There was a time when a Christmassy paper picture or a Santa-shaped chocolate was more than enough to make you smile on December mornings. Currently advent calendars are moving fast, from beauty calendars to cocktail calendars. Or at a mere £1395.00, there's always the Missona Fine Jewellery Advent Calendar with a little solid gold gift for you to enjoy for 24 days straight.

This year, we’ve been exploring coffee advent calendars: the more affordable - and some might say essential - option for caffeine lovers. One that has particularly caught our eye is the L'OR Coffee Pod Advent Calendar, a festive treat that brings a delicious new blend to enjoy each day.

Trusted brand L’OR have mastered their advent calendar, it has a smart and classic red and gold wreath design on the front. If you like traditional festive design this is perfect for adorning your living space. Reaching a wide market with capsules that are also suitable for Nespresso coffee machines as well as L’OR machines.

Flavours & intensity

There are 3 flavoured pods, caramel, vanilla and hazelnut. Be on the lookout for these speciality coffees, number one because they are delicious but also you’ll want to taste each, especially the caramel and vanilla, before adding sugar if that's your usual style as they may be too sweet with an extra spoonful. They have a rounded, syrupy quality straight from the machine. The remaining pods focus on differences in intensity; 13 have recommendations on how to serve such as; Espresso & Ristretto and Lungo. There are 2 decaffeinated pods, while the remaining pods come under Single Origin and Sublime categories.

Value & taste

We found all blends to be super-smooth and of excellent quality and at a competitive £12.99, it’s a great price. A fantastic range of pods - from the powerful Barista / Ultimo 13 – perfect for that early morning wake-up call to the more subtle Lungo Mattinata 5, it’s a simple and fun pleasure finding your favourite.

Coffee menu

As this calendar makes that morning coffee more special, it’s worth noting if a pod is meant for a shorter or longer coffee style, this is clearly marked with a helpful illustrated index on the back of the calendar. Make the most of starting the day with a leisurely long latte or an efficiently timed full-bodied espresso. See our handy guide on how to make some of those coffee shop favourites:

How to make a Latte

The general ratio is one third coffee to two thirds steamed milk. Pour the steamed milk over a hot espresso. If you do not have a steam wand on your coffee machine, try a Nespresso Aeroccino 3 – this will heat and foam milk or use a steam free handheld milk frother such as an Aerolatte.

How to make an Espresso

It may seem simple when you have a coffee machine, but there’s always personal taste to consider when it comes to coffee. A single shot of espresso from a L’OR coffee machine is approximately 40ml, though some machines also have a shorter more intense 15-25ml ristretto setting.

How to make a Macchiato

In Italian macchiato means ‘stained’. A typical macchiato is an espresso with a small amount of milk – usually foamed dotted on top.

How to make an Americano

Pour approximately 90ml just-boiled water into a coffee mug. Place the mug under your coffee machine and top up with an espresso. Experiment with the amount of water to suit your taste.

How to make a Cappuccino

Place your coffee cup under your coffee machine, add one shot of espresso. Add steamed milk leaving a small gap at the top to finish with milk foam.

How to make a Mocha

Place your coffee cup under your coffee machine, add one shot of espresso, stir through 1tsp of cocoa powder. Top up with steamed milk and generous layer of milk foam. Sprinkle with cocoa powder.

Angela Romeo is an experienced Editor, Author and Stylist, specialising in food for consumer and customer publishing for over 20 years. Currently working as a Food Content Writer for Bauer Media, she is enjoying life writing for some of the UK’s most popular women’s weekly magazines and contributing to Yours.co.uk.