Advent Calendars

[KermitlovesKeyLimePie]

Hi all,

I know there is a thread running currently about this years calendars and from that they seem to be as popular as ever.

I was just wondering whether with the cost of living crisis etc, that maybe now they have had their day?

Interested to hear whether you will be buying this year or not?

I’ve bought F&M this year, but I’ve never had one before and think pretty much everything I’ll use. Likewise ASOS for Dd 15.
We had body shop for a couple of years but didn’t bother last year as still had plenty to use up and there was none of their Christmas products in them - felt like they used last years to shift stuff that wasn’t selling well.

I ordered the Bonne Maman jam one today and will get the M&S beauty one this year, I didn't last year as I still had some skincare to use up.

I've also got Liberty Beauty Drop cash to spend which should be over 2/3 of the Liberty one and I've longed for that for YEARS and never been able to afford it!

So I might get that...

But I might look at the ASOS one too as that was good a couple of years ago.

I bought DH a Walkers shortbread one last year and he absolutely loved it so I'll get that again this year.
I was thinking about getting the Liberty one for myself as I've been saving money in the Liberty account thing but I'm not sure now.

I asked for the Elemis one for a birthday present but would have bought it for myself otherwise. We travel quite a bit so the small sizes are good for me. The cost of the calendar is far less than if I bought all the products I definitely like. And there's a few things in there I want to try.

I’ll crack with the M&S but not going for a high end one this year. I spent my Beauty Drop pennies on a Venn moisturiser I love. I didn’t get five times more excited by Liberty rather than M&S. I just like the daily treat!

For those looking for a non beauty one - the degustobox advent calendar was a huge hit and with £5 off with code AC22 only £36. I’ll warn you it’s massive so you need space but my teenagers thought it was brilliantly random and the wee waffle warmer is fought over in our house at cup of tea time.

We've had the walkers, bonne mamman and lakrids liquorice calendars before.
I'm hoping to get the M&S biscuit one somebody posted about

Decided I don't need a stand alone make up one so got the Whittard hot chocolate for Dd house and one for my house. We all like hot chocolate in the family so should be a winner.

The M&S one paid for itself last year so I'm definitely up for that again, but really no interest in anything more £££.

We also got the Exit one last year and have this year's ready to go. Loved it!

Brandalley have some of last year's Body Shop ones.

www.brandalley.co.uk/17984622.html

I was asking my friend this today and thought 'I bet someone will have discussed this on MN', and here we are!

Like you, OP, I've previously got stuck right on in, and the AC fatigue is approaching. Having said that, last year I had Space NK and Cult Beauty, and both were glorious.

I planned on tightening the purse strings and picking up the M&S one this year, if any, but ended up justifying buying the Liberty cal by using my accumulated beauty drop money.

In my mind, the daily boost it gives to my mental health is worth the price tag, and I'll make sacrifices elsewhere (Deliveroo).

What age are the exit calendars for? Is 8 too young?

@Costacoffeeplease I think an 8 year old would struggle to them by themselves. We're had it just year as a family one and really enjoyed it (DDs were 11 &9) but we definitely needed the hints on several of the clues.

I'm not sure this year. I've got lots of night cream and face wash left to use from previous years but am low on serums. Also tempted by the Harrods perfume one.

Thanks, yes she’d do it with her parents, I just wondered if she’d be able to follow it ok?

Mine says 10 and up so she's probably be fine. There's not much story as such to follow, but she might get frustrated if the adults end up working out all the puzzles first!

I got a fragrance tea light candle advent calendar this year

I thought I'd skip a beauty one this year but I may look at the M&S one now others have mentioned it !

A lot of them seem to be touting a job lot of the same product. Eg Olaplex 3 is in nearly every calendar. I’ve bought the Harrods perfume one for DD who likes high end perfume. But that’s all I’d get. The Latest in Beauty x Sunday Times one looked about the best value this year of the higher end ones and ASOS or Look Fantastic the best of the mid range.

I might wait for another year until she’s almost 9. This year I’ve got the them degustabox calendar as a family, which I hope they’ll all enjoy

I'm going to get the wedgewood one. Can't wait. Totally different to my beauty ones I usually get. Charlotte Tilbury was probably my fav through the years or liberty.

I was mega organised and bought last year's Feel Unique calendar in the January sales and stashed it for this year. I've bought my mum the Clarins one. She has a late November birthday so an advent is the perfect present. I absolutely love opening my advent calendar every morning in Dec. Such a lovely way to start the day, gives me a real boost.

Thanks to pp who mentioned degustabox, I think my friend would love that so am off to have a look.

I'm not buying a beauty one this year, I've still got products left from last year and just can't afford it this year.
I've invested in some lovely ones for DC though that have big enough boxes to put more than a tiny chocolate in. Hopefully save a lot in future years by adding age suitable stuff (Lego etc).
They are lovely. It said they were sold out but I messaged and she made some more.

www.etsy.com/uk/listing/1284901644/