Aibu to think the M&S advent calendar was crap this year?

[Biscuits4Breakfast]

I was really disappointed. Last year it had lots of full size stuff and was amazing. I don’t think I will bother next year.

Oh my goodness. I've been quietly rejoicing that today so the last day we will hear from the "it's November!" Crew for another 11 months. Yet now, at the final moment, I think I might be one of them.

Do love the count down to the holidays idea!

Yes, everyone. Don’t buy the advent calendar from the shop you like, but a random mystery box full of tat, just to please the randoms on MN.

YABU to have opened it in November 😬

Also … isn’t the contents listed under the description on the website so you can ‘see’ what you’re going to get?

No you buy the mystery box from a shop you like obviously

I’ve never read anything more shocking on MN.

The best thing about it was the box with thd mirrored lid and drawers! Perfect size to go on my dressing table although not expecting it to last long as it's a bit flimsy.

Or people could just buy what they like.

They could but then why buy an advent calendar? If they don't like the contents.

Absolute nonsense. Many of the beauty calenders are amazing value, my sister got one last year with hundreds of pounds worth of products for about 75 quid.
The most popular ones sell out online in about three minutes

The one and only reason I buy beauty advent calendars is because it's a way of getting a lot of beauty products for your money. Isn't it, in fact more childish to need a surprise every day in December 🤣

As far as this years M&S calendar goes, I agree there have been far better ones. But some of the products I've enjoyed.

Im looking forward to it. A treat every day from tomorrow until Xmas. Suits me just fine. I'm glad I'm not you.

It is definitely not a waste of money. For example - without brand spoilers - the M&S calendar cost £40, and has the full size mascara I usually wear, and need a new one of (£20). It also has a half-size moisturiser I like (£35 for the full size), which is handy for my swimming bag, and a decent mini size of a hair treatment I would like to try. So that is the value for me there, in three items.

Then I will get an additional 22 bonus items, which include things I know I will either use, or give to my mum. Including e.g. full sized nail varnish and a fancy full size eye cream that usually costs £45.

The box is nice this year, and will get reused. I am a bit of a child when it comes to xmas, so I will open it one per day. If it takes too long to get the mascara, I might need to go hunting for it though.

OP go to the style and beauty threads about the advent calendars, you'll be in much better (less grumpy) company.

Nothing wrong with being a bit childish at Christmas.

🎅🌲🎁

Inspired to go and buy one because I hate these threads - always John Lewis, M&S and the BBC are complained about, as if no other organisation is ever crap - sadly it's sold out online, so I don't think M&S are bothered by this spurious thread. Never mind, I got one from John Lewis.

Absolutely! I have never bought an advent calendar without finding out exactly what’s in it first. They tell you what the sizes are too, so you can make an informed decision before you purchase. Yes I may know what I’m getting, but I don’t know in which day and that’s the fun of it!

Beauty and makeup is a saturated market. A lot of money is spent trying something that sounds good but is one of 20,000 similar products. If I tried a new eyeliner every time I needed one I might be 80 by the time I tried the one I think is great enough to use daily! Particularly as everyone's skin/hair etc is different.

The calendars are a good way of getting people to try high-quality things they might never try, and therefore 'save' by finding one that's better than the others they've tried (or not considered using before - e.g. I wouldn't have looked twice at a 'hair elasticiser'). I've found a few 'go-to' things by using beauty boxes and calendars, and now don't really feel the need to try other similar products. So I guess they make money that way too, by getting new customers.

The cynic in me thinks its a way for them to get rid of the stuff that hasn't sold that year! Plus get their name out there. It's a ridiculously saturated market I'm surprised people buy all the stuff that's out there particularly the lesser known brands, so it's a PR thing too these calendars

The cynic in me thinks its a way for them to get rid of the stuff that hasn't sold that year! Plus get their name out there. It's a ridiculously saturated market I'm surprised people buy all the stuff that's out there particularly the lesser known brands, so it's a PR thing too these calendars

It's (mostly) not M&S branded stuff, it's like Clinique makeup , Occitane handcreams etc - the 'hero' and 'cult' products. I think people wouldn't buy them year on year if it was duds. Obviously there's always going to be something that disappoints someone but on the whole the M&S ones are good value.

There's a great thread somewhere with the House of Fraser beauty calendar - it's hilarious - that really is the dud stuff. www.mumsnet.com/talk/mumsnet_classics/3102388-Sharing-the-Shitness-HOF-Advent-Calendar-SPOILERS

I've also (for some reason??) watched the opening of a $$$ Chanel one on YouTube last year and that was totally crap - things like Chanel stickers instead of decent items every day. So I think people call out the shitty ones.

But yes, it's a PR thing, too - helps both M&S and the brand if it's well-received!

@DesertIslandCondiment yeah but people are saying the OP is childish because she wanted to use the products now 🤷🏻‍♀️

Yabu. They publish the items on the back of the box, so you can decide whether you like it. I find it great value as for £40 you get a lot of products with a total value of much more. Of course, if you don't like the products you shouldn't have bought it...

This is what I thought too haha literally the thought ‘ffs the best thing about this calendar is the fucking box’ 🤣

And to all those people bitching about people choosing to rip open their calendars early, why not? They are adults, they paid for it with their own money… Like it might be they just didn’t want to wait until certain days to use certain products lol

OP - yes you are being unreasonable. I'm very happy with day number one today which would cost £44 if you bought it from Ren cosmetics - and at £40 for 24 surprise gifts I'm not complaining about the contents - there's a list on the back of the box if you'd wanted to know what was in it.