Of the many delights TikTok has given me, from negroni sbagliatos to chicken salads, nothing compares to the thrill of watching people go through very expensive advent calendars. Some creators would go the classic route, uploading a video every day in December of them unboxing the surprise that lay behind each door. Others would go completely rogue, opening every treat in a single video. Whatever their method, I lapped it up, dying to see if they’d open a full-sized product or a cheap key-chain. And let me tell you, there were a lot of cheap key-chains, or string bracelets, or stickers…in very. expensive. boxes. I rode the highs and lows with each of these creators, I felt their pain when they opened branded dust bags and cheered when they uncovered hefty, beautiful candles. Last year, I made a vow that I wouldn’t let my friends be duped into spending hundreds for rarefied gum ball machine prizes. This list makes good on that vow: Here, 11 luxury advent calendars that are totally worth it.
A Clean Beauty Bonanza
Getting one Susanne Kaufmann product is a dream. Imagine getting 25. With four full-sized products, recycled yet festive packaging, and plenty of excellent minis, this calendar is the gift you’ll want to keep giving and giving. (And receiving, if you’re so lucky!)
The Chicest Chocolate
We couldn’t make a list of advent calendars and not include chocolate. La Maison’s sophisticated treats, each elegantly wrapped like tiny presents and filled with flavors like passion fruit and pistachio, are a grown-up version of the childhood classic.
Glow-Getters
Twenty-four full-size, deluxe, and mini products containing Dr. Sturm’s superlative formulas arrive in a sleek, two-tiered box. Classics like her Glow Drops and new favorites will ensure you wake up on the 25th with your best skin ever.
The Luxury of Quiet Time
Just think, on Christmas morning, you can boast that you finished a 2,400-piece puzzle. Of course, no one has to know the small caveat that it was 24 100-piece puzzles of iconic Christmas New Yorker covers; that secret can just be between us.
A Fragrant Journey
Each day holds a new, perfumed pleasure in Jo Malone’s elegant cream-colored jewel box of an advent calendar. Colognes, candles, and other scented surprises will have everyone asking, “Who smells so good?” at all your holiday parties.
Brighter Mornings
We all know the holidays are a marathon, not a sprint, and nothing gets your head in the game faster than a good cup of coffee. Onyx’s artful advent calendar contains 24 two-ounce bags (roughly the size of one pot) of single-origin coffee beans from around the world.
Plant-Powered Beauty
Twelve days to shinier hair and healthier skin lay within Rahua’s beautifully illustrated advent calendar. With plant-powered ingredients, zero parabens and sulfates, and 10% of all proceeds going to preserve the Amazon Rainforest, Rahua’s limited edition calendar is a gift you can feel good about giving.
Smells Like Holiday Spirit
Containing 13 candles and a trove of other fragranced treasures, it’s no wonder that Diptyque’s celestial calendar keeps selling out. Classic scents like Ambre and special holiday editions like Neige (Snow) and Étincelles (Spark) come housed in a stunning, glow-in-the-dark box that you’ll want to keep on display long after the holidays are over.
Cocktail Lover’s Delight
Nobody does Christmas quite like F&M. 25 delightful sips await in their Spirits & Liqueurs calendar. Varieties of gin mingle with a Figgy Pudding liqueur and an Orange Marmalade vodka that would be terrific for a holiday cocktail making contest or tasting—just remember to take it slow. Cheers!
The Gift of Wellness
Designed for the self-care gurus in your life, Alo’s chic calendar comes with an array of wellness surprises, motivational quotes, and signature accessories like their knit beanie. Most exciting is the one-year Alo Moves Subscription that comes tucked in one of the many drawers—the perfect way to kick off the new year.
A Whole New Medicine Cabinet
Beneath a black velvet ribbon, you’ll find 25 doors to every cult beauty favorite you’ve ever loved or have been dying to try: a full-sized bottle of Augustinus Bader’s Face Oil, a bronzy tube of Westman Atelier’s highlighter, a mini Vitamin C serum from Dr. Dennis Gross—I’ve already said too much. I’ll keep the rest of this iconic calendar a surprise.
This article was originally published on
