Empty the calendar, separate the cardboard box, plastic tray and any loose foil, then check your local council’s recycling rules before sorting each piece. Acceptance varies: food residue, foil attached to plastic, glitter and some plastic types can affect whether packaging is collected.
How to sort an advent calendar
- Remove the contents. Take out any remaining chocolate or other food so the packaging is clean.
- Separate the materials. Pull the plastic insert away from the cardboard outer, and remove loose foil where possible.
- Check for composite pieces. If foil is stuck to or laminated with plastic, do not assume the piece belongs in recycling. Look up your council’s instructions for that material.
- Use the locally accepted collection. Sort each separated item according to your council’s current guidance. Bin colours and accepted materials are not the same everywhere.
Why local recycling rules matter
Councils give different instructions for advent-calendar packaging. Norwich City Council lists advent calendars among accepted recycling items and says to separate the plastic insert, any foil and the cardboard box (Norwich City Council’s Christmas recycling guidance, published 6 December 2024). Other authorities set additional conditions, so that advice should not be treated as universal.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
| Authority | Published instruction | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Norwich City Council | Separate the plastic insert, any foil and the cardboard box; its guidance lists advent calendars among accepted recycling items. | Separate all three materials. |
| Lincolnshire County Council | Separate the inner plastic tray from the outer cardboard. Its guidance says calendars can be recycled if they do not have glitter or foil on the front. | Decorative finishes on the front. |
| Wychavon District Council | Outer cardboard and plastic inner can go in its local collection when free of foil and chocolate; black plastic is excluded. | Food residue, foil and plastic colour. |
| Sandwell Council | The cardboard outer is accepted in its recycling bag. The plastic inner is accepted in its recycling bin only if it has no foil attached; plastic with attached foil is excluded. | Whether foil is attached to the plastic. |
| Plymouth City Council | Separate plastic and cardboard before putting them in the local green bin. | Follow Plymouth’s local bin instructions; its bin colour is not a general rule. |
Check your own authority’s current waste guidance for the specific combination in your calendar: cardboard, plastic, loose or attached foil, food residue, and finishes such as glitter. Do not assume that a neighbouring council accepts the same items.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →What if a piece is not accepted?
Follow your council’s disposal guidance for any component it excludes. In particular, do not put foil-attached plastic, glittered packaging or a plastic tray of an excluded type into a recycling collection unless your local rules say it is accepted. If the guidance does not address the packaging clearly, contact the council or use its waste-sorting lookup rather than guessing.
#1 Best Overall
- The 2026 Bonne Maman Advent Calendar holds 24 mini glass jars, each filled with a different limited-edition holiday spread — flavors made once a year, for December only.
- EXCLUSIVE SEASONAL FLAVORS: Each door reveals something new — festive fruit combinations and seasonal pairings that can't be found on the regular shelf any time of year.
- Every jar is made in France with real fruit, no high fructose corn syrup, no artificial additives. Non-GMO Project Verified, gluten-free, and kosher.
- The mini glass jars with their red-check lids are reusable long after December — for spices, small gifts, or holiday place settings that guests will want to keep.
- One of the few food gifts that sells out annually. Thoughtful, collectible, and genuinely delicious — for the host, the foodie, the person who has everything.
Can you reuse the packaging?
If the pieces are clean and genuinely useful, you can keep them for crafts or small-item storage. Reuse is optional; there is no need to retain packaging that has no practical purpose. For a future year, North Somerset Life’s 2018 winter publication suggested considering a reusable wooden, fabric or cardboard advent calendar (North Somerset Life, Winter Focus 2018).
Quick Recap
Rank #3
- What’s Included: 34 new holiday-themed MAGNA-TILES, including a Santa and Conductor figure as well as a microChassis
- What Makes It Unique: Our first ever Advent Calendar features 10 decorated square microMAGS, 3 decorated isosceles triangles and a microChassis that rides on the track inside the back cover of the package.
- Developmental: Encourages children to learn through play, exploring cause and effect and other logic principles, while fostering the development of hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills.
- Great for Gifting: Makes a great gift for adventure-loving kids ages 3+.
- More to Explore: Add MAGNA-TILES Classic Tiles or microMAGS to create a world of holiday magic and wonder!
Rank #2
- 24 DAYS OF MYSTERY SOLVING: Look forward to 24 days of puzzle-solving excitement with the Clue Advent Calendar: Secrets Under Snowfall! Families can collect evidence and crack the case in this immersive mystery game
- FUN FAMILY ACTIVITY: Who killed Boddy Black at his winter gala? Read from the storybook, and work together to solve puzzles, collect clues, and deduce WHO killed him, WHERE, and with WHAT winter-themed weapon
- 22 DAILY PUZZLES, 1 LARGER MYSTERY: Each day, open a door to find a puzzle and perhaps a Clue card, token, or surprise! Use the cipher to crack codes, and solve visual and hands-on puzzles to find out which door to open next
- TUDOR MANSION MAP AND CRIME BOARD: The calendar opens like a storybook to reveal a crime board and map of Tudor Mansion with rooms and secret passages to visit, just like in the Clue mystery board game
- 6 WINTER-THEMED TOKENS AND SURPRISE: Uncover 6 translucent blue tokens of the Clue characters in glam winter outfits—plus a secret gift! When the game is over, the tokens can be played with other Clue games
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
