Advent Calendars 2025 - Let the Unboxings Begin!!

[itsfi]

The holiday countdown has begun!! 🎉 Please use this thread to share your advent calendar unboxings. 🎁

Whether you open all the doors to your calendar at once, or you open a box one day at a time and follow the traditional schedule (e.g., 24 day unboxing beginning on 12.1 and 12-day calendar unboxing beginning 12.13 or 12.25), WELCOME!! 

For those of us who just can't wait to see what goodies are in our advent calendars, if you will be opening all the doors/boxes at once before the end of the season, please consider hiding your unboxing posts behind a spoiler tab so those who want to be surprised day by day can still do so.

[Samtian]

@itsfi 😯 the noise I just made looking at that, wow!

[caitbird]

Thought I'd share this idea for a DIY advent calendar, for those of us with a bunch of fragrance samples (raises hand 🙋‍♀️ 😅). It's basically a crossover between this thread and the Shop Your Stash / Use Your Stash Challenge: Fall 2025 🍂🍁

thread! Someone on another forum I post on shared that she is going to make an advent calendar for herself with her fragrance samples she hasn't tried yet. She plans on wrapping each sample and picking one at random each day during the countdown to Christmas. I thought this was such a cute idea, and a great way to shop your stash/use what you have already. You can use little gift bags - you can buy a set of 50 4x6 inch organza bags on Amazon for under $5 - but you could also use little envelopes, mini boxes, etc. - whatever suits your fancy! It doesn't have to be fragrance samples, either; any kind of samples will work too. 

I plan on doing this with some of my fragrance samples, to go along with the advent calendars I've bought. I think it will be fun!

[Margalee]

@caitbird  This is an excellent idea! Maybe I will do this. Sounds great for gifting too. Awesome!

[missjeanie]

@caitbird I've made a few advents over the years and did this a few times with foils.  I find I tend to gather lots of them thinking I'll use them for travel... Anyway... I took an old advent box from a tea calendar I'd had the previous year and stashed in samples before the fall sale.  By the time December rolled around I'd 100% forgotten what I'd put in there so it was indeed still a surprise!  

[caitbird]

2 more advent calendars arrived today! Bird & Blend tea advent calendar, and Insight Editions Merry Catmas cat lover's advent calendar. They are both super cute, I am very excited and counting down the days until I can unbox them!

Bird & Blend:

I ordered a couple of additional small tea goodies along with the advent calendar, and my order came with 4 free sample teas, and these cute handwritten notes!

Here's the inside:

So cute!

Merry Catmas:

I have no idea what the contents are like, but the packaging is 10/10 adorable! 😻

[Titian06]

The cat one is too cute, @caitbird ! 🐈‍⬛

[missjeanie]

Oh the cat one is supppper cute @caitbird !

[itsfi]

Some recently released advent calendars - fragrance, skincare, hair care, nail care as well as a variety of beauty products and mini props/toys.

Aqua di Parma (available on brand's site or Bloomingdale's) - luxury Italian brand. I've only tested a few of their fragrances in store and what I did test was very nice. 

Babor (available at brand's site, Nordstrom or Macy's) - good skincare brand. I've only used (or had used on me) the hydrating, calming and nourishing ampoules - all wonderful.

Spoiler

John Lewis (available at retailer's site) - love the presentation. This retailer is based in the UK and I'm not sure how it is handling tariffs (i.e., whether all costs will appear at checkout).

Spoiler

***

The following advent calendars are available on Ulta or the brand's site. @missjeanie 

Drybar

Spoiler

Le Mini Macron

Ulta

Spoiler

Spoiler

NOTE: the last one, the Mini Brands x Ulta advent calendar contains mini replicas of the products, and not the products themselves. Would make great props for a photo layout or toys for those interested. No actual beauty products are included.

[caitbird]

@itsfi  ooh, off to check out these Ulta offerings, I hadn't seen those yet. Thanks for posting!

I will admit, I didn't really see the point of a bunch of miniature product replicas, but using them for photo props is actually a great suggestion! 

[missjeanie]

Mini Brands did a wonderful job on that storefront packaging!!  @itsfi I'm not mad at the Ulta brand calendar either.  It looks like one I could see in person to pick up at my wee little store as well! 

[itsfi]

It's very cute @missjeanie. I will say that my first thought was "what is this 'mini brands'? Are they new?" And then I kept thinking that they really provided a teeny photo of the inside of the advent calendar because the drawers / boxes looked so small ... and then, I realized it wasn't my eye sight. 🤣 If you do see it up close in real life, would love to get your take on how mini these miniatures actually are.

[missjeanie]

Oh.... @itsfi I've seen many a mini brand up close!  Hmmmmm Do you remember micro machines of the 80s?  I'd say they're about that size.  But I'll see if I can find some for a photo this weekend!  I'm going to try and round up some photos of these advents and solicit feedback from my team of mini shoppers at the same time.

[itsfi]

Ahhh, yes! Micro mini machines - that's a good reference points @missjeanie! Looking forward to hearing what your polling finds.

[caitbird]

Here is another jewelry advent calendar, with a 12 day and a 24 day option, from Beautiful Earth Boutique. You get to choose all of your own pieces with these! They advertise that their jewelry is waterproof, tarnish-free, and comes with a 1-year warranty. 

12 day advent calendar, for $119.95

24 day advent calendar, for $199.95.

I am thinking of maybe getting the 12 day one as an after advent calendar, but I haven't decided yet.

[itsfi]

@caitbird, I like that they let you choose your pieces, especially with jewelry.

[caitbird]

@itsfi  me too, I feel like I can never find a jewelry advent calendar where I actually like and would wear all of the pieces included.

[Samtian]

I've always wanted to try one of these preserves but never had the chance. I saw so many raving about this calendar that sells out every year, and it has some limited-edition flavors I had to grab it! I will open one each day when it's time. ...maybe. Not sure I can be trusted with that. 

[curlychiquita]

That’s so fun, @Samtian!  Great choice! 

[Titian06]

Good for you, @Samtian ! 😘  Enjoy!

[caitbird]

@Samtian  my mom loves this one! She gets it every year. Right now she is trying to hurry and finish the last of last year's leftovers so she can get started on this year's this December! 🤣

[itsfi]

@Samtian, this is a popular one. You'll have to let us know how you like it. I know there are others here who have expressed interest in it. I shall live vicariously through you - super excited to see your unboxing here on this thread and your crepes here or on the What's on your plate?. The packaging is very cute. @missjeanie