The Problem Trader Joe's Fans Have With Its Advent Calendars

You already know we love the unique items at Trader Joe's, but that doesn't mean we admire the large retailer without some occasional constructive criticism. In this case, fans are taking issue with the Trader Joe's line of advent calendars. First the good things, though. TJ's annually releases 99-cent advent calendars filled with milk chocolate, and they are already showing up in stores. The calendar designs include fun themes like Christmas sloths, feliz navidad, gingerbread persons, and even a Jolly "Joe-cuterie" board theme (via Instagram).

While fans love the value, they don't like the variety. In short, while different shapes, the chocolate is all the same.

"Why is it always milk chocolate and not dark?" TJ's fan writesymphonies asked. A sentiment shared by multiple other followers in a recent post. As a more health-focused retailer, it would potentially make sense for there to be a dark chocolate option. Not only is dark chocolate often a dairy-free dessert, it contains antioxidants and minerals while typically having less sugar than its milk chocolate counterpart (via Medical News Today).

But it's not just the omission of a dark chocolate variety that has fans riled up.

While the idea of a TJ's charcuterie-themed calendar has us all excited, it also makes us want meat, cheese, and other goodies. "Kinda disappointed that first one isn't filled with cheese," commented poster cornflakecrunchers, in reference to a "Joe-cuterie" calendar pic on Instagram. While it's understandable that there probably isn't a way to do decent charcuterie for $1, many readers still had to do a disappointed double-take on this holiday theme.

Fan writesymphonies really summed up the problem, though. Trader Joe's has conditioned us all to expect holiday greatness, so simply good feels like a letdown. "Literally THE WORST is knowing TJ's pulls out the best snacks but does THIS for holidays," wrote the poster.

Perhaps we can forgive one product for simply being good and not great. After all, less chocolate consumed means more room for additional TJ's holiday goodies. In addition, with these treats out before December even hits, it gives us time to count down 24 days of November before the December holidays even begin.