It’s fair to say M&S isn’t short of gifting ideas this year. I first spotted this brilliant chocolate box at the brand’s Christmas food showcase, and now it’s finally landed in stores. Needless to say, I’ll be stocking up before it disappears (much like the brand’s short-lived Foodhall Advent calendar!).
It has a similar feel to the M&S Magical Projector Chocolate Chip Shortbread Biscuit Tin – in that it’s a two-in-one gift that starts life as a box of delicious chocolates before transforming into a festive keepsake you’ll want to refill and reuse for years to come.
But the contents are next-level. There’s an assortment of Belgian milk, white, dark and golden blond chocolates, shaped like festive gonks and gingerbread men. Each one is filled with a smooth truffle or ganache centre and every single one is utterly divine – but we had a standout favourite…
What’s inside?
- White chocolate Gonk: Made with Belgian white chocolate, it has a sweet, creamy Madagascan vanilla truffle filling.
- Milk chocolate Gonk: A Belgian milk chocolate version with a rich milk chocolate truffle.
- Dark chocolate gingerbread man: Don’t let the shape fool you, this is pure Belgian dark chocolate with a smooth dark chocolate ganache – no gingerbread spice in sight. Rich and decadent, it’s impossible to stop at just one and tastes so expensive.
- Golden blond gingerbread man: Again, no gingerbread flavours here, instead the golden blond chocolate is filled a rich blond chocolate ganache.
The Gonks are particularly cute with their little red hats, but it was the golden blond gingerbread man that stole the show. Rich, buttery and caramelised, it reminded me of those viral malt balls everyone’s currently obsessed with. Impossible to stop at just one.
As lovely as the chocolates are – and trust me, they really are – the real magic is the box itself. Open the lid and it plays Deck the Halls while a charming theatre scene lights up with twinkling lights. Once the chocolates are gone, the box becomes a keepsake decoration, and even the front label peels away neatly, so it looks just as good displayed at home as it does wrapped up as a gift.
We think it’s one of M&S’s best festive designs yet. The only slight downside? Every time you lift the lid, the music starts playing, instantly announcing to anyone within earshot you’ve gone in for another chocolate. Guilty!
What to read next
Whether you’re shopping for children, teachers, neighbours or simply treating yourself, it’s a charming alternative to the traditional tin of chocolates.
The Magical Christmas Theatre with Lights and Music is available now in M&S stores and online, priced at £15, and we have a feeling it’ll be one of the retailer’s biggest festive hits this year.
Stacey looks after all food and drink reviews — from coffee pods and veg boxes, to natural wine and tequila. Stacey is also founder of Crummbs, where she’s written nearly 2,000 restaurant and hotel reviews since 2013. Prior to this, Stacey wrote hundreds of in-depth buying guides for the Independent, i newspaper and BBC Good Food, as well as reviewing restaurants and interviewing celebrities in her column at Balance Magazine. Stacey has also appeared in BAFTA-nominated BBC documentary Blood, Sweat & Takeaways, where she investigated South East Asia's food production industry, appearing on both Newsnight and BBC World Service to share her findings. Regularly checking out the latest restaurants, bars and product launches, Stacey also loves experimenting with recipes at home, and is a WSET-certified wine and spirits expert, with over 10 years of experience in the business. You can follow Stacey on Instagram @crummbs_uk
