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Now that the fireworks are finished our thoughts may have already turned to the upcoming festive season. There are only a few weeks left to snap up your favourite advent calendar before December is upon us and the doors start to open.
Buying an advent calendar is a festive staple for many. YouGov data shows that almost a fifth of all UK adults would buy an advent calendar for themselves (19%) and nearly two-fifths would buy one for family or friends (38%).
But with some of the most anticipated beauty advent calendars already sold out, we ask whether it is still worth trying to bag one and how you can tell if it is good value for money.
Better luck next year for some beauty lovers
The Look Fantastic beauty advent calendar sold out in mid-October, while Cult Beauty’s 2024 offering and the M&S Collection Beauty Advent Calendar are also no longer available. Beauty lovers have also missed their chance to snap up the Sephora Favourites Advent Calendar this year.
Other products proving popular include the Boots No7 25 Day Beauty Secrets advent calendar, which is currently out of stock online, though more stock is coming soon.
Others that have sold out quickly in previous years include calendars from Charlotte Tilbury, Jo Malone and Fortnum & Mason.
But which advent calendars still on the shelf offer the best value for money?
Are advent calendars a savvy choice for those eyeing seasonal savings?
Some of the biggest advent calendars of the year boast savings of almost £1,000. The Liberty London Beauty Advent Calendar, which includes beauty brands such as Skin Rocks, Ex Nihilo and La Mer, is worth £1,205 but is available to buy for £260, meaning savings of £945.
“They can provide some great savings,” says Lisa Cherry, Lead Christmas Buyer for John Lewis. She explains that the John Lewis Beauty Advent Calendar also offers consumers a hefty chunk of value for their hard-earned cash. “It costs £195, but features over £900 worth of products so has gained cult status amongst beauty aficionados.”
However, spending hundreds of pounds on a festive treat should take some care and consideration. “When it comes to choosing an advent calendar it’s important to research things like the total value and the size of the gifts included to ensure it suits your needs,” adds Cherry.
If you are unlikely to use all of the products included, it’s important to weigh up the true value of the contents of an advent calendar.
How to make your Christmas countdown count
1. Make the most of unwanted extras
Peeking behind the doors is important. While it may ruin the surprise, you want to know you’re getting good value for money. If your chosen calendar includes smaller versions of products you already use, for example, they could be invaluable for travelling or trips to the gym.
Of course, it also gives you the chance to try new brands or fall in love with new products.
However, even if you’ve done your research and feel like the advent calendar you’ve chosen is worth the price, there is still a good chance that there will be items you’re unlikely to use.
Regifting the items you won’t use can be a great way to make the most of your calendar. Cherry agrees: “They make great gifts, especially if you know that a loved one is a fan of a particular product or brand.”
2. Consider refilling your doors to save funds
Some calendars also offer the opportunity to reuse the gorgeous boxes by selling calendar refills. For example, Fortnum & Mason sell a refill pack including sweet treats for £35 to go inside its Filled Wooden House Advent Calendar, which currently retails at £145, seeing savvy consumers save £110 on next year’s calendar by planning ahead.
L’OCCITANE also sells a Reusable Beauty Advent Calendar, priced at £170, for which a refill can be purchased for £125 – meaning those with next year in mind could pack away £45 in savings!
Neus Torreblanca Guerrero, general manager at MELT Chocolates, also encourages consumers to reuse their advent calendars, offering savings to those who keep their Christmas countdowns stored for the following year.
“Our calendars are refillable so you can always come back the following year and you would get it for half the price almost.”
3. Sign up for alerts and sales for potential success
Although your favourite calendar for this year may already be sold out, some do come back in stock as December approaches – so keep an eye on retailers’ websites. For example, the John Lewis Beauty advent calendar sold out after just two weeks at the start of October, but stock returned towards the end of the month, meaning some customers had a second chance to scoop up the coveted Christmas treat.
The best way to stay in the loop is to sign up for email alerts – some retailers offer dedicated alerts that can be sent to your inbox if an item is currently unavailable.
Neus Torreblanca Guerrero explains that customers need to sign up in advance to know when popular calendars are launched and that purchasing in advance helps to avoid disappointment.
“We would recommend placing an order in October to avoid missing out on that calendar that caught your attention as demand can be high and many times we have special editions with limited numbers.”
Whether you have missed out on your favourite this year or managed to snap up your favourite festive daily treat dispenser, Lisa Cherry argues that the value of advent calendars is more than simply saving on your staples.
“We’ve been selling advent calendars since the 1950s, but they’ve had a really big surge in recent years, as customers look to spread the excitement of Christmas. And who wouldn’t love a daily treat throughout December?
“The value goes beyond the products themselves. Our customers love the added excitement, kicking off their day with a surprise.”
Image source: Getty Images
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