AIBU to think that beauty advent calendars agave become a horrible representation of this who ‘have’ and those who ‘don’t’

[ThisOrTha]

The price of some of these calendars is crazy! I think everyone should have the right to buy what they want, but with the current state of things it feels like a really horrible waste of money. Yet built up to be a ‘must have’ etc etc.

Im probably being a grump and I do love beauty products/fashion, I just think some of these companies could donate some of the cover price to other causes as I’m sure the price markup is substantial.

I bought one this year for the first time. Ironically, for the 3ml sample of a product I wanted to try but didn't want to risk spending £££ on for the full size tub. There are 6 other products I already use or would use, so it actually works out good value for me. I recycle, compost and all that jazz, so I'm not worried about being judged for environmental impact or whatever. I'm going to smell delicious this Christmas!

Most of the actual calendars are cardboard (I've never seen one with plastic in it) and the products it varies immensely. It's odd how some people seem so affronted that others might choose something they enjoy and make use of just by saying x, y or z based on nothing. Most people who spend £££ won't just not use Most of the products.

Some do, at DH's directors do last Christmas loads of the women had them and were comparing contents. I was the butt of the jokes because I had a cheese one

I got one one year and enjoyed it. One year I got a cheese one and one year I got a Yankee candle one. I never discussed it with my friends except maybe maybe one friend as I knew she had a different one and we compared what was in them. Don't see how it's different to any other things people buy. I would think what you buy is a waste of money and vice versa. Let people be. Also just as a fyi people can buy things and still help charity.

The real problems are a culture of consumerism, beauty marketing making us feel like we're somehow less without their products, and social media one-upmanship / fomo.

I just think of the phrase " a fool and their money are easily parted" but then if people enjoy them...why not?!

Or some people just enjoy looking after their skin and body? I suspect most people don't post about them on social media or talk at length about them to others.

They are extortionate and most of them will come with lots of little plastic containers that will then be discarded and thrown away. Just more plastic tat.

This thread shows why insisting that developers of expensive housing shouldn’t be required to include social housing alongside it. People who are struggling gain very little from rubbing shoulders with the wealthy, and see every day what they can’t have.

Using cardboard unnecessarily is still wasteful

I've had one for the past few years, started with the M&S, had a few mid price, last year and this year I have the Selfridges.
I enjoy them, I use the majority of the contents and swap I don't use with mum mum or friends.
I'm looking for a second that I'll open in January.
I'm far from rich but I do like nice brands and popping into Selfridges and Harvey Nics (I'm walking distance to the Manchester stores)
I don't have a big family to buy for at Christmas, I'm careful with my money so I can splurge on things like this should I want to.
I enjoy the buzz of opening them each day, trying new products

People spend money on all sorts of unnecessary stuff. Not sure why this gets picked on. If it brings a bit of cheer what’s the problem. Lots of the calendars do full sized items now.

I see them exactly the same as a chocolate advent calendar - a vastly overpriced and overpackaged way to get the gullible to spend more money on things they won't enjoy as much as if they stuck to buying what they already purchased and enjoyed regularly.

I guess a lot of things are a representation of those who “have” and those who “have not” but it could be purely subjective.

Driving a car
Wearing the latest fashions
Drinking takeaway coffee regularly
Eating out at a restaurant
Owning a home
Getting beauty treatments such as facials, manicures, spray tan, fillers
Owning and insuring a pet
Holidays
Gym memberships

Some people will enjoy all of some of the above. Some people will not have any of the above but choose to spend their money on a beauty advent calendar.

Some people will do the lot, including the beauty advent calendar, and be in a lot of debt.

Others will be able to afford to buy whatever they choose without a care in the world but still be unhappy with something in their life.

Well yes of course but why single these out when tonnes of things use cardboard? Do you never ever buy anything packaged? Kudos if that's the case. Have you ever seen how much cardboard etc is used to deliver stuff to shops?

I wouldn’t buy one, but I do sometimes like to get trial sized packs of things so I don’t waste my money on a full sized version if I don’t like it. They are also good for travel. There are loads of things people spend a lot of money on (football tickets, Michelin starred restaurants, clothes, etc.) that to others would be a waste.

it crazy. Money madness for things you can’t choose yourself. 😂I bought one from Next a couple of years ago and didn’t like/use over half of what was in it! I don’t think anyone ever likes everything and at an average of cost of £200 for a calendar this year I would far rather spend that amount on things I actually like.

I've never had one never wanted one and never felt disadvantaged. Maybe i'm just too plebian to realise that makes me part of some underclass.

Oh well, ignorance is bliss!

I'm loving that my calendar makes me rich and poor people shouldn't be rubbing shoulders with me lest they be jealous of my 3ml sample of La Mer.

They are an expensive frivolity, but they're an aspirational lower-middle-class purchase - they don't scratch the surface of what the genuinely rich think nothing of splurging £££ on.

My dh buys me one every year and I love it. He surprises me with something different each time, last year’s was Liberty, this year is Diptyque and it’s beautiful (it arrived yesterday and he let me open it early). I don’t ‘need’ anything, I definitely have more than enough candles and products and yes, it might be unnecessary but it makes me happy because I know the effort he puts in to choose something beautiful just because he knows it will make me smile.

As for the packaging, our dd likes sewing and crafts and she loves the packaging with little boxes as it’s perfect for sorting her bits and bobs. Win win.

I like how people get hanged up on some plastic bits they don't even know these boxes have in or not, but not on the amount of plastic we use for stuff like hadbags and shoes instead of leather....

The margins are actually really poor because the packaging & marketing costs are high for a product that has a very limited time on sale

I’ve had very expensive ones - and normal priced ones. Some years I go without, no one penalised me. I think it’s more about who exactly it is youre
hanging out with that makes you feel pressured more than anything.

They are the sort of thing I might get exited about for 5 seconds, then the chore of opening them everyday and finding shelf space and time to use the lotions, I would just get resentful of the damn thing.

Cheap Chocolate ones I can get on board with and genuinely enjoy those!