FARGO — Advent calendars aren’t just for kids anymore, and they definitely aren’t limited to chocolate either. Everything from silly socks to skincare products to dog treats has been transformed into a festive Christmas countdown.
This year, a Fargo-Minnesota partnership is putting a local, cheesy spin on the trend.
Alise Sjostrom of Redhead Creamery and Megan Lewis of Fargo’s Milk Made Catering are teaming up for a fourth year to bring cheese lovers a unique, flavorful holiday countdown through their 12 Days of Cheesemas Advent calendar.
“Alise and I have been friends for a very long time, and we kind of had this initial idea many years ago,” Megan Lewis, owner of Milk Made Catering, said. “We thought it would be fun to combine our two talents, hers with the cheese making and, myself, with the cheese mongering and the knowledge– kind of putting together something fun that we felt like people would feel really passionate about.”
Together, the duo created a curated box filled with 12 artisan cheeses, each paired with a thoroughly thought-out pairing like honey, jam or crackers. This box aligns with the national boom where nearly anything can become an Advent experience, yet the Cheesemas calendar stands out for its local roots and gouda craftsmanship.
A ‘grate’ local take on a national trend
Advent calendars originated in 19th-century Germany as a way for families to mark the days leading up to Christmas through chalk marks on doors to later printed calendars. By the mid-20th century, chocolate-filled calendars became popular worldwide – and today, they’re an entire retail category and one of the fastest-growing holiday marketing tools.
Toy companies, beauty brands and even streaming services have embraced the format. Lego offers Advent calendars filled with miniature builds, while Netflix sells TV show-themed countdowns. However, specialty food companies have especially embraced the format – giving kids and adults a way to savor the days leading up to Christmas.
Alise Sjostrom, owner of Redhead Creamery in Brooten, Minn., said the idea behind the 12 Days of Cheese came from years of brainstorming and lots of teamwork.
“The idea was that we would use our cheeses from Red Head Creamery, and Megan would help with the flavors and pairing with additional food items and other things that go well with those cheeses,” Sjostrom said. “We've continued to do that now for the past four years, with an emphasis on specialty, small-scale food products that go well with our cheeses.”
Each calendar features 12 two-ounce portions of Redhead Creamery cheese, accompanied by various pairings shared from local producers and collaborations with local businesses like Farmented from Fargo.
These pairings include standard items like nuts and salamis, as well as more unique or unexpected selections. For example, a previous year featured a miniature cheese grater, while another contained chocolate-covered crickets.
“We definitely have fun trying to come up with new and creative things that we can put in the boxes,” Lewis said. “It's really fun for my customers to kind of see a product that I've supported for years, to kind of come together in this collaborative way.”
Without spoiling the surprise, the Cheesemas calendars feature a diverse selection of cheeses, from fresh curds to well-aged varieties, including a little Lucy Brie, which they paired as a s’more in a past year. Careful planning ensures that fresh cheese curds are made the week the box is assembled, and some other cheeses are made specifically for the filling date to maintain their proper age or guarantee they will last into the new year.
“Everything is going to come pre-packaged,” Lewis said. “You don't have to worry about anything being cross-contaminated. All of the cheese is cut into miniature portions and sealed.”
While the Cheesemas boxes are created and fulfilled through Redhead Creamery, Milk Made helps promote the calendar locally and encourages Fargo customers to explore regional cheesemakers.
This year’s cheddar
Every year, the box features a new design. Last year's packaging was decorated with cow nutcrackers; this year’s theme, You’ve Got Mail, is wrapped in a festive Christmas and cheese-themed postage stamps.
The specifics of what is offered this year are kept as a surprise – making it not just a countdown, but also an experience.
This gluten-free artisan cheese-filled box is sold for $130, which tends to sell quickly throughout the season. Redhead Creamery and Milk Made make a limited run of 500 boxes each year, which they sell to cheese lovers across the nation.
“Get it while it’s hot,” Lewis said.
The cheesy Advent calendars are now ready for order through the Redhead Creamery website.
Orders received can be shipped specifically on certain dates, if noted, or will ship following their normal shipping schedule, depending on the holiday shipping chaos.
Since the cheesebox is perishable, you’ll have to make some room in the fridge for the 10x15.5x3-inch, 6 pounds of cheesy gouda-ness, which should stay sharp until the New Year.
Whether you want the countdown experience or you’re like Megan Lewis’s sister-in-law and open the entire box for a cheesy Christmas party platter, you’ll find that the cheese makes for a great moment to share.
“We don’t judge,” Lewis said. “You enjoy cheese how you want to enjoy cheese.”
Cheesemaker history
Megan Lewis has been in the cheese industry for almost 10 years and has owned Milk Made Catering for almost eight. As a long-time cheesemonger, Lewis took the test in 2023 and became a Certified Cheese Professional through the American Cheese Society.
Alise Sjostrom is the redhead behind Redhead Creamery. Growing up on her family’s farm, Sjostrom decided at 16 years old that she not only wanted to stay on the farm, but also wanted to expand into cheese making. Since then, she has been known as “Cheese Alise,” developing her sharp knowledge of cheese through travel and through education at the University of Minnesota and Vermont Institute for Artisan Cheese. She and her husband, Lucas, started Redhead Creamery in 2013.
From Cheese to Everything Else: The Advent Boom
Redhead Creamery and Milk Made’s 12 Days of Cheesemas is part of a broader wave of creative advent calendars hitting the shelves this season.
Major retailers offer calendars filled with sample-size perfumes, skincare products, jewelry, hot sauces, coffees, little toys and more– whatever you name, they sell.
Locally, shoppers can find candy-filled Advent calendars – Toxic Waste or gummy candy – at the Unglued gift shop in Brewhalla. Vintage Point in Fargo offers other options, such as Christmas coloring calendars and Usborne’s 24-day children’s book collection.
As Advent calendars continue to evolve, Sjostrom and Lewis are proving that some people would rather enjoy a box filled with cheese than a handful of knick-knacks for the holidays.
To learn more about the 12 Days of Cheesemas or to place your order, visit Redheadcreamery.com. Orders will be delivered or can be picked up at Redhead Creamery in Brooten or from Milk Made in Fargo.