Advent calendar gift sets are a great way to ring in the jolly holiday season. It’s like having a pre-Christmas party everyday ‘till Christmas – each morning is filled with a few little goodies and gifts. These little goodies from advent calendars are sometimes samplers or travel sized. Sometimes, we’re lucky enough to get a full-sized product.
Either way, advent calendars are a great alternative when testing (or tasting) products from a brand without having to buy full-sized sets.
So many brands are jumping on this advent calendar bandwagon offering bite-sized skincare and beauty products, and even consumables like tea! There are just so many different calendars out there so we’ve rounded up the best ones that we ourselves can’t wait to get our hands on. We’ve even found the world’s first marshmallow calendar that you might want to try.
Bonus: They all ship to Singapore!
ALSO READ: OUR TOP 10 PICKS FROM H&M’S FESTIVE COLLECTION TO ROCK THE HOLIDAYS IN STYLE
Godiva has been a name familiar to us since it was first set up in 1926. It’s famous for its decadent chocolates, traditional Belgian style of making chocolate, and for creating nut-flavoured chocolate.
This year Godiva is indulging us for 24 whole days! Award-winning illustrator and animator Lesley Barnes designed the vibrant blue advent calendar with cartoon-animals beautifully drawn on.
Just like it’s decor, the calendar is decked out with limited edition, premium chocolates in the shape of our favourite Christmas guests – a snowman, Santa’s elves and of course Santa Claus himself. But that’s not all! We don’t want to ruin the surprise for you.
Photo: Godiva
$106, available at Godiva outlets.
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Established in London in 2000, Newby Teas has grown to become the world’s most awarded luxury tea brand with over 100 awards under its belt. The luxury tea brand’s profits go to the N Sethia Foundation, which partially owns Newby Teas. The foundation focuses on projects related to education, medicine and social welfare in UK and the rest of the world.
The House of Newby advent calendar showcases its London headquarters with 24 doors cocooning 96 sachets, each depicting a collection of vintage Indian textiles. The tea bags are a selection of blends from the Classic Tea Bag Collection like Masala Chai, Winter Dream and Early Grey.
Photo: Newby Teas
$210, available at Newby Teas.
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Why send flowers when you can send biscuits?
The Biscuiteers opened just over a decade ago when Harriet Hastings and her husband decided to turn their love for biscuits into a business. They caught the media’s attention when they offered the alternative of sending biscuits instead of flowers to your loved ones.
This time, they’re offering to send an advent calendar full of buscuits. Every day for 25 days, wake up to a new hand-made, hand-decorated confection in either a beautifully designed cloth or tin box.
Each biscuit has its own intricate design, from a cute little snowman to Santa Claus and reindeers. Plus they ship worldwide, so it makes for a delicious surprise for a loved one who’s living overseas.
Photo: Biscuiteers
£60 (S$108) for a cloth calendar, £99. with biscuit tin. Available at Biscuiteers.
Tea-lovers, rejoice! You’re in for a tea-riffic month ahead. After selling out last year, Bluebird Tea & Co is back this year with another Luxury Tea Advent Calendar.
This year’s calendar has a Gatsby inspired ‘Magic is Brewing’ design in mesmerising blue and gold hues. There are award-winning blends like Earl Grey Creme with Gingerbread Chai and Christmas Cake. There will also be exclusive Christmas blends which are not available for individual purchase, like Mince Pie with Spiced Clementine. All their teas are hand blended in the UK.
Besides tea bags, there’s also mini matcha sachets for matcha lovers and a tea-scented solid perfume too. So if you’re a tea-lover you’d definitely want to get your hands on this.
Photo: Bluebird Tea & Co.
£36, available at Bluebird Tea & Co.
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The Body Shop promises to pamper you for 25 days while keeping you entertained with the deluxe or the ultimate advent calendar.
Besides being filled with crowd-favourites like the Frosted Berries shower gel and the Shea lip butter, The Body Shop’s advent calendars will include makeup and accessories that will beautify and spoil whoever receives it.
Plus once you open box 25, your calendar turns into a trivia quiz to play at the table after that delightful dinner.
Photo: The Body Shop
$299 & $429, available at The Body Shop.
ALSO READ: OUR TOP 10 PICKS FROM H&M’S FESTIVE COLLECTION TO ROCK THE HOLIDAYS IN STYLE
Mark the 12 days of Christmas with this luxurious advent calendar – or rather advent box. Every day you get one of Charlotte’s makeup best sellers including Wonderglow, its anti aging primer, and Full Fat Lashes, its mascara.
The brand makes quality makeup that you will love from the first swipe, so grab this while you can. Moreover, the box can also be used to store jewellery or trinkets because honestly, it’s too beautiful to be thrown away.
Photo: Charlotte Tilbury
$230, available at Selfridges.
Ciate London is known for its gorgeous range of nail polishes. If you have problem deciding on a nail colour, this set will give you 12 shades to choose from.
Moreover they come in 11 mini-sizes and one full-sized bottle so that you get to try a range of colours without ending up with unfinished full-sized bottles that dry up.
There’s a mix of cream and glitter polishes too, because variety is the spice of life.
Photo: Ciate London
$108, available at ASOS.
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When it comes to Christmas offerings, Crabtree and Evelyn products are always winners with their bath and body care products with special festive scents like Frosted Spicewood. This season it is launching its 12 Days of Crabtree & Evelyn Hand Therapy Advent Calendar.
Each day, open a new floral or botanical scented hand cream that soothes your hands and makes them smell a-ma-zing. Our faves include Lavender with Espresso and Caribbean Island Wild Flowers (the closest we will get to a Caribbean holiday right now).
Plus they are all enriched with shea butter, so you can trust that they’ll do their job.
Photo: Crabtree & Evelyn
$108, available at Crabtree & Evelyn outlets.
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Known for its floral corsages, Johnny Loves Rosie is an accessories brand that channels a cute vintage aesthetic – think floral headbands, minimalist gold jewellery and clips featuring gem accents.
With this tree-shaped advent calendar you’ll have 25 sparkling days with either silver or gold-plated jewellery that you can mix and match. Some of the bracelets, necklaces and earrings will even have a Christmas-themed charm to match the season.
Photo: Johnny Loves Rosie
$119, available at ASOS.
Swedish label Kikki.K delights the hearts of stationery lovers for 25 days till Christmas. Famed for its charming and cute stationery like yearly planners and even down to little things like paper clips.
It also expanded its range to include lifestyle items like bags, kettles and even candles. In this black and gold-embossed box, there are little treasures that are designed with a Christmas gold theme.
You can expect to find a candle, a notepad, pens and more! Trust us when we say that any stationery lover will jump with joy when they set eyes on this gift.
Photo: Kikki.K
$138, available at Selfridges.
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The brand started selling essential oils in Provence in France. Now, L’Occitane indulges us all with its natural cosmetics and skincare and this year, its much-anticipated Advent Calendar is back.
Treat your loved ones (or yourself) to a luxurious pre-Christmas gift for 24 days with products from all of L’Occitane’s fave product list – from shower gels to eau de toilettes.
This year’s box with soft watercolour paintings is designed by renowned French artist Kanako, so you wouldn’t be throwing this beauty away.
Photo: L’Occitane
$79, available at L’Occitane outlets from mid-November.
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Take a tour of Wonderland with Lookfantastic’s ‘Beauty in Wonderland’ advent calendar. Founded in 1996, Lookfantastic is a British online beauty boutique.
Stored in a elaborately designed box are 25 beauty products waiting to be swatched and spritzed. There are both full-sized products and samples from a variety of new brands and classic luxury brands. 19 of these products are exclusive to Lookfantastic.
Although not many details about the products have been released, we can trust that since Lookfantastic carries leading brands like Real Techniques and Christophe Robin, they will definitely help you serve the best looks this Christmas.
Photo: Lookfantastic
$155, available at Lookfantastic.
Chocolatier Lindt has been delighting our taste buds since 1845 so it’s no surprise that there’s a rush for its advent calendars that are filled with its rich, savoury chocolates.
For 24 days, get a little treat behind each window. There are mini truffles, Christmas neapolitans, and an edible golden reindeer in this box. Plus, Lindt is the only chocolatier to house a full sized 100g chocolate bear behind day 24’s door.
Photo: Lindt
$21.50, available at Selfridges.
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Bathtime lovers, you’re in for a treat. This brand started popping up when videos of colourful bath bombs spread on social media and now, everyone wants a Lush bath product in their bathroom.
In this 12-piece gift set, expect 100 percent vegan, all-time Christmas faves like the Golden Wonder bath bomb and Snow Fairy shower gel. Besides that, you’ll get bubble bars, soap bars and a body conditioner.
It’s the perfect way to get you in the jolly spirit as you leave your bathroom smelling and feeling luxurious.
Photo: Lush
$199, available at Lush stores while stocks last.
Yes, you read it right. The Naked Marshmallow & Co. is bringing you the world’s first gourmet Marshmallow Advent Calendar. The company, based in the UK, makes all its marshmallows by hand with the finest natural ingredients – its range of unique flavours include Salted Caramel and Raspberry with Prosecco.
With this calendar gift set you’ll enjoy a handmade festive flavour marshmallow every day for 24 days. On the 25th day, a scrumptious surprise awaits you.
Flavours like S’mores, Gingerbread and Choc Orange (and more) live in this box waiting to tickle your tastebuds.
Photo: Naked Marshmallow & Co.
£13, available from Naked Marshmallow & Co.
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NYX Professional Makeup has been a favourite makeup brand in Singapore, especially with its lip products like the Lip Lingerie. To excite us even more, NYX has brought out a limited edition Lippie Countdown advent calendar.
Pucker up ‘till Christmas as 24 days of lippie surprises awaits you. There’s whole array of lipsticks with different finishes in this box. Whether it is the Soft Matte Lip Creme or the silky Butter Gloss, this calendar has it all.
It’s perfect for any NYX lover, or for the beauty rookie wanting to try out different bold colours.
Photo: NYX Professional Makeup
$80, available at Sephora.
Every year retail-giant Selfridges puts out an advent calendar that wows fans. This year, it raised the bar with not just one, but two advent calendars.
Packaged in eye-catching boxes, Selfridges picked out 24 beauty favourites that will brighten the complexion and put colour on your cheeks.
With products like St Tropez’s Gradual Tan Body Lotion paired with Rodial’s X-treme Acid Rush Peel, you’re on your way to glowy, smooth and plump skin.
Photo: Selfridges
$108, available at Selfridges.
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Who says we can’t have a Winter Wonderland? Well with Sephora, we can!
From the 1st to the 24th, be surprised with a makeup, skincare, or accessory each day that’ll help you celebrate Christmas with a bang. Besides favourites, there are two new items that will delight you and your friends this season.
With all you need – brow and eye products, lipsticks and more – we’d say this deal is definitely a bargain.
Photo: Sephora
$69, available at Sephora.
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Charm your way into any little girl’s heart with this Nutcracker advent calendar charm bracelet.
Created by Posh Totty Designs, this advent calendar comes in the style of a jewellery box decorated with a Nutcracker theme, topped off with soldier and fairy pop-up characters.
The lucky little one will be able to personalise her own bracelet by opening up different charms every day for 24 days. The perfect way to lead up to the festive season.
Photo: Posh Totty Designs
$59, available at Gifts Less Ordinary.
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Our furry friends need some love too. Lily’s Kitchen began after Lily’s dog fell ill, and she found out what really went into pet food. Since then, she’s been making food for pets from scratch. Based in the UK, Lily’s Kitchen makes wholesome, 100 percent natural food for your pups and felines.
Both pups and felines each get their own calendar, finished with beautifully hand-drawn festive illustrations. There are different treats throughout the 24 days, like bedtime biscuits and beef treats for the dogs, and turkey delights with cranberry for the cats.
They will be spoilt rotten by Christmas day.
Photo: Lily’s Kitchen
$38.50, available at Selfridges for pups and cats.