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.

[missjeanie]

@itsfi I look forward to seeing these unboxings every year.  I love the packaging theme for 2025!

[itsfi]

Wholeheartedly agree @missjeanie! It's fun to see/hear the excitement. 🎁 YesStyle did a really nice job with the presentation of their advent calendar this year. It's one of those designs that will make for a good photo layout - even after the holidays.

[caitbird]

Another tea advent calendar (or two - there's a regular and a caffeine-free option), from Bird & Blend in the UK. It's $55 USD, and shipping to the US is $21. I'm thinking of getting this one for myself, despite the pricey shipping - it has a lot of fun seasonal/holiday-ish teas, which I think I would really enjoy. Many of the other tea advent calendars I've looked at also look nice, but most of them don't have any seasonal teas included. Plus, I've never tried this brand before.

And here's one for the crazy cat ladies among us (*raises hand* 😅) - Simon & Schuster x Insight Editions Merry Catmas! Advent Calendar. Simon & Schuster's site says "This 25-day advent calendar features high-quality collectible items—keychain, magnets, buttons, cat charm, cat toys, and more" and it's $34.99 from them. I might have to get this for myself! 🤣

[itsfi]

lol, at first I thought the cat advent calendar was just for cats, not cat parents @caitbird. I’ve seen and gifted advent calendars for cats before. This one is a combo of both. Everyone gets in on the unboxing! 

If you’re good with the shipping on that tea advent, I say go for it. It sounds lovely. And festive. 

[caitbird]

@itsfi  I just ordered both the Bird & Blend tea advent calendar, and the cat lover's advent calendar 😅 I found the cat one on TJ Maxx online site for $10 off. I think it should hopefully be fun. And I'm very excited for the tea one! Will definitely share both when we all unbox our respective advents.

[itsfi]

Yaaaay!!! You’re gonna be having a lot of tea this advent season! 🫖 I’m always more excited to see everyone’s unboxings. And Frida gets to unbox too @caitbird 😻

[caitbird]

@itsfi  I love seeing everyone's unboxings too! It's such a fun time for all of us.

Haha, I actually have plans to make a DIY advent calendar just for the cats! 😂 I was looking for one for them, but couldn't find one I liked (plus Frida has some food sensitivities, so I have to be careful with the treats I get them). And I was going through the toys and treats I already have that are new/unopened, and it turns out I have quite a lot 😅 so, I decided to make my own kitty advent calendar with what I already have. I'm going to get some inexpensive supplies from Amazon (cute little bags, stickers, etc.) to put everything together. It should cost me about $20. Hopefully it'll be fun! 😺

[itsfi]

Yaaay!!! I love it. I am going to suggest that Frida unbox her advent calendar on here. Just throwing it out there @caitbird. 

I'm making an advent and will be documenting the unboxing, though I'm not sure I'll be doing it here.

[caitbird]

@itsfi  haha, well, if that's what the people want, who am I to argue? 🤣

Ooh, what kind of advent are you making, if you don't mind my asking? I thought about making one for myself from my stash - I went back and forth on it so much 😅

[itsfi]

@caitbird, I haven't finalized it, but I know it'll be a mix of items, with a connection (though some of the days may be a stretch of a connection 😅) to self-care a la the activities from the wellness bingo boards of months past. For the most part, I'm planning using things I already have in the house / in my collection to put together my advent calendar - they will be things that have never been opened or have only been gently used. Like a deluxe sample, or for the gently used category, I'll include a fragrance sample but since I want it to be something I like the smell of, I'll have spritzed it at least once before including it in my advent calendar - that fragrance sample will very likely come from one of the set in the Shop Your Stash / Use Your Stash Challenge: Fall 2025 🍂🍁 or maybe from one of the goodies from last year's Diptyque advent calendar that I haven't used up. There will be a few days with candy in it and some will be taken from whatever Halloween candy is left over. I haven't decided if it'll be a 24 or 25 day calendar but the last day will be a Sephora gift card, which I'll plan to save for use in 2026 - because I'm thinking I'll have an after advent calendar to keep me busy from Christmas to New Years.  

[caitbird]

@itsfi  that sounds so fun! I would love to see what you end up including, if you feel like sharing (totally fine if you'd rather not!). Sounds like a great way to shop your stash and use and enjoy what you have. And I love that you're doing a self care theme!

I have to admit, I am also tempted by the idea of an after advent calendar, but I'm not sure what one to try. Something to consider...🤔

[itsfi]

@caitbird, maybe for an after advert calendar, you try something in a category that's different from the ones you have for the days leading up to Christmas? I'll put some more thought into packaging and about posting my DIY advent calendar; we’ll see. Still need to figure out which calendar(s) I’ll pick up. 

[itsfi]

A few more advent and after advent calendars have been released.

Oak Essentials x Jenni Kayne* after advent calendar - a skincare / self-care related post-advent calendar

* NOTE: Oak Essentials is founded by Jenni Kayne

Spoiler

Asos Face & Body advent calendar

Spoiler

This seems to have a good variety @missjeanie and I think with the conversion rate it's around your asking price? Maybe?

Jurlique - they have some great skincare and body products. 

Korres

Lancome

Revolution

Image Credit: Beauty Bay

All images from brand direct site unless otherwise noted.

[missjeanie]

@itsfi There are some cute ones here!  I'm going to have to sit down this weekend and take a good look.  I just don't want them ending up with retinols etc.

[itsfi]

I hear that @missjeanie! Also keep an eye out on the websites for the following retailers - Belk, Dillard, JC Penney. They have offered beauty advent calendars in the past but have not posted anything (yet) for 2025. I'll try to keep a lookout this week to see if anything pop up. Then again, they may be on a more reasonable timeline and not post until later this month, or early next. 

[caitbird]

@itsfi  that Oak Essentials after advent looks really nice, though I've not tried that brand before - I love anything self care themed!

[itsfi]

@caitbird, I've received a deluxe sample of their body lotion (I'm pretty sure it was their body lotion) when the brand first launched. It's a luxury "clean" beauty brand. Jenni Kayne is the founder so essentially the advent calendar is put together by her two different brands. She has a brand bearing her name that does home and clothing.

[caitbird]

@itsfi  ah, I see. Kind of funny to do a collab with yourself 🤔😂 I think I also have a deluxe sample of...something from Oak Essentials, I forget what, which I believe came in an Ulta GWP. I'll have to dig it out of my stash and try it!

[itsfi]

I know, right @caitbird?! I feel like there should have been a more explicit disclosure regarding that connection, or maybe there was and I missed it. Now that you mention it, the sample I received could have totally been part of an Ulta promo. The brand started up when I was still saying yes to receiving those Utla gwps - I stopped after a while because while generous and great, they make it impossible for me to keep my sample bin manageable. 😂 If you find your sample of the Oak Essential and it happens to be of their body oil, I'd be interested in your take on it. 

[caitbird]

A couple more advent calendars:

Anthropologie has a 12 day advent of small candles & some room sprays for $168; it's called the Holiday in the City Fragrance Calendar.

 

And another tea advent calendar option: Tea Forte has released their Warming Joy advent calendars, 24 days and $70 each. There is an assorted teas (black, green, oolong, herbal, etc.) option which is the red one, and an all-herbal version which is green. Tea Forte makes very nice teas.

[itsfi]

The little leaf design on their tea bags always gets me - it's so cute! Do you have a favorite tea from the brand @caitbird? I feel like you've mentioned one from them in one of the threads but I can't remember which tea.