It might feel a little early to start talking about Christmas, but with the big day now less than 100 days away, the countdown is officially on – especially for those looking to spread the cost over the coming weeks. And if you’re after a fun and unique way to mark the days through December, it’s the perfect time to start thinking about Advent calendars.

Gone are the days of the humble chocolate square behind a cardboard door. Now, Advent calendars have had a luxurious glow-up, with options spanning everything from beauty treats and scented candles to sparkly jewellery and even ready-to-drink cocktails.

This year, I’ve been lucky enough to get a sneak peek at some of the most exciting calendars hitting the shelves. Yes, I did the very serious job of opening them a little early (strictly for research purposes, of course) to find out which ones are truly worth your money. While some can be a bit of a splurge, many offer brilliant savings, and others are a fantastic way to try out a whole range of high-value goodies for a fraction of the cost.

So, I’ve rounded up a few of my favourites for the season—some I’ve unboxed myself, others I’ve assessed based on their value for money, the number of items inside, and just how gorgeous they look.

Marks & Spencer’s Beauty Advent Calendar is back for another year, and this time, it’s had a stylish upgrade. For the first time ever, M&S has teamed up with fashion designer Bella Freud to create this year’s festive countdown. Known for her bold, punky aesthetic (especially her cult-favourite slogan knits), Bella brought her signature edge to the calendar design.

Inside, you’ll find 25 beautifully designed, numbered boxes filled with a curated mix of makeup, skincare, and fragrance products, all hand-picked by the M&S beauty team. According to M&S, the calendar is packed with over £330-worth of beauty treats, including big-name brands like Prai, Estée Lauder, Emma Hardie, and more.

Now, here’s where it gets even better: although the calendar can be purchased on its own for £330, there’s a savvy way to get your hands on it for a lot less. If you spend £35 on fashion, beauty, or homeware at M&S, you can add the calendar to your basket for just £60—which works out to a saving of around 81%. For comparison, Anthropologie’s beauty advent calendar is £98 with a 73% saving, so M&S is definitely winning on value this year. The deal is available both online and in-store.

What’s inside? A lovely, versatile mix of essentials and treats: think facial cleansers, moisturisers, shampoo, nail products, mascara, gel eyeliner, hand cream, and even a Benefit cheek tint in a universally wearable shade. It lets you try a bit of everything, and is a great way to discover a few new favourites.

Of course, not every product will suit everyone, but they make perfect stocking fillers or little presents for friends and family.

But you should remember that the only way to get the calendar for £60 is by spending £35 on eligible items at M&S first—otherwise, you’ll need to pay the full £330 price tag.

Holland & Barrett’s beauty Advent calendar is without a doubt one of the best that I’ve opened his year in terms of value for money. Let’s start by talking numbers. This calendar comes in at £50, but Holland & Barrett claims it’s packed with products worth a whopping £232. That’s a 79% saving if you were to buy everything separately.

And out of all the calendars I’ve opened so far, it is the one that comes with the most full-sized products.

Now, this isn’t the most glitzy and festive calendar of the bunch—it takes the form of a simple green box, held together by a printed sleeve featuring a woodland scene with glowing gold orbs and the Holland & Barrett logo. While the mystical design ties in nicely with the brand’s natural vibe, it didn’t immediately say “Christmas” to me.

Inside, each item is wrapped in tissue paper, making it less like a traditional calendar and more like a box of gifts.

But if you care about organic, natural and animal-cruelty-free products, this is one for you. It comes with a huge range of beauty and wellness products that will literally cover you from head to toe (there are even hair and teeth products included).

And compared to organic beauty rivals like Neal’s Yard that retails for £165, it’s a cracking saving.

Lookfantastic’s Advent Calendar causes a stir every year, and it’s not hard to see why, with all the big-name brands packed inside. This year, the hype started early, with the brand opening a waiting list so fans could sign up ahead of the big release.

The calendar itself is a bit of a showstopper: a bold red, vault-like box that opens up to reveal 25 drawers.

But it doesn’t stop at 25 surprises like most competitors. This year’s calendar actually includes 28 beauty and makeup treats hidden inside — with a whopping 17 of them full-sized. According to Lookfantastic, the contents are worth £655 in total, meaning you’re saving nearly 84% compared to buying everything separately.

Inside, you’ll find big names like MAC, Sol de Janeiro, REN, Rodial, Elemis and Molton Brown (just to name a few). There’s also a solid mix of goodies across makeup, skincare, hair care, makeup brushes and accessories, vitamins, and even a candle. That said, this one’s definitely only good if you’re a beauty and skincare lover. 

Neal’s Yard’s Advent Calendar is a great option if you like their natural and organic skincare products. It also makes a beautiful item to display on a shelf or sideboard throughout the festive season.

Just like last year, it comes in a stunning keepsake box made in collaboration with the legendary Morris & Co. Though not a massively festive print, this year’s is decorated in Morris’ Golden Lily design in lush shades of deep blues and greens. I also really love that you could repurpose the calendar year after year.

Now, at £165 it is one of the most expensive calendars I’ve tried, but it comes with a good range of products including skincare, bath products, pillow mist and aromatherapy oils. The 100ml facial cleanser on day 24 is definitely a standout, retailing for £44 on its own. Similarly, the Hyaluronic Acid Hydrating Booster is worth £28, and the Oat and Ceramide Barrier Repair Cream goes for £38 when bought individually, so you do get decent bang for your buck.

That said, if you’re a beauty lover who wants more makeup and fragrance, then this probably isn’t the best option for you. 

One of my absolute favourite things about this calendar, though, is that every single product is cruelty-free. While not every item is vegan-certified, everything is vegetarian-certified, which is a huge win.

There are loads of beauty and skincare Advent calendars out there, but if you’re looking to treat yourself (or someone else) to something a little bit different this year, a jewellery Advent calendar is a lovely way to go. Most only cover the 12 days of Christmas (unlike their beauty counterparts that tend to cover a full 25-day countdown), but that seems to be the norm when it comes to jewellery calendars.

There are a few floating around, but if you’re after something that’s both affordable and pretty, the Bohomoon Advent Calendar is a great option at just £140. For comparison, Astrid & Miyu’s 12-day calendar comes in at £345, and Missoma’s version will set you back an eye-watering £495.

According to Bohomoon, their calendar is packed with £350-worth of jewellery, meaning you’re getting everything for well under half the usual price if you were to buy it all individually.

You can choose between gold and silver depending on your style, and the jewellery is designed to be water-resistant. I’ve been a fan of Bohomoon for a while now, mostly because their gold-plated pieces are super affordable and, in my experience, don’t tarnish. I’ve worn my Bohomoon rings, bracelets, and necklaces in the pool, the sea, and even in the shower, and I’ve never ended up with a green finger or dull, faded jewellery.

Inside, the calendar includes a really wearable mix of pieces—nothing too flashy or oversized—with three necklaces, three pairs of earrings, three bracelets, and three rings. While eight of the items are already available to buy on the Bohomoon site, one of the calendar’s big perks is that you’ll also get four exclusive, never-before-seen pieces, which will be a surprise for the day you open them.

Of all the fancier Advent calendars I’ve tried, L’Occitane’s Luxury Advent Calendar is probably my favourite, not just because of what’s inside, but also because of how unique it is on the outside.

Last year’s travel-themed vintage vanity case design was already a hit, but for 2025, it’s had a festive refresh. This time, the design leans into a more traditional Christmas aesthetic, inspired by the charming architecture of Provençal houses, complete with seasonal decorations and a gorgeous white and gold colour palette. There’s even a hidden window that pops open from the roof to reveal Day 24 — which just so happens to house my favourite product of all.

This one is definitely for luxury skincare lovers, though the selection is surprisingly varied. Inside, you’ll find facial skincare, moisturisers, bath and shower products, skin oils, and even haircare. If you’re already a L’Occitane fan like me and want to explore more of their range, this is a great way to try out new products before committing to the full-size versions.

Most of the items inside are travel or mini-sized, but the four full-size treats really deliver on value. I was especially happy to see the 30ml Overnight Reset Serum from the anti-ageing Immortelle range saved for Day 24. It’s worth £62 on its own, so that final reveal definitely feels special. It was also a great chance to try the Immortelle Divine Cream and Precious Cleansing Oil (though I do wish these two had been slightly bigger).

The calendar costs £149, and according to L’Occitane, the total value of the products inside is £276.50, so that’s a 46% saving compared to buying everything individually. Granted, compared to something like Lookfantastic’s calendar (which claims an 84% saving), it’s not the best in terms of value for money. But if you really love the brand, this one’s a total treat.

As winter creeps ever closer, it’s officially cosy season, and if you’re anything like me, that means lighting a candle as the dark evenings roll in. There are some gorgeous high-end candle and home fragrance calendars out there. The White Company’s version, filled with candles and diffusers, is lovely, but at £200, it’s seriously pricey.

With that in mind, the Yankee Candle Fragrance Lover’s Book Advent Calendar is a much more purse-friendly alternative for candle lovers.

The calendar comes in the form of a traditional cardboard calendar, complete with a snowy, festive scene on the front. Behind its 24 doors, you’ll find a new candle each day in the countdown to Christmas.

Inside, you get 12 mini votives (each with its own little glass holder), 12 tea lights, and a glass tea light holder to go with them.

Many of the scents are festive, such as Winter Night Stars and Cinnamon Stick, but there are also some more versatile ones like Clean Cotton and Amber and Sandalwood, which you’ll easily enjoy all year round.

Shoppers love how much use they get out of the candles, even though they’re on the smaller side. One reviewer shared: “I like that there are a variety of fragrances — both festive ones and ones I use throughout the year. The candles burn evenly without soot. Despite being small, the fragrances are strong. I burn mine on the hall table and can smell them in the living room upstairs.”

So if you’re after a calendar that feels festive and indulgent without breaking the bank, this one’s a lovely option. While the calendar retails for £49.99 full price on the Yankee Candle website, right now you can save 20% at Debenhams and get it for just £39.99.

Advent calendars aren’t just for kids hunting for a daily chocolate fix. There are loads of grown-up versions these days, including a fair few boozy ones offering everything from wine to beer. But one of my favourites in terms of both value and quality has to be the MOTH cocktail Advent calendar.

If you haven’t heard of MOTH before, they’re a canned cocktail brand that makes drinks that are bar-strength and genuinely taste like something you’d order at your local cocktail spot. I’m not a big drinker, but I do enjoy the odd cocktail, and when it comes to canned versions available in supermarkets, it’s surprisingly hard to find one that doesn’t taste, well…like it came from a can. Before trying this calendar, I’d only had their Margaritas, but behind the doors are some really lovely drinks, including several I hadn’t even seen on shelves before.

The calendar itself is a larger version of the classic cardboard Advent format. It’s got a sleek black-and-white design in line with MOTH’s branding but with a festive twist. And just like a traditional Advent calendar, the numbers are all jumbled up, so you get that daily joy of hunting for the right door.

Now, I’m not suggesting you should drink a cocktail every day in the lead-up to Christmas, but this 24-day countdown is a fun way to build up a ready-made cocktail stash for parties, pre-Christmas dinner drinks, or even to split up as stocking fillers for friends and family.

Sure, each day contains a cocktail (that’s kind of the point), but there’s a solid mix in there in terms of both flavour and size. There are 18 smaller cocktail cans, including Espresso Martinis, Passionfruit Martinis, Negronis, Cosmopolitans, Spicy Margs and classic Margs. There are also six larger cans: Paloma, Mojito or Piña Colada.

Each door also comes with a little something extra. Some have festive jokes, and others have QR codes that unlock interactive surprises—like a curated playlist to enjoy with your drink or a video tutorial for making espresso martini truffles.

The calendar retails for £74, which isn’t cheap, but considering the individual cocktails retail for around £4 (and £4.10 for the larger ones), you’re actually saving around 16% compared to buying them separately.