People handing out treats at a Christmas market
You want to give several visitors or colleagues a little something. Individually wrapped pieces make it easier to share out portions; check how many are in the pack.
Who is this choice relevant to?
Shoppers looking for a small Christmas gift
You’re looking for something for a host, teacher, neighbour or someone else. In that case, the contents and presentation matter, not just how easy the pack is to share out.
Shoppers checking for allergens
You can only choose once you know which ingredients the recipient needs to avoid. Check the ingredients and allergen information on the current packaging.
What should you look for when choosing?
Chocolate gift box or sharing pack
A good choice when: you want to give chocolate as a present or need individual portions for several people.
Things to consider: an assortment offers different flavours, but ingredients and the number of pieces you can share vary from pack to pack.
Spritz biscuits
A good choice when: you specifically want to offer a crisp biscuit, for example with coffee or tea.
Things to consider: even spritz biscuits coated with milk chocolate are still biscuits, not a box of individual chocolates.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Sharing | Check how many pieces are in the pack and whether they’re individually wrapped. | If I want to give something to lots of people, I want to be able to share out the portions without cutting or repacking the contents first. For around 33% of consumers, ease of sharing comes first. |
| A gift for one person | Compare the contents, weight and packaging with what you want to give this recipient. | For one recipient, I’d rather find a suitable gift box than a pack designed mainly for a group. For around 27% of consumers, choosing a gift is the top priority. |
| Spritz biscuits as a biscuit option | Decide whether you want to offer biscuits or individual chocolates; if you choose spritz biscuits, check the ingredients of that particular variety. | If I want to serve biscuits with coffee or tea, a chocolate gift box doesn’t need to serve the same purpose. Around 13% of consumers would put spritz biscuits first in this choice. |
| Allergens | Read the current ingredients and allergen information on the packaging of the exact product you’ve chosen. | If I know a recipient needs to avoid certain ingredients, I check the packaging before buying or handing anything out. For around 27% of consumers, this check is a prerequisite. |
Common mistakes
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Assuming a pretty box is suitable for someone with allergies
Chocolate assortments can contain different allergens from one product to another. The spritz biscuit varieties reviewed also contain wheat and milk ingredients.
Ask which ingredients the recipient needs to avoid, then check the current packaging of the specific product.
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Treating spritz biscuits as a box of chocolates
Verkade describes NoboSprits as a biscuit. The milk chocolate variety has a chocolate coating, but that doesn’t make it an assortment of individual chocolates.
First decide whether you want to give a biscuit treat or a chocolate gift.
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Assuming a seasonal product page guarantees stock
ALDI listed its Christmas chocolate as unavailable, while the Lidl pralines we reviewed were listed as an in-store product. A product page doesn’t necessarily tell you what will be available when you shop.
Check availability at your chosen shop or online retailer shortly before the Christmas market.
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Waiting until after you buy to check the storage advice
The information reviewed for merci and Celebrations recommends protecting the products from heat or storing them in a cool, dry place.
Read the advice on the packaging and think about how you’ll transport the chocolate and where you’ll keep it.
Relevant brands and shops
Verkade
NoboSprits Original and NoboSprits Melk are biscuit options to consider.
- Original is a spritz biscuit; Melk also has a milk chocolate coating.
- The varieties reviewed contain wheat and milk ingredients. For NoboSprits Melk, also check the information about soya.
Albert Heijn
Has a product page for a 400 g merci gift box.
- The stated weight helps you assess the size of the box.
- Product information can change; check the packaging you buy for ingredients and storage advice.
Jumbo
Lists merci chocolate boxes in 250 g and 400 g sizes.
- According to Jumbo, the 400 g box reviewed contains 32 individually wrapped chocolate bars in eight varieties.
- Check the current allergen information for the assortment you choose.
PLUS
Lists both chocolate gifts and a Celebrations sharing pack.
- PLUS describes the 385 g Celebrations pack reviewed as containing small portions to share.
- Check the contents and allergens of the exact pack you choose; information about a different Celebrations variety doesn’t necessarily apply to it.
Lidl
Listed a page for pralines as a possible gift option.
- Pralines offer a different type of product from spritz biscuits or a box of chocolate bars.
- The pralines reviewed were listed for in-store purchase only; check availability at the branch where you plan to shop.
ALDI
Listed festive chocolate and biscuits as part of a seasonal range.
- The range page shows the types of Christmas chocolate and biscuits you can compare.
- The Christmas products reviewed were marked as unavailable. Check what’s currently on offer before relying on them.
Joybuy products for gifts or treats
These products include chocolate gifts, portion packs and a chocolate wafer as an alternative to spritz biscuits. A sharing pack isn’t automatically a gift box, so check the contents and number of usable portions for each product.
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Tony's Chocolonely Chocolate Gift Pack, 288 g
A chocolate gift to consider if you want to give someone a present that they might also share. Before handing it out, check how the bars are wrapped, along with the allergens, best-before date and storage advice.
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Merci Petits Chocolate Collection, 125 g
A chocolate assortment to consider as a small gift for one person. If you want to hand out individual portions, check how many pieces are in the box and how they’re wrapped. Also read the current allergen information.
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Celebrations Chocolate Assorted, 385 g
A chocolate assortment for anyone who wants to offer a treat to a group. Check how many portions are included before planning to share it out, and read the allergen and storage information on the packaging.
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Smarties Milk Chocolate Tubes, 6 × 34 g
The six tubes offer a set number of portions if you want to hand out chocolate. They’re tubes, not a chocolate gift box for one person, so check the ingredients, allergens and best-before date.
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Milka Choco Wafer Milk, 180 g
A chocolate wafer to consider if you’re looking for a wafer treat rather than spritz biscuits or a gift box. Check the portion packaging, allergens and best-before date before choosing it for a Christmas market.
Frequently asked questions
Are spritz biscuits the same kind of gift as a chocolate box?
No. Spritz biscuits are biscuits; even NoboSprits coated with milk chocolate are still a biscuit product. Choose spritz biscuits if you want to offer biscuits, or a chocolate box if you want to give chocolate as a gift or in individual pieces.
Which allergens should I check in spritz biscuits and chocolate?
Check the allergen information on the exact packaging, as the combination varies by product and variety. The products reviewed list ingredients including wheat, milk, soya, nuts, peanuts or egg. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains that allergens must be listed on food labels.
How should I store chocolate until it’s time to hand it out?
Follow the storage advice on the packaging you choose. The merci information reviewed recommends protecting the chocolate from heat, while the advice for Celebrations is to store it in a cool, dry place. Keep this in mind during transport and at the Christmas market, too.
Can I rely on seasonal Christmas pralines being available?
Check availability with the shop where you want to buy them shortly before you go. The ALDI page reviewed marked its Christmas chocolate as unavailable, while the Lidl pralines reviewed were offered as an in-store product.