The ultimate Xmas chocolate tin ranking, from mediocre to the literal meaning of Christmas

I am here to liberate the public from the shackles of Celebrations always ranking first

1 year ago

Christmas chocolate, regarded by some as the best seasonal release in UK supermarkets, has been a tradition since the fourth century. Visible from later November the columns of bright tubs precariously stacked at the entrances of shops is one of the first signs that winter is upon us in the UK. It’s hard to know how to rank the selection tins, and the below positions are based on personal taste, packaging and overall current affairs.

Fourth place: Celebrations

Surveys have consistently placed Celebrations at the top but controversially I am here to liberate the public from the shackles of conformity. The adjustment of packaging to a simplified font reminiscent of 70s packaging has certainly won on style, but in the spirit of Christmas the sentiment of “what’s on the inside counts”, sends Celebrations to the bottom of the chart. Maltesers and Galaxy Caramel are this tub’s merits, but the political tension of Bounty inclusion has resulted in a tasteless PR stunt that needlessly dominated headlines across the UK. Hence why Celebrations has ranked at a strong last place.

Third place: Heroes

To get granular as we approach the top three rankings, looking at ease of opening wrappers is essential in a post-roast slumber. Heroes always appear to split in the corner and the irritating wrestle to access the chocolate can result in dropping the sweet, and the same issue applies to Roses. Heroes just don’t have the Christmas product scarcity marketing that Roses do, as you can access the sweets outside of the festive period, but have the edge over Celebrations. Nothing beats Cadburys chocolate. Creme Egg and Caramel appear to remain fan favourites of this tin, but the inevitable onslaught of leftover Eclairs and Fudges keep this in its rightful third place.

Second place: Roses

With the Cadbury’s chocolate novelty and selection tin appeal, Roses swoop in to steal second place. The textural and flavour variety selection is a top scorer and the golden barrel is everyone’s first choice in this tub, with nothing screaming “Christmas” like seeing the jewel coloured wrappers glinting back at you. The tub is a winner for caramel lovers with many variations on the flavour but the inclusion of the hazel whirl and fudge flavours is a humbling undertone.

First place: Quality Street

Following the news that Quality Street have reportedly switched to more eco – friendly recyclable paper wrappers unquestionably places the tin at the top. The strawberry and orange creme sweets remain the best sweets (although feel free to disagree as there would be more for me), followed by the purple one and green triangle. There are simply too many toffee pennies and fingers for the average consumer though, with dentures, fillings and braces holders alike tentatively picking their way through the inevitable dental appointments.