lego, socks and gin miniatures but the once-humble Advent calendar has lurched upmarket with this year’s windows filled with skin-plumping creams, fine bone china trinkets, jewellery and rare whiskies.When calendars were first popularised in the mid-1950s they cost two shillings (about £2.50 in today’s money). The