A hamper of fun novelty chocolate shapes and figures for Christmas, ideal for children big and small.

Filled with a selection of chocolate novelties and presented in a ribbon tied hamper with a Jolly Santa on the front the kids chocolate hamper contains;

Three chocolate figures, decorated with coloured, white chocolate:

• A large milk chocolate Santa, carrying a sack and teddy bear.
• A grinning white chocolate snowman, dressed for Winter and carrying a broom.
• A very cute milk chocolate reindeer, playing in Santa’s sack.

And two bags of foil wrapped chocolate treats:

• A bag of milk chocolate stars, ribbon tied
• Santa tree decorations, also in a ribbon tied bag.

Each of these chocolates are also available individually, along with similar novelties, from the Chocolate Trading Company as part of their Christmas range.

£29.95

Labelled: Alcohol Free, Nut Free, Vegetarian, Wheat & Gluten Free.

The three different “packages”, as they call them, include chocolates from right across the Christmas chocolate range grouped together by theme, the Kids’ Gift Package is aimed at children with cute, fun and novelty chocolates, the Finishing Touches Package has a selection of chocolate decorations for the table and Christmas tree and the Family Package contains Christmas chocolates for the whole family to share.

The Free Chocolates

Each of the chocolate packages has a different free gift, to compliment the different chocolates in the set.

The Chocolate Santa is free with the children’s package, included in the Finishing Touches Package is the decorative Mini Chocolate Wreath and in the family Christmas chocolate to share set are the Christmas Dinner chocolates.

Both the Santa and wreath are £6.50 and the small box of chocolates is £7.50, or £6.50 when you buy four or more, and each completely free when you buy the chocolate package.

Children’s Chritsmas Chocolate Set

The very cute Kids’ Gift Package has lots of little individual chocolates featuring the adorable Christmas chocolate characters; Jolly Santa, Dasher the Reindeer and Cool Penguin.

Inside the kids’ chocolate package is;

• Christmas at Santa’s House, a children’s gift box filled with fifteen chocolate shapes in 40% milk chocolate.
• Dasher the Reindeer Gift Basket, A really appealing gift basket featuring Dasher the Reindeer filled with two small boxes of chocolate shapes, a chocolate lolly and a mini chocolate slab.
• Christmas Stocking, a traditional Christmas stocking filled with Christmas chocolate treats; a box of white chocolate Santa, milk chocolate drops, a reindeer chocolate lolly and a mini chocolate slab.

And the FREE Chocolate Santa worth £6.50.

£56.00.

Labelled: Vegetarian and Alcohol Free.

Christmas Chocolate Decorations Set

In the finishing touches package are chocolate the bits and pieces for the home to make it a little more festive.

• Rather Large Christmas Cracker, possibly the largest chocolate filled Christmas cracker you can buy, this huge table decoration is filled with enough hats and jokes for twelve people and a massive forty individual chocolates.
• Chocolate Christmas Tree Decorations, a pack of ten little boxes with gold ribbons, for hanging from the tree, each on has a single chocolate inside.

And the free chocolate is the mini chocolate wreath worth £6.50.

£53.00.

Labelled: Vegetarian.

Christmas Chocolate Gift Set

A Christmas chocolate box and smaller chocolate gifts are included in the family pack;

• Christmas Chocolate Box, Hotel Chocolat’s bestselling Christmas chocolate box the Classic Christmas Sleekster filled with a selection of twenty-eight festive chocolates and Christmassy recipes.
• Nutty Noel Pick Me Up Gift Bag, a chocolate gift bag filled with a Selector of Cinnamon Almonds, a Selector Six of Gingerbread Truffles and a dark chocolate penguin bar.
• Christmas Mini Wreath, a rather wonderful wreath of luxury fruit and nut and milk and dark chocolate.

And a free box of chocolates worth £7.50.

£40.50.

Labelled: Vegetarian.

All available from the Hotel Chocolat website.

With so many beautiful chocolate Christmas tree decorations available to buy from lots of different online shops, this is a quick list of some of them and the three main types of chocolate decorations for the tree; chocolate baubles, chocolate shapes and tree chocolates.

Chocolate Baubles

There are two different types of chocolate baubles, chocolate filled baubles and baubles made from chocolate either wrapped in foil or clear wrappers. Both types of bauble hang from the branches of the Christmas tree, either by a ribbon or cord already attached to the decoration.

Chocolate filled baubles tend to be a little pricier that normal baubles, but they can be refilled and reused year after year.

Heidel’s chocolate filled Christmas bauble features a jolly Santa Claus, the same design which matches the rest of the Heidel range, and is filled with mini chocolate bars. Thorntons bauble tin is bright red with silver and black detailing and also celebrates their centenary and inside are chocolate praline Melts. The Christmas Tree Baubles from Plush Chocolate each contain a bag of Belgium fairtrade milk chocolate caramels and are decorated in red and gold.

Chef Marshall at John Lewis has two chocolate baubles in ribbon tied clear wrappers, both in with the same Christmas tree design and in two different sizes; the Chef Marshall Chocolate Bauble and the Mini Chef Marshall Chocolate Bauble.

Foil wrapped chocolate baubles; Rita Farhi chocolate baubles come in a range of different coloured foils; reds, golds and blues, some with stars and some plain, presented in a clear box. The chocolate Christmas tree baubles from Montezumas are a mixture of milk, white and dark chocolate. Rita Farhi Chocolate Christmas Tree Decorations, similar to the chocolate baubles but with different shapes and colours.

The classic Christmas colours, red and gold, are used for almost all of the Christmas baubles meaning you can mix and match between brands and they will work well with each other and look fabulous.

Chocolate Shapes

Chocolate shapes are very similar to the Christmas tree baubles, they also hang from the tree with either a ribbon or cord, but they are different shapes and sizes.

The Chocolate Trading Company has a wonderful selection of chocolate novelties some of which hang from the tree, these solid milk chocolates are wrapped in festive foil with gold cords attached and are available in three different designs; Angel, Nutcracker Soliders and Santa.

chocolatebuttons stock the wonderful Christmas tree decorations from Plush Chocolates, along with the chocolate filled baubles, all of the chocolate from Plush is fairtrade and organic.

The Plush Chocolate Filled Christmas Tree Decorations are festive boxes filled with chocolate buttons, featuring cute designs with Santa, snowmen and reindeer, the Plush Chocolate Star Christmas Tree Decorations are solid star shaped chocolates, in milk, white and dark chocolate and the Plush Chocolate Filled Christmas Stockings are red and white fabric stockings which also have chocolate buttons inside.

Hotel Chocolat’s Chocolate Christmas Tree Decorations are individual chocolates in little boxes which hang from ribbons, in red, gold and purple in a pack of ten and Thorntons Chocolate Santa Christmas Tree Decorations are hollow milk chocolate Santas with cords in a box of nine.

Chocolate shapes are more novelty and fun chocolates; they work well with most themes and add some festive joy to a tree.

Tree Chocolates

Tree chocolates are chocolates which are not necessarily meant to be used as Christmas tree decorations, but ever since I was young we have always has chocolates in the tree, normally chocolate Santas or other foil wrapped chocolates, but you can use anything which is light enough to sit in the branches of the tree.

The Lindt Gold chocolate figures are ideal for decorating a tree, light enough not to bend larger branches and they add a splash of gold, along with the classic Lindt Gold Bell and Lindt Gold Reindeer is the Lindt Gold Bear, each of the Lindt chocolates are in gold foil with red ribbons round them.

Christmas crackers are always fun to put in a Christmas tree and two of Hotel Chocolat’s crackers will work perfectly; Hotel Chocolat Mini Christmas Crackers and Hotel Chocolat Chocolate Filled Christmas Cracker.

If you are decorating your tree with crackers, it would be a good idea to finish your tree first and then add the crackers after – this way when you take the crackers off it won’t look bare.

Hotel Chocolat’s Alternative Mince Pies; six milk chocolate cups filled with caramel, topped off with a layer of chocolate praline and a decorative star.

Presented as a small, gold, box of chocolates with black detailing and a clear window on the top so you can see the chocolates peeping through from inside.

I am not sure if these are alternative mince pies or an alternative to mince pies, I will go with the latter as they seem to be more chocolate cupcakes to me or rather a version of a cupcake made from chocolate, delicately fluted milk chocolate cups filled with a generous helping of salted caramel below a layer of praline and finished off with a chocolate star.

The case gives a gentle snap before the glossy caramel is released, the rich salted caramel is runny and almost liquid inside, and enriched with the salt the flavours are wonderful, added to that is the smooth layer of praline for extra texture and a hint more of chocolate.

The cupcake vs. mince pie issue aside the six chocolates in their little Christmas box are just delicious; sweet, sticky, gooey and rather indulgent, and I highly recommend them.

£7.50, 95g 6 chocolates.

Labelled: Vegetarian, Gluten Free and Alcohol Free

More Caramel Chocolates

The Alternative Mince Pies are much more about the salted caramel inside rather that the chocolate, if you are a fan of Hotel Chocolat’s caramel chocolate I would suggest either Chocolate Penguins or the Caramel Angels.

All from the Christmas 2011 chocolate collection.

Green & Black’s Christmas Chocolate Table Collection, bundles of miniature chocolates bars, Christmas favours for the table, tree decorations or mini stocking fillers.

Twenty four miniature chocolate bars from Green & Black’s tied up with ribbons into twelve little parcels each with two bars and presented in a gift box.

The mini bars cover most of the flavours available from Green & Black’s, dark chocolate, milk, creamy milk chocolate, white, milk with almonds and milk with butterscotch, dark with cherry and dark with ginger, a tasting collection for Christmas.

£16.50, 24 15g mini chocolate bars.

Labelled: Vegetarian, Oragnic and GM Free.

The Discovery Christmas chocolate hamper from Godiva, a round leather gift basket filled with a selection of Christmas chocolates.

• Limited Edition Truffles: A long gold and green box of Godiva classic truffles with new limited edition recipes for the season.
• Godiva Milk Chocolate Tablet: A large milk chocolate bar, 31% cocoa smooth and creamy chocolate.
• Godiva Christmas Gift Box: A selection of twelve classic Godiva chocolates in a red Christmas gift box.
• Godiva Classic Chocolate Box: Godiva signature Gold Collection with pralines, caramels and ganaches, with a festive satin red ribbon.
• Godiva Chocolate Spread: A jar of luxury chocolate spread.
• Godiva Christmas 2011 Bear: An adorable teddy bear dressed for winter, with a jumper and scarf and “Godiva 2011” embroidered on his left foot.

A wonderful selection of chocolates, with a cute bear presented in a unique basket, perfect a gift for one or broken up into chocolate gifts and stocking fillers for more.

£70.00, a hamper of Christmas chocolates from Godiva.

More Godiva Hampers

The Godiva Discovery is the smallest of three Christmas chocolate hampers available from Selfridges. The other two are the Luxury and the Indulgent.

Each hamper contains limited edition chocolate boxes and seasonal recipes, and each is presented in the luxury leather box.

For me selection boxes are just as much a part of Christmas as the stockings and the tree.

A traditional gift I normally give to friends and family members, as just a little something extra for them to unwrap on the day.

Now, I know you can buy Cadburys chocolate selection boxes almost anywhere but not all of the shops and supermarket chains stock all the sizes and styles, and there are some “deals” you can only get online, like exclusive sizes and discount wholesale prices if you buy in bulk.

Both Cadbury Gifts Direct and chocolatebuttons have the best variety in Cadburys selection boxes, with Cadbury Gifts Direct offering special online gift sets and the extra large selection pack and chocolatebuttons allow you to bulk order chocolate (a great way to buy lots of presents all at once) at wholesale prices.

Cadbury Gifts Direct

Cadbury Gifts Direct only sell Cadbury chocolate, but in a slightly different way to the high street or other online retailers who also stock Cadbury, they put the chocolate together either in pairs, in hampers, as collections or with Cadburys branded merchandise to create gifts – with some of the selection packs and additional items only available online.

New for Christmas 2011 are the Character Bags, selection packs of Cadbury Treatsize chocolates in two different designs; Reindeer and Santa. These small selection boxes each contain ten Treatsize chocolates and make wonderful stocking filler by themselves, but they are also available in a chocolate gift pack with tubes of Cadbury Buttons and Cadbury Dairy Milk Chunks, and in two gifts sets with the Cadbury teddy bears.

All of the Cadbury selection boxes, apart from the giant selection box, are in the Christmas Selection Box Hamper.

Cadbury Gifts Direct also sell Cadbury branded toys, mugs, jigsaws etc. so if you are a Cadbury fan and want to get you hands on the Dairy Milk Gorilla or some limited edition gift sets, this is the site for you.

chocolatebuttons

chocolatebuttons sell sweets and chocolates which are normally only stocked in newsagents and supermarkets, most of which is actually quite hard to buy online. A lot of their products can be bought in bulk, but not all and some can only be bought in larger packs, making the price per item cheaper than supermarkets, in some cases.

The selection packs contain different varieties of Cadburys chocolate including; Cadbury Chomp, Cadbury Fudge, Cadbury Flake, Cadbury Caramel, Cadbury Buttons, Cadbury Crunchie, Cadbury Dairy Milk, Cadbury Wispa and Cadbury CurlyWurly and all in different sizes with different designs, so the choice really comes down to which has your favourite in it.

The largest Christmas chocolate hamper from the Chocolate Trading Company, filled with a selection of the Chocolate Trading Company’s own chocolates and chocolates from Michel Cluizel and Niederegger marzipans.

The Christmas hamper contains:

Two boxes of chocolates:

• The Superior Selection Christmas box, a chocolate box with twenty four chocolates in twelve different flavours, a selection of milk, dark and white chocolates, finished with a Christmas design.
• Niederegger’s Marzipanerie, a selection of flavoured marzipans covered in chocolate.

Chocolate covered treats:

• Orangettes, candied orange enrobed in a fine dark chocolate.
• Kirsch cherries, Morello cherries soaked in Kirsch and covered in fine dark chocolate.
• Dark chocolate, 60% cocoa, covered caramelised almonds from Michel Cluizel.

And three Christmas gifts:

• A bag of Christmas stars, individually foil wrapped milk chocolates shaped like stars.
• A Chocolate Santa.
• A bag of, 72% cocoa, hot chocolate flakes.

Presented in a Christmas themed Chocolate Trading Company hamper, with a similar design to the box of chocolates, finished with a satin ribbon and “Merry Christmas & a happy new year” on the lid.

£75.95

Labelled: Vegetarian.

Californian almonds, caramelised to release the flavours and add a touch of sweetness, covered in 40% milk chocolate flavoured with a hint of festive cinnamon and presented in a smart tin – Hotel Chocolat’s Cinnamon Chocolate Almonds.

From experience I always imagine chocolate covered almonds or even sugar coated almonds, for that matter, to be a little bit dull and the almond inside to be a little moist and chewy, but as it turns out not all almonds are created equal and I was more than pleasantly surprised by Hotel Chocolat’s offering.

The almonds themselves have a wonderful texture, having been caramelised they have a richer darker colour and are delightfully crisp with a satisfying crunch, with an enhanced flavour not what was I was expecting at all.

The cinnamon in the milk chocolate gives the chocolate covered almonds a delightful smell which escapes each time you open the tin; warming, welcoming and very tempting, the cinnamon flavour is subtle against the 49% cocoa but does add a richness and depth to the chocolate.

Combined together the two are simply charming; a thick layer of milk chocolate with the mild spice of cinnamon followed by the sweetness of the sugar and finally the satisfying crunch of the nut inside.

Little moan: although I do like the new tins I think they were probably designed more for the Liquid Chocolat range rather than the enrobed nuts. My main problem with them that the tin is just too big, 250g of chocolate covered almonds only fills half of it, so when you open the tin for the first time it is a little disappointing and make that “ohh” sound, which kind of distracts from the rather special chocolate treats inside.

£10.00, 250g of chocolate covered almonds, in a reusable tin, which are definitely worth trying.

Labelled: Vegetarian, Gluten Free, Alcohol Free

Chocolate Covered Nuts

Also from the Chritsmas range at Hotel Chocolat are the Dark Chocolate Brazil Nuts, in the same style tin.

And from the Selector collection, Dark Chocolate Caramelised Almonds and the chocolate covered selection with chocolate covered hazelnuts, raisins, peanuts, the dark chocolate almonds and a milk version to name but a few.

A box of ten penguins cast in dark chocolate with a hint of chilli, to tingle the taste buds at Christmas.

Two layers of 70% cocoa dark chocolate chilli penguins, these very cute little chocolate penguins have been spiced up with a hint of mouth-warming chilli.

One of three mini chocolate boxes filled with Christmas Shapes from Hotel Chocolat, these Christmas chocolate boxes which make perfect chocolate stocking fillers, Secret Santa presents and chocolate gifts.

£7.50 for 10 dark chocolate chilli penguins, 110g.

Labelled: Alcohol Free, Dairy Free and Vegan.

Multi buy

The Dark Chocolate Chilli Penguins are one of three small chocolates which are on multi buy; the other two are the smooth milk chocolate The Christmas Dinners and the delicous Caramel Angels. Buy any 4 or more for £6.50 each.

All three boxes are the same size, so if you are buying for siblings there will be no quibbling about who has a bigger present.

One of the best things about Hotel Chocolat, apart from the fantastic chocolate of course, is the amount if effort they seem to put into their seasonal chocolate collections and Christmas 2011 is no exception.

Their colour scheme for this year is festive red, deep purple and vintage gold mixed in with Hotel Chocolat’s signature black and white, the range is brought together with an intricate star motif which features on, almost all, of the Christmas chocolates.

Most of the range is available to buy now; some hampers and some gifts will be ready closer to Christmas. You can see all of the Christmas chocolate on Hotel Chocolat’s site here. These are some of the wonderful chocolates ready at the moment.

Chocolate Boxes

At the heart of the Christmas range is a chocolate box called the Classic Christmas collection; milk, dark and white chocolates with and without alcohol in Christmassy shapes and flavours presented a seasonal Sleekster box.

The Classic Christmas Sleekster is always very popular and sells out fast.

The Classic Sleekster comes in three sizes; Double Layer (only available online), Luxe and Sleekster with fifty-six, forty and twenty-eight individual chocolates respectively. The Double Layer Classic is the largest chocolate box in the Christmas collection. The Classic collection is also available without alcohol, also with thirty chocolates but with the recipes containing booze removed.

The two Christmas Sleeksters, Classic and Without Alcohol, also come in H-Box size; the same flavours and recipes as the larger versions but in a smaller box containing thirteen chocolates, and colour coordinated.

For anyone familiar with the Simple Thanks mini chocolate box, you will be very pleased to know Classic collection also comes in the “eight” box and the even cuter “four” size, these miniature boxes make great gifts (and table favours).

So that is most tastes and budgets catered for in just the boxed chocolate selection, and one of two of my Christmas gifts bought already – they make great gifts in any size.

Chocolate Decorations

Simple calling the chocolate decorations is quite simply doing them an injustice. These decorative chocolates not only taste fantastic but look wonderful too, intricate chocolate wreaths and chocolate filled Christmas crackers, all in a variety of sizes.

Probably my favourite are the Christmas chocolate wreaths, chocolate beautifully sculpted into dramatic Victorian style wreaths, thick chocolate packed with a luxury fruit and nut in milk and dark chocolate.

The chocolate wreaths come in two sizes, large and the very cute but just as beautiful and delicious, mini wreath. The Purist Christmas Wreath is made from Hotel Chocolat’s award-winning 66% Rabot Estate dark chocolate and is dairy free/vegan. The other two wreaths are a mixture of both milk and dark chocolate.

For a more traditional Christmas look and feel, Hotel Chocolat have created their own Christmas crackers, mini cracker chocolate tree decorations and the very impressive Rather Large Christmas Cracker filled with chocolates, party hats and favours for all to share.

The large chocolate wreaths and the large Christmas crackers make wonderful centre pieces for a Christmas table and are complimented flawlessly by the mini wreaths, used as table favours, or the mini cracker tree decorations as they are all in matching colours.

Christmas Themed Novelty Chocolates

Fun shaped novelty chocolate slabs and figures, probably meant to be chocolate for kids, but I love them – I just think they are so cute they would make anyone of any age smile!

The milk chocolate 3D figures are hollow and come as two different characters, Dasher the Reindeer and Jolly Santa,

Both Dasher and Santa are part of the Christmas chocolate slabs line-up and are joined by the white chocolate Snowman. Santa and the Snowman have berry flavoured chocolate scarves and Dasher is all dark chocolate and dairy free.

Chocolate Stocking Fillers

Gorgeous little boxes of scrummy chocolates, perfect stocking fillers, handy little chocolate gifts or treats for you!

The Tiddly chocolate boxes are one of the cheapest chocolate gifts from the Hotel Chocolat Christmas range, they are available in four flavours; milk chocolate, caramel, white and vegan/diary free dark chocolate.

The three different shapes, snowman, reindeer and Santa Claus are the same charming characters as the chocolate slabs and novelty chocolates – perfect for children.

Slightly larger than the Tiddly chocolate boxes are the Chocolate shapes, in slim elegant boxes in three Christmas varieties; dark chocolate chilli penguins, Angel shaped caramels and “Christmas Dinner” shaped chocs.

Chocolate Yule Logs

Hotel Chocolat’s take on a Christmas tradition a chocolate version on the Yule Log, a choice of three flavours; chilli and orange, ginger and hazelnut or simply nutty.

Bars of gianduja studded with candied fruits and nuts, perfect stocking fillers for a foodie, a chocolate gift or dessert.

Children’s Christmas Chocolate

Quite a lot of the chocolates from Hotel Chocolat are ideal for children, especially the fun shapes and characters, but they have also created some gifts just for kids.

The Children’s Gift Box, Santa’s House, is a box filled with fifteen milk chocolates in fun shapes and Dasher the Reindeers Gift Basket has a selection of chocolate boxes and a mini chocolate slab in a very cute reindeer basket.

Giant Chocolate Slabs

And of course the giant chocolate slabs, festive versions of the famous huge chocolate bars weighing in at an impressive 500g, half a kilo. Wonderful Christmas gifts and perfect for sharing.

That’s quite a lot of chocolate and there is still more to come for Christmas 2011 including; flavoured hot chocolate, chocolate covered fruits, winter chocolates, chocolate hampers, gift sets, gift bags and a Christmas stocking! You can see everything on their website here.

One of Cadburys chocolate hampers for Christmas the “Christmas Magic Hamper”, one of two medium sized hampers filled with Cadbury chocolate treats.

A rather large collection of selection boxes, boxes of chocolates, chocolate biscuits and sweets, making it ideal for sharing with family and friends or work colleges or as individual chocolaty presents, packed into a hamper.

The “Christmas Magic Hamper” from Cadbury contains:

Three Cadbury selection boxes:

• A Giant Selection Box, exclusively available online.
• A Winter Selection Box and a Medium Santa Selection Box, filled with your favourite Cadbury bars.

Five boxes of Cadbury chocolates:

• Four cartons of chocolate; Cadbury Eclairs, Cadbury Roses, Cadbury Heroes and Christmas Chunks.
• A true classic, a box of Milk Tray.

A selection of treats and sweets:

• Two pouches of chocolate; Cadbury Giant Buttons and Caramel Nibbles.
• A selection of Cadbury Dairy Milk bars.
• 400g Cadbury Collection Biscuit Tin.
• Cadbury Chocolate Coins.
• Two bags of chocolate Snowbites and Cadbury Wishes Star.
• A selection of sweets.

£50.00 Christmas hamper of Cadbury chocolate.

Hotel Chocolat’s Tiddly Caramel Chocolate Santas; a box of eight, very cute, caramel flavoured chocolate Father Christmas’s.

These miniature chocolate Santa’s are new for Christmas 2010 and are one of the cheapest chocolate gifts from Hotel Chocolat, making them ideal stocking fillers and Secret Santa gifts.

Cast in solid 33% cocoa milk chocolate flavoured with caramel, probably my favourite flavoured chocolate from Hotel Chocolat; these are rather wonderful little chocolates.

The box they come in isn’t the biggest in the world, just 8cm by 11.5cm, but the little chocolate treats are crammed in, with four on each level, each chocolate Santa is quite chunky and very satisfying.

As you open the box you get a beautifully sweet aroma of caramelised sugar, which matches the flavour of the smooth chocolate. The caramel slightly stronger than I was expecting but as the chocolate melts it really works to create a very pleasing and moreish chocolate experience.

There are three different “Tiddly” chocolate shapes in four types of chocolate. The chocolate shapes are based on the Best Dressed characters, which can be seen throughout the Hotel Chocolat Christmas range. The caramel chocolate Santa’s are the only flavoured chocolates, the other are “plain” milk, white and dark chocolate.

Probably deigned to be kids Christmas gifts, but I would be very happy to receive any of the Best Dressed chocolates, the Jolly Santa is just so adorable, and the caramel chocolate Santa’s are just delicious.

£5.00, eight chunky chocolate Santas.

Labelled: Gluten Free and Alcohol Free.

A small box of Christmassy chocolates in four different flavours in seasonal shapes and festive flavours, all wrapped in a sleeve and tied with a gros-grain ribbon featuring the Hotel Chocolat logo.

Simply calling this a small box of chocolates really isn’t doing it justice; these chunky chocolates are rather fabulous, packed with flavour, wonderful textures and looking very smart, they make a wonderful gift, perfect as stocking fillers or Secret Santa presents.

The chocolates in the “Classic Christmas Choc 8″ are taken from the abundant array of chocolate boxes available from Hotel Chocolat this Christmas, a sampler if you like of the whole range.

• Starberry – a milk chocolate square “Union Jack” with the Hotel Chocolat logo, filled with a light and fluffy pale centre with flecks of zesty pink fruits.
• Gianduja Praline – A thick shell if dark chocolate with sugar crystals on the outside for added crunch and inside is a beautifully smooth marble of praline, a wonderful combination.
• Praline with Crispy Pancake – A super smooth praline crammed with crispy bits and a very cute Santas hat on the top of the milk chocolate outer.
• Cinnamon Praline -A dome shaped milk chocolate truffle decorated with stars, inside is a beautiful cinnamon and hazelnut praline combination. The cinnamon gives the praline a rich texture without being too dense or affecting the cocoa flavours.

It’s really hard to pick a favourite but if I had to if would be the Starberry, also called the “Red Berry Mousse”, its light and refreshing and works perfectly with the milk chocolate and it is in all the Christmas Classic boxes, worth getting just for that one chocolate!

£8.00, 8 chocolates in 4 flavours.

Labelled: Alcohol Free.

Milk and dark chocolate goodie bag, a selection of spiced and mellow chocolate treats for Christmas.

A gift box of Hotel Chocolat chocolates for Christmas, an ideal last minute present, secret Santa or stocking filler, all in a festive black and gold tented box with clear panel so you can see all the chocolate inside.

The Gold Christmas Pick-Me-Up contiains; a Cinnamon Crunch 100g slab, a zesty orange dark chocolate Penguin, a Selector Six of Caramel & Praline Stars, Holly cast in honey milk chocolate and a milk chocolate Santa Lick.

£10.00.

Labelled: Alcohol Free.

Three Christmas themed chocolate tins each beautifully decorated and filled with individually wrapped Lindt chocolates.

Each tin opens to reveal fifteen individually wrapped Lindt chocolates inside, the same shape and design as the tin itself.

You get all three tins; the snowman tin, a snowball tin and the Babushka, Russian doll, tin.

The tins make great gifts and Christmas decorations, the snowball has a ribbon attached so it can be a hung from a tree, and once you have shared the Lindt chocolates inside you have a keepsake tin, which can be reused and refilled.

£27.00, 450g.

Easter just would not be eater without the Lindt chocolate bunny, so it is only fair that Christmas gets its own novelty chocolates from Lindt as well.

The Lindt chocolate reindeer is the Christmas version of the Easter bunny, the same smooth chocolate and cute little bell but in the shape of a reindeer, and you get three in the Lindt novelty chocolate Christmas pack.

This Christmas chocolate selection has ten novelty chocolate characters, each one is hollow and cast in thick Lindt Swiss chocolate wrapped in decorative foil, ideal for Christmas gifts or cute stocking fillers.

The Lindt chocolate Christmas pack contains:

• Two large milk chocolate Santa’s 125g each.
• Two milk chocolate Lindt Gold Reindeer 100g each.
• One dark chocolate Lindt Gold Reindeer 100g.
• One milk chocolate Snowman 100g.
• The Lindt Gold Bell 100g
• Three mini milk chocolate Santas 40g each.

£26.96, 870g of Swiss chocolate for Christmas.

Limited edition for Christmas handmade chocolate truffles in a bag from Montezuma’s.

Montezuma’s chocolate truffles are given a Christmas re-design with new flavours and Christmas packaging.

These very special chocolate truffles are made using the best ingredients in the Sussex countryside, in one of Santa’s secret elf chocolate shops.

A selection of milk chocolate truffles and dark chocolate truffles, with approximately 8 truffles in each bag, depending on the weight of each chocolate.

£4.75, 120g of Montezuma’s chocolate truffles.

Labelled: GM Free, Preservatives / Additive / Colouring Free, Vegetarian, Soya Free and Gluten Free.

A gorgeous dark chocolate Christmas tree, from French chocolate expert Michel Cluizel, decorated with dried fruits and nuts.

The dried fruits and nuts; candied orange, almonds and pistachios, give this delightful chocolate creation a rustic charm.

Michel Cluizel produces high quality chocolate by choosing the best cocoa beans from around the world and this chocolate Christmas tree is no exception.

Presented in a Michel Cluizel branded clear bag, the dark chocolate treat makes an enchanting chocolate Christmas gift or stocking filler, the top of the tree also has a whole through it so it can also be used as a hanging chocolate Christmas tree decoration simply by threading it with ribbon.

£5.95, 70g.

A great little stocking filler, not only charming and amusing but also made of chocolate!

Standing 9.5cm tall, wearing a Santa hat and holding a candle this hollow little chocolate novelty has a more traditional Christmas feel about him.

Made from high quality milk chocolate and decorated with white chocolate, dark chocolate and red coloured chocolate, the chocolate Christmas bear with candle will bring a smile to anyone’s face.

Presented in a small clear gift bag with red ribbon.

£3.50, 50g.

A great little box of Christmas chocolate goodies, Discovery Boxes from Hotel Chocolat explore the tastes and textures of the season in chocolate.

Presented in a gold slide open box with the four chocolate goodies inside, this is a wonderful way to sample the festive flavours from Hotel Chocolat before you buy your chocolate Christmas presents, purely for research purposes, of course. It also makes an ideal Christmas gift as it can be one easy to wrap gift or four chocolate stocking fillers.

The Christmas Chocolate Discovery Box by Hotel Chocolat contains:

• Cinnamon Almonds Munchkins – Whole roasted almonds wrapped up in mellow milk chocolate and warming cinnamon.
• Cinnamon Crunch Slab 100g – Mini milk chocolate slab, featuring the “Best Dressed Snowman” and flavoured with cinnamon and caramel.
• Snowball Munchkins – A bag of white chocolate snowballs with crunchy cookies centres.
• Selector Six – A selection of six, caramel praline and gianduja, chocolates from the Christmas range.

£18.00, 440g of Christmas chocolates.

Hotel Chocolat’s “chocolate bars” are a little bit special; the chocolate is shaped into a rather chic chocolate slab rather than bars. Organically shaped solid chocolate slabs, the luxury chocolate bar.

The chocolate slabs come on three main types; giant slabs, mini slabs and The Purist range, but all quality chocolate in differing sizes and flavours.

There are four mini chocolate slabs in the 2009 Christmas chocolate collection from Hotel Chocolat:

Cinnamon Crunch Mini Chocolate Slab

A very cute mini chocolate slab featuring the “Best Dressed” snowman.

Melt in the mouth 40% milk chocolate with cinnamon spiced crispies for a warming Christmassy flavour and crunch. Pressed into the milk chocolate base is the caramel flavoured chocolate snowman. And it’s even decorated to look like its snowing!

£3.95, 100g.

Labelled: Vegetarian and Alcohol Free.

Orange Nice Spice Mini Chocolate Slabs

Slabs of 70% cocoa dark chocolate with a dash of chilli to warm you up in the cold winter months and zesty Valencia orange to lift the notes of the smooth dark chocolate, a gorgeous spicy combination.

Finished with a dramatic splash of, naturally coloured, orange chocolate.

£3.95, 100g.

Labelled: Vegetarian and Alcohol Free.

Marzipan Ingot Boxed Mini Chocolate Slab

Chirstmas simply would not be complete without the gorgeously traditional pleasure – authentic marzipan, brimming with almonds, enrobed in 40% cocoa milk chocolate.

A must have for the marzipan chocolate connoisseur.

£3.95, 100g.

Labelled: Vegetarian.

Nutty Noel Boxed Mini Chocolate Slab

Milk chocolate slab with crunchy whole roasted almonds, hazelnuts and pecans giving the chocolate a rather fetching marbled effect.

The chocolate in the Nutty Noel chocolate slab is a slightly stronger, 50% cocoa milk chocolate blend, which balances perfectly with the nuts.

£3.95, 100g.

Labelled: Vegetarian and Alcohol Free.

Organic chocolate moulded into a Christmas tree shape, decorated by hand, wrapped up and finished off with a ribbon – a perfect Christmas chocolate gift!

These gorgeous little hollow chocolate Christmas trees stand about seven inches tall and are available as milk chocolate, white chocolate or dark chocolate. With the dark chocolate option suitable for vegans.

As on of Montezuma’s most popular Christmas products last year, these will sell out fast.

£7.95, 150g.

Labelled: GM Free, Preservatives / Additive / Colouring Free, Vegetarian, Organic and Gluten Free.