12 Days of Coffee: A Coffee Advent Calendar Alternative

A 12 days of coffee countdown is one new coffee to try each day for twelve days, usually in the run up to Christmas. It is the coffee version of an advent calendar, but shorter and easier to plan. The simplest way to do it is with the 12 Days of Flavour Coffee Gift Box: twelve single-serve drip bags, one in each of 12 KNDZ flavours, so every day is a different cup. Each one brews with nothing but hot water and a mug.

12 days of coffee vs a coffee advent calendar

A coffee advent calendar usually has 24 or 25 doors, one for each day of December up to Christmas. A 12 day countdown covers half the time, which makes it easier to give, easier to finish, and a good fit for anyone who is not home all of December.

To be clear about what you are getting: the 12 Days of Flavour box is not a calendar with numbered doors. It is a box of twelve individually sealed drip bags, one per flavour, and you pick which cup goes with which day. Below is the order we suggest.

When to start your 12 days of coffee

• Counting down to Christmas: start on December 14 and the twelfth cup lands on Christmas Day.
• The traditional twelve days of Christmas: these run from Christmas Day to January 5, which is a nice way to stretch the holidays into the new year.
• Any countdown at all: a birthday, a trip, the last twelve days before a move or a new job. The box has no dates printed on it, so it works any time of year.

A suggested order for the 12 flavours

We like to start with the classic roasts, so the person gets a feel for light, medium and dark first, then move through the flavours and finish with decaf for a late cup on the last night.

1. Day 1, Classic Light Roast. The lightest cup in the box, a good place to start.
2. Day 2, Everyday Medium Roast. Balanced and easygoing, our everyday cup.
3. Day 3, Simply Dark Roast. Bold and low in acidity. Compare it with day 1 to taste what roasting does.
4. Day 4, True Maple. Warm, cozy maple, and a very Canadian cup.
5. Day 5, Vanilla Comfort. Soft and sweet smelling.
6. Day 6, Caramel Glow. Smooth and warm.
7. Day 7, Creamy Coconut. Light and creamy.
8. Day 8, Mellow Banana. Mellow and fruity.
9. Day 9, Toasted Hazelnut. A nutty cup for the second week.
10. Day 10, Roasted Peanut Butter. One of the newest flavours in the range.
11. Day 11, Chocolate Mood. Deep and velvety, a good one to save for near the end.
12. Day 12, Decaf Medium Roast. So the last cup can be an evening one.

All of our flavoured coffees have no sugar added, so they work for people who drink their coffee black. Curious how the flavour gets in? Read how flavoured coffee is made.

How to brew each day's cup

1. Tear open the sachet and unfold the two paper arms on the filter.
2. Hang it on your mug so the filter sits inside the cup. It fits best on a taller mug with an opening of about 8 cm (3.1 inches).
3. Pour a little hot water to wet the grounds and wait about 30 seconds.
4. Pour the rest in two or three goes, then lift the filter out. About three minutes in total.

No coffee maker, grinder or filter papers needed. New to the format? Our guide to what drip bag coffee is covers it in more detail.

Ways to make it a gift

• Write the day on each bag. A marker and the order above turn the box into a countdown that is ready to open.
• Add a mug. An Everyday Glass Mug lets them watch each pour-over drip through.
• Give it early. If they are starting on December 14, the box needs to arrive before then.
• Make it a pair. Two boxes clear our $39 free shipping threshold on their own, so one for them and one for you, or one for each of two people, ships free.
• Office countdown. One box covers the last twelve working days before a holiday break, one cup a day at your desk.

What is in the 12 Days of Flavour Coffee Gift Box

• 12 single-serve drip bags, one each of: Classic Light Roast, Everyday Medium Roast, Simply Dark Roast, Decaf Medium Roast, True Maple, Vanilla Comfort, Caramel Glow, Creamy Coconut, Mellow Banana, Toasted Hazelnut, Roasted Peanut Butter and Chocolate Mood
• 100% Arabica specialty-grade coffee from Ethiopia and Colombia, roasted in micro-batches in Toronto by a Certified Q Grader
• Medium grind, made for drip bag brewing, with every bag sealed one cup at a time
• Box size: about 5.2 by 3.75 by 4.3 inches (13.3 by 9.5 by 10.9 cm)
• $32 for one box, $64 for two

Shop the 12 Days of Flavour Coffee Gift Box

Looking for something smaller or something bigger? See our coffee stocking stuffers, the Everyday Coffee Gift Box with ten classic roasts, or our full guide to gifts for coffee lovers.

Frequently asked questions

What is 12 days of coffee?

It is a countdown where you drink a different coffee each day for twelve days, often the twelve days before Christmas. It works like a shorter coffee advent calendar.

Is the 12 Days of Flavour box an advent calendar?

Not in the numbered door sense. It is a box of twelve sealed drip bags in twelve different flavours, and you choose the order. Many people use it as a 12 day coffee countdown.

When should I start a 12 day coffee countdown?

Start on December 14 to finish on Christmas Day, or on December 25 to follow the traditional twelve days of Christmas through January 5. It also works for any other countdown.

Do I need a coffee maker?

No. Each drip bag hangs on the rim of a mug and you pour hot water through it. It takes about three minutes.

Will the coffee still be fresh by the last day?

Yes. Each drip bag is sealed one cup at a time, so the twelfth cup is as fresh as the first. More on that in does coffee expire.

Do the flavoured coffees have sugar?

No. KNDZ flavoured coffees have no sugar added.

Related guides

• Coffee stocking stuffers Small coffee gifts under $10 and $25.
• Gifts for coffee lovers Ideas for every budget and every kind of coffee drinker.
• How is flavoured coffee made? What is actually in a flavoured coffee, and why there is no sugar.
• What is drip bag coffee? How a single-serve pour-over works.