CHRISTMAS is coming and for those of us who love the run up to the big day, advent calendars are one way of getting our festive fix – and if they add a little luxury to life then so much the better.
Luxury means different things to different people so taking this into account, our roundup of the best luxury advent calendars has something for everyone.
This year’s bumper crop seems even more bountiful than usual, as more and more brands realise just what a wonderful way they are to bring joy to the world.
So grab a hot chocolate, snuggle up on the sofa and read on Rudolph, for our rather lovely roundup of this year’s best luxury advent calendars!
Best British icon: Liberty Beauty Advent Calendar
The iconic London store always sets the bar high and this year is no exception.
Their luxury advent calendar is worth £1,065 and contains 30 gifts, of which 20 are full-size. Makeup, skin care and hair care products from names such as Le Labo, Votary, Kate Somerville and UOMA Beauty grace the recyclable box, which is resplendent in Liberty’s Peacock Manor print.
What’s more, there are five golden tickets hidden inside five calendars, which are each worth £1,000 to spend in the store.
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Best home fragrance: Diptyque advent calendar
Lovers of Diptyque will literally be over the moon with this heavenly calendar.
It features illustrations of the Milky Way, set against a black sky with highlights of gold, and beyond each door, a gorgeous gift.
Candles, including Feu de bois, Ambre, Baies and Figuier, lie alongside travel-size perfumes and body balm, as well as for the first time, seasonal scented candles in Neige, Sapin and Étincelles.
Best children’s chocolate calendar: Teddy Sleigh Advent Calendar
The kids are going to love this – luscious chocolate treats from Swiss chocolatier Lindt – one for every day leading up to Christmas.
Favourites include milk and white chocolate, mini Lindor truffles and of course, the signature chocolate teddy.
Best spa experience calendar: ESPA Wellness Calendar
Conjure up that luxury spa experience at home with this indulgent calendar from ESPA. Pamper yourself with their Signature Blends Energising Bath & Body Oil, relax with the fragrance of the Winter Spice Candle and drift off to sleep with Restful Pillow Mist.
A beautiful collection of 25 skincare, bodycare and haircare products in luxurious packaging – pure bliss! Worth £319 and available from early October.
Best biscuits: Biscuiteers Sophie Conran Advent Calendar and Luxe Biscuit Tin
Handmade and intricately iced animal biscuits that look almost too good to eat.
Presented in a keepsake tin, the 24 vanilla biscuits fit perfectly into the hand finished embroidered cloth calendar designed by Sophie Conran. A scrumptious lead up to Christmas Day.
Best chocolate for grownups: Montezuma Butter Nutter advent calendar
Montezuma’s is famous for its handmade chocolate, responsibly sourced cocoa and ethical principles – as well as its delicious products!
This calendar contains chocolate peanut butter truffles – one for each day of December, including Christmas Day. If you know Montezuma’s more for their grown-up dark chocolate then you’re in for a treat!
Best designer fragrance: Jo Malone Advent Calendar
This year’s Jo Malone calendar is one of simple, understated elegance in classic cream and black. Inside the jewellery box-like packaging is a treasure trove of mini home fragrances and colognes, as well as selected full-size gifts.
There’s something for every day up to and including Christmas day with much-loved fragrances of lime, basil & mandarin; peony & blush suede; velvet rose & oud, and blackberry & bay, among others. Total luxury!
Best luxury cuppa: Fortnum’s Tea Filled Wooden Advent Calendar
Tea will never taste the same again after spoiling yourself with this luxurious selection from Fortnum & Mason. The 24 loose leaf teas are presented in miniature tins, each hidden behind a door in this keepsake wooden advent calendar.
A mixture of green and black teas includes Smoky Earl Grey, Assam Superb, Black Tea with Cranberry, Royal Blend and Christmas Green Tea.
Best for men: Clarin’s 12-Day Self-Care Advent Calendar
Self-care is crucial for everybody, not least at this – often stressful – time of year. Favourites including ClarinsMen Super Moisture Lotion, Active Face Wash, energizing Eye Gel and SOS Hydra Mask will have you looking party-ready in no time.
The 12 products are worth over £128 and include two full size versions in addition to 10 miniature gifts.
Best for fragrance: Penhaligon’s Doors of Wonder Advent Calendar
Luxury parfumier Penhaligon’s Doors of Wonder presents a bouquet of fragrances for the festive season. The 24 doors open to reveal body care gifts and candles, as well as a selection of the company’s iconic perfumes.
Best for whisky connoisseurs: A Whisky Tour of Scotland Advent Calendar
For those who know and love their whiskies then this calendar containing drams from some of the finest distilleries in Scotland is surely a must-have luxury.
A selection of 18 single malts, three single grains and three blended expressions are bottled direct from the cask and nestled within a handmade wooden cabinet.
Best for full-size gifts: Style Advent Calendar
This advent calendar collects together a bumper crop of beauty brands, with 21 of the products in its 25 drawers being full size.
Favourites such as Fenty Beauty, Trish McEvoy, Nails Inc and Murad come together to create a truly beautiful haul of gifts worth more than £800.
Best French beauty: Dior advent calendar
The navy and gold packaging of Dior’s 2022 advent calendar is divine and depicts the designer’s original Paris store on 30 Avenue Montaigne.
The 24 products within are equally sumptuous and include perfumes such as J’adore and Miss Dior, makeup favourites Rouge Dior lipstick and nail colour, skincare and an exclusive 30 Montaigne candle. Available from mid-October.
Where do I find the best luxury advent calendars?
Online and on the high street, you’ll find a great mix of luxury advent calendars to suit all tastes. Check out the websites and stores of the brands themselves, for example Penhaligon’s and Jo Malone have flagship stores in London, as well as being stocked within department stores.
Many of the best luxury advent calendars are stocked by more than one online retailer so if you can’t find what you’re looking for in one, you should find it in another. Don’t be tardy though, advent calendars, especially beauty advent calendars, sell out quickly.
What are the best luxury advent calendars?
This depends on your tastes and what you’re looking for.
If you measure in terms of value for money though then some of the beauty advent calendars will take some beating.
The Latest in Beauty calendar contains more than £800 of products and Liberty London’s offering for this Christmas is worth more than £1,000! That’s a lot of luxury for a relatively little price.
When do advent calendars go on sale?
Many are on sale now but some, notably premium and designer beauty brands, launch in October.
Many have waiting lists you can sign up to so you’re among the first to know – and the first to buy, so take a look at the websites of those brands you’re desperate to get your hands on.