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.

[ather]

@caitbird  All great items!!! Have you tried the tea?

[missjeanie]

@caitbird I love your new bookmarks!  How fun are those for journals and books!

[CorgiMommy]

That candy calendar sounds really interesting, where did you hear about it? @caitbird 

[caitbird]

@CorgiMommy  it's been really fun so far to try new candies from different countries around the world! My mom found it in the Uncommon Goods catalog, but theirs was already sold out, so she ended up getting ours from Universal Yums directly.

[Titian06]

@caitbird - I am so looking forward to you unboxing the cat advent calendar! 🐈‍⬛  I hope Frida and Fabian enjoy the cat goodies once you get to them. 💕🐾😘

[caitbird]

@Titian06  me too! I have enjoyed the goodies for me so far, but I'm looking forward to seeing what is included for the cats! I will post pics when I share that stuff with them 😉

[itsfi]

@caitbird, that pencil is fantastic! Frida, you have an assistant! 

[caitbird]

@itsfi  Frida the tiny tyrant 🤣 she definitely has me wrapped around her cute little toesies!

[itsfi]

Typology Day 1

7-Ingredient Micellar Water

Initial Thoughts: So far, so good! 👍 Gentle on skin; fragrance free. So far, in addition to a patch-test, I've used it after my cleansing routine as well as as a seond cleanser and it was effective in both instances. I like that it contains minimal ingredients and that my skin felt lightly hydrated and moisturized. It's too early to tell how it compares to my well loved, tried-and-true Bioderma micellar water but I'm looking forward to seeing how it performs over a longer period of time. Going forward, I'll be using it as a pre-cleanser and for eye makeup removal, both of which is how I typically use the Bioderma. 

Spoiler

Apologies for the late start to my unboxing (tsk, tsk!) I found myself a little flummoxed over how to share my insights on these skincare items as I typically like to test out skincare products for more than just a day before chiming in with thoughts. I should have thought that through before we arrived at Day 1 and come up with a game plan, but unfortunately, I did not, and that is on me.

I'll continue with initial impressions and circle back with more detailed thoughts later in this advent calendar unboxing season. And, of course, will catch up soon.

[ather]

@itsfi  Oooo this sounds promising! I’ll have to look up this brand I’ve not heard of it. I like that the size of the bottles seem large! 

[nuinui933]

@itsfi 

the Bioderma with the green cap has been the one I use the most but this one sounds good with only 7 ingredients.

[CorgiMommy]

@itsfi good to try something new

[caitbird]

@itsfi  glad you are enjoying it so far! I hope it ends up working well for you long term.

[itsfi]

@caitbird, I have a few things from them, mostly makeup but a couple of skincare items and they are generally pretty good for sensitive skin. I've cut back to a more minimalist skincare routine so I'm sure the advent calendar will have more than I typically use but it's always fun to try new skincare.

[missjeanie]

@itsfi I think initial impressions are a great way to go through the unboxings.  I also love my Bioderma so I'll be curious to hear if it's a replacement product in the long run.  

[itsfi]

Yeah, it's easier with candles or non-skincare beauty products for me. I take longer for skincare so having multiple and consecutive days with skincare items in my calendar will make for interesting ways to intro products. I'll probably test on sections for initial takes @missjeanie. I actually should have taken this into count earlier. Good news though is that my skin is in pretty decent shape at the moment so if a particular section suffers a negative reaction, it'll be easy to isolate what is the likely culprit. 😂 

I'm going on maybe 15 years with this Bioderma micellar water - and it's probably been a big part of my cleansing routine for at least 10 of those 15 years, if not more. So, like with all other micellar waters, the Typology has a lot to do to make a good lasting impression. 

[missjeanie]

@itsfi I was trying to think about how long I've been using it.... I know for sure it was pre-2012.  But I tend to go off depending on what I have in my stash.  

Quadrants or sections is a good plan for skincare.  It's hard when you're testing out 10 new products and have no idea what is really doing what.... not that I've ever done that.....

[caitbird]

I didn't get around to posting yesterday, so today is a 2-in-1 reveal post!

This year, I have 4 24-day advent calendars (Papier - stationery, YesStyle - K-beauty, Bird & Blend - tea, and Simon & Schuster - cat lovers), plus one 12-day (so far) (FabFitFun). I will be opening the 24-day advents from 12/1-12/24, and the 12-day starting 12/25. I am thinking of ordering a 12-day book advent calendar from Etsy, as well.

I've posted pics of each calendar previously in this thread as they arrived, but here they are again to recap:

Papier stationery advent calendar:

such beautiful packaging!

YesStyle K-beauty advent calendar:

I love the packaging of this one, too

Bird & Blend tea advent calendar:

each day includes 2 tea bags + brewing instructions

Simon & Schuster "Merry Catmas" cat lover's advent calendar:

so cute!

Day 1 unboxing:

Papier: gold clover clip bookmark

YesStyle: Dr. Althea 345 Relief Cream

Bird & Blend: Gingerbread Chai rooibos tea

Simon & Schuster: iron-on patch

Day 2 unboxing:

Papier: gratitude journal

YesStyle: Laka Fruity Glam lip tints mini Duo set (spring tone)

Bird & Blend: Earl Grey creme tea

Simon & Schuster: sticker set

I swatched the Laka lip tints, but for some reason BIC is not letting me upload the picture.

My family is also sharing the Universal Yums Candy Around the World Advent calendar (it includes 4 pieces of candy per day). I didn't take a picture, but Day 1 (yesterday) was pomegranate jelly candies from Greece - they were pretty good! My mom got herself a wine advent calendar, my dad has a beer one, and Sunny (my parents' dog) has a doggie advent calendar with "no-hide" chews. Yesterday's was shaped like a little candy cane!

I have been having fun with unboxings & loving everything so far!

[ather]

@caitbird  Wow!!! I love how different they all are!! The candy one sounds yummy!

[nuinui933]

@caitbird 

Oh wow, you got the YesStyle advent calendar they always have good ones. The cat lover's advent is very cute; it makes me want to get a cat just to get the calendar.

[danielledanielle]

These all look fun @caitbird , but that 1st one is gorgeous 🥰. Also, I love the "pspspsps" please tell Frida we all said that, too