Advent Calendars 2018 - delight or disappointment

[FelicityLemon]

Due to having a birthday not long before Advent starts I now have two calendars.
Yankee Candle - Day one - green tealight and holder - pine scented. I wouldnt usually buy a pine candle but it's quite pleasant.
Joe and Seph's popcorn - today was salted caramel, quite nice, not so exciting I'd buy a full size bag.

The tea today was matcha green, with ingredients with wonderful names such as Pin Ho Wild Jade tea and Jeju Island Emerald. I felt like Lady Precious Stream as I sipped it! .

Back to white chocolate and strawberry, am ploughing womanfully on! Eaten to the smell of crackling wood fire.

A teeny mouse! And yesterday's bear. The bear is the first one where the feet weren't quite even enough to stand up properly, so she's leaning against the sugar pot.

One extreme to another there @FreezerBird
Winter glow and double chocolate caramel here. I feel as if I never have a caramel based popcorn again it will be too soon.

Oops .. opened all the drawers till Xmas day in Look Fantastic!! Won't spoil in case other people have .. but great things !!

Yesterday's tea was rose, chamomile & lavender, an amazing floral bouquet, I wasn't sure if I should drink it or dab it behind my ears!

Today's tea is elderberry & echinacea with added beetroot and orange, sounds suspiciously like an Ottolengi salad recipe!

Another primer - this one by Becca. And a Hermes perfume (Twilly).The primer is a slightly alarming lavender colour: I haven't tried it yet but suspect it will make me look like one of the undead... Three more drawers to open.

Mmm brainsss!

Classic caramel, quelle surprise!

livingthegoodlife that is so beautiful! May I ask where you got it from? I'd love one for next year.
This is a great thread!

Finally the 24th. I got a tealight which I think must be Glittering Star and chocolate orange popcorn which is festive even if it is a repeat.

So overall, Yankee Candle was a delight, the back of the box flagged up that there would be repeats and all of theme were nice and festive scents. Joe and Seph's was a disappointment with a whole lot of aguely sweet similalrly flavoured popcorn.
Next year I am going to track down a traditional picture one and I sbsolutely adore the wooden animal one.

I've enjoyed opening my three, but next year I think I'll stick to one. Only the M&S one was worth the money

we have enjoyed the M and S one here

Last day of my Boots one - tube of protect and perfect serum which is good. A lot of the days felt as if they were more appropriate for a younger audience - Jack Wills shower gel, blending sponges etc - so next year I think I will be back to M&S.

My Montezuma advent calendar however has not let me down, even if the large cube of solid dark chocolate could have done with a bit of daily variation .

Here's the completed woodland scene. Today's was the twinkly star at the top of the tree.

I have loved it, and I'm very tempted to keep it out all year!

Yesterday's Pukka tea was chamomile, fennel & marshmallow, very soothing.
The Christmas Eve tea is lavender & valerian to ensure that you are sound asleep when Father Christmas visits!

I've liked the Pukka calendar, no day was exactly the same as another, and I've tried new and interesting combinations of flavours.
I've loved hearing about all your calendar treats, so thanks for starting such an enjoyable thread Felicity!

Have a very happy Christmas everyone!

That's such a wonderful calendar freezerbird.

My Aldi wine calendar was quite good, I now have 24 bottles of cheap plonk that people can choose from when they visit. Actually 22 now

I have loved the no7 calendar so much,will definitely be asking for it for my birthday again next year.contents well worth 42 pounds.Merry Christmas to all 🎄🎄

The John Lewis one was really good for £65, but I'm not convinced it would have been worth the full price. Some lovely stuff, and some things that I'll happily try, but only a handful of things I was positively excited by.

I'll definitely be getting my children the smiggle calendar again, they were really pleased with everything in it.

I was going to buy the John Lewis one, as I was pleased with it last year, but was not prepared to pay £165 for it in November. I bought the Fenwick one. Still very pricey at £150, but the products I got were fantastic.

I had a look on ebay to see if any were on 'sale'. No chance. But I notice that people are selling empty boxes for the more upmarket calendars £30!

I had the M and S one which I was quite happy with. I liked the makeup products this year.

I also had the Holland and Barrett 25 Days of Cleaner calendar and I thought it was amazing. I managed to buy it in their half price sale so it was £35. I can see myself using everything in it. No makeup but a Type of B.B. cream and 2 Nails Inc varnishes. 2 full size essential oils. In fact almost everything was full size. I’ve been impressed with the items I’ve used so far. Most days also had further money off vouchers. A big thumbs up from me.