In the year 2021, no longer is it acceptable to countdown to Christmas with only chocolate. Alternative advent calendars stuffed with everything from beauty products to scented candles to bottles of prosecco are the festive purchase du jour, and if sales figures from previous seasons are anything to go by, you need to add the release dates to your diary, because these babies sell out fast.
We would, of course, never suggest that you replace your go-to chocolate advent calendar – but this year, there are some truly gorgeous non-chocolate advent calendars to enjoy alongside it. Christmas starts here, with our round-up of the best alternative advent calendars for 2021 – we’ll be updating this round-up regularly as new calendars are unveiled, so bookmark the page if you haven’t chosen your favourite yet.
Beauty advent calendars 2021
YOU
Yep, that’s right. YOU’s very own beauty advent calendar is back for another year. You can bag yourself £300 worth of amazing beauty products for just £70 thanks to our special discount code.
We’ve included some of the best skincare and make up brands, including REN, Aromatherapy Associates and Murad. Find out more about our advent calendar (and get our special discount code) here.
Feelunique
Beauty Advent Calendar, £89.25 (was £119), Feelunique
Feelunique creates one of the most in-demand alternative advent calendars every year, with its mega offering of beauty products. The contents of this year’s calendar are worth over £385.20, and include products like Charlotte Tilbury Eye Cream, Clarins Beauty Flash Balm, Medik8 Surface Radiance Cleanse and Huda Beauty Nude Obsessions Rich Palette.
ZARA
Beauty Wardrobe, £99.99, ZARA
High street favourite ZARA hasn’t marketed its option as an advent calendar, but inside the ‘wardrobe’ you’ll find 25 drawers, each of them numbered, apart from the last (and biggest) one. On the website, it says the box is ‘exclusively for lovers of beauty’ and includes candles, lotions, gels and a special unreleased fragrance ‘that will be the last product to open up’. Find out more about the contents here.
Ciaté London
Mini mani month, £41.30 (was £59), Ciaté London
Ciaté London’s all naturally derived formula takes centre stage in this year’s Mini Mani Month. Featuring 22 mini Plant Pots, 1 full-size Plant Pot, and a deluxe mini Watermelon Burst Hydrating Primer, it’s worth £150.
Clarins
Women’s 12 Day Beauty Advent Calendar, £65, Clarins
The 24-day advent calendar has now sold out, but the women’s 12-day calendar is back and bursting with Clarins classics. You can get your hands on a full-size Supra Volume Mascara and Intense Natural Lip Perfector, as well as 10 travel-size treats such as: Instant Eye Make-Up Remover, Hydrating Gentle Foaming Cleanser and Joli Rouge lipstick. It’s worth over £123.
Clinique
24 Days Of Clinique advent calendar, £95, Selfridges
The beauty brand has packed its calendar with 24 skincare and makeup miniatures, including the classic Dramatically Different Moisturiser, Chubby Stick, Moisture Surge Eye Cream and Lash Power Mascara. It’s worth over £220.
Lancôme
Beauty advent calendar, £110, Selfridges
Lancôme’s beauty advent calendar is certainly one of the prettiest – there’s even a pop-up Eiffel Tower! The calendar contains mini and full-size makeup and skincare cult products, such as the Hypnôse Mascara, Advanced Génifique Serum and Absolue Eye Serum.
Dior
Another stunning box, but this time from Dior. The brand teamed up with artist Alice Shirley to create it and it contains 24 deluxe miniature items, including Miss Dior, J’adore, an exclusive mini La Collection Privée candle and the iconic Rouge Diorto.
Armani
Armani Exclusive Beauty Christmas Advent Calendar, £249, Look Fantastic
Discover 24 of Armani’s most iconic and loved products, totalling a value of £450. This calendar includes a combination of mini and full-sized products, such as the Lip Maestro, Ecstasy Lacquer and Crema Nera Eye Cream.
Cowshed
Cowshed Advent Calendar, £140, Look Fantastic
How pretty is the box for this calendar? Inside the nature-inspired box, you’ll find a wide range of natural skincare and body products to pamper you throughout the holiday season.
OPI
OPI Celebration Collection Advent Calendar, £69.90, Look Fantastic
Hidden within the 24 windows are a selection of nail polish shades, plus three nailcare treatments to keep your hands in tip top shape for party season (and beyond).
The Perfume Shop
Advent Calendar, £79.99, The Perfume Shop
The Perfume Shop has brought out its very first perfume advent calendar, packed with 24 miniature bottles of perfume (for him and her). Expect to find some of The Perfume Shop’s bestselling scents from the biggest names in the perfume industry inside, including Versace, Paco Rabanne, Marc Jacobs, Estée Lauder and Hugo Boss. Find out more here.
Beauty & Seoul
Advent calendar, £110, Beauty and Seoul
The Beauty and Seoul calendar is the same gorgeous box but with different products this year. It features a combination of 25 deluxe-sized products, and some full-size. What you will find inside includes The Vegan Glow Original Shampoo Bar, Dr Althea Natural Brightening Velvet Mask and Jumiso All Day Vitamin Clean & Mild facial Cleanser.
Chanel
No.5 the calendar, £610, Chanel
For the very first time, Chanel has launched a beauty advent calendar. And even better – it’s shaped like a bottle of the classic Chanel No.5. A bit different to the usual beauty advent calendar, this one contains 27 treats. The drawers are numbered from 5 to 35 (5 is a reference to the perfume).
It costs a staggering £610 and, according to the Independent, it’s ‘estimated that the full-sized products included are worth around £220’.
Aldi
For the very first time, Aldi has created its own beauty advent calendar containing its bestselling Lacura beauty dupes. It’s a lot more purse-friendly than most other beauty calendars out there, costing just £54.99.
It will be available in stores from 28 October. See the full list of contents here.
Selfridges
Beauty advent calendar, £210, Selfridges
The Selfridges advent calendar is stocked full of premium beauty must-haves, that are worth £700 in total. Some of the items included are: Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Mascara, Nars Mini Bronzing Powder, Huda Beauty Cleansing Balm, The Ordinary 100% Organic Cold-Pressed Rose Hip Seed Oil and a Selfridges Complimentary Beauty Concierge Appointment.
Glossybox
GLOSSYBOX ‘Surprise Me’ Advent Calendar 2021, £105, Glossybox
Following the sellout success of its calendar last year, Glossybox are back with 25 beauty must-haves from cult beauty brands including Elemis, PIXI, Sarah Chapman and Huda Beauty. It’s worth over £465, but the calendar will retail at £85 for subscribers and £105 for non-subscribers.
Harrods
The Harrods Beauty Advent Calendar 2021, £250, Harrods
Just when we thought beauty advent calendars couldn’t get any bigger or better for 2021, Harrods revealed its version for this year is worth a whopping £1,166. It’s full of iconic cult brands like Elemis, Dermalogica, NARS and Byredo, and they’re available at a fraction of the price.
See the full contents and find out more here.
Amazon
Beauty Advent Calendar 2021, £70, Amazon
Amazon’s calendar is packed with nearly £260 worth of beauty buys for just £70. Inside, you’ll find a mix of 24 full or deluxe-size must-haves from brands like Max Factor, John Frieda, Elemis, Neal’s Yard and L’Occitane. It’s a skincare lover’s dream!
Liz Earle
12 Days of Liz Earle Beauty Advent Calendar, £60, Boots
Liz Earle is treating skincare fanatics to a luxurious botanical discovery collection this year. You’ll find full-size and miniature skincare products, including the Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser, Instant Boost Skin Tonic, Skin Repair Rich Cream and Gentle Face Exfoliator.
Barry M
Nail Paint Advent Calendar, £40, Barry M
For the very first time, Barry M has released an advent calendar. As you might expect, it’s full of 12 full-size nail polishes, including six exclusive shades. The vegan and cruelty-free calendar also contains a nail and cuticle oil, surprise make up bag and surprise nail accessory.
Worth £65, this calendar is perfect for those who love having a perfect set of nails.
Susanne Kaufmann
Advent Calendar, £383, Susanne Kaufmann
The Susanne Kaufmann 2021 Advent Calendar features a range of its 25 bestselling skin, body and bath products. Expect a range of deluxe sizes, as well as some surprise full-size skincare icons.
You can see the full list of contents here.
Elemis
No.25 Beauty Advent Calendar, £175, Elemis
Elemis fans, listen up! Behind the 25 doors of this advent calendar, you’ll find a selection of the best of the brand’s award-winning skincare and body products, which are worth £402. As well as travel-sized products, the calendar also includes a full-size jar of the bestselling Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream.
Plus, the paper used on the outside of the box is sustainably sourced and can be fully recycled. The box is so pretty, you could just reuse it for something else post-Christmas.
Net-A-Porter
25 Days of Beauty Advent Calendar, £255, Net-A-Porter
Luxury label retailer Net-A-Porter has brought back its advent calendar for the fourth year running. It contains 17 full-size and eight travel-size products from brands such as This Works, Charlotte Tilbury, Augustinus Bader and Dr Barbara Sturm.
Boohoo
Beauty Advent Calendar 2021, £60, Boohoo
For the second year, Boohoo has launched its own beauty advent calendar to help you count down to Christmas in the most glamorous way. This year, it costs £60 but includes over £140 worth of products. As well as a full-size bottle of Bondi Sands Liquid Glow, you can also expect to find Ambre Solaire face wipes, I Heart Revolution lipgloss, Nails Inc biodegradable glitter nail varnish and much more.
Pretty Little Thing
24 day beauty advent calendar, £55, Pretty Little Thing
Another budget retailer with an advent calendar up for grabs is Pretty Little Thing. This falls on the cheaper end of the advent calendar scale, priced at just £55. The contents are worth £204, so we’d consider that pretty good value for money. Treat yourself or a loved one to the likes of Pixi, Bondi Sands and I Heart Revolution.
M&S
Beauty Advent Calendar, £300, Marks and Spencer
M&S’ Beauty Advent Calendar comes in a gorgeous midnight blue and gold box. It contains a selection of M&S own-brand products and carefully curated brands, such as Nails INC, Percy & Reed, Aveda and L’Occitane. It’s worth £300 but costs just £40 when you spend £30 in-store or online on M&S products. Find out more about it here.
Charlotte Tilbury
Charlotte Tilbury Advent Calendar, £150, Charlotte Tilbury
Look radiant at all those Christmas parties this December thanks to Charlotte Tilbury’s Beauty Dreams & Secrets beauty advent calendar. Each jewel-handled drawer on this star-spangled calendar contains a magic make-up or skincare product, including three full-sized and nine travel-sized products from the beauty maestro herself.
MAC
The 2021 ‘Box of Tricks’ advent calendar, £135, MAC
Meet the limited-edition 2021 Box of Tricks advent calendar from MAC. The box is an optical-illusion keepsake case filled with mini and major surprises. It’s worth over £340, but could be yours for just £135.
Benefit
Benefit The More the Merrier Advent Calendar, £58.50, Boots
This beauty advent calendar is stocked with 12 of Benefit’s bestselling and fan-favourite treats, such as mascara, primer and face powder. The products come in purse-friendly mini sizes and are worth £132.46.
Ted Baker
Ted Baker Advent Calendar, £45, Boots
The Ted Baker calendar is filled with exquisite bath and body products, as well as make up essentials and special accessories. You can expect to find treats like Body Soufflé, a bronze, blush and highlight mini palette, dry shampoo powder, tweezers, lipstick and much more.
John Lewis
John Lewis & Partners Beauty Advent Calendar, £159, John Lewis
Retailing for £159 but valued at over £600, the John Lewis Beauty Advent Calendar for 2021features a staggering 12 full sized products, along with two beauty treats for the recipient to open on Christmas Day from brands such as Augustinus Bader, Dr. Jart+, Sunday Riley, Neom and Charlotte Tilbury. Wow!
View the full contents here.
Liberty London
The Liberty Beauty Advent Calendar 2021, £225, Liberty
Liberty’s highly anticipated beauty calendar is retailing for £225 this year, but it contains over £840 worth of the most popular products plucked from the Liberty beauty hall. Inside, you’ll find brands like Olaplex, UOMA Beauty, REN, and Dermoligica. Find out more about the contents here.
Space NK
Space NK Beauty Advent Calendar, £199, Space NK
The Space NK Beauty Advent Calendar is always hotly anticipated but this year it’s back and better than ever with 30 bestselling beauty gifts. From Sunday Riley to La Mer, Augustinus Bader to Rose Inc and more, the contents of this years calendar are worth a staggering £700! You can view the full contents of the calendar here.
The White Company
The White Company Advent Calendar, £160
The White Company Advent Calendar contains 25 pull-out drawers with a mix of luxurious bath and body products, worth a whopping £254! There are some lovely minis from the relaxing Calm and Spa collections, with hand creams, body washes and pulse points for you to enjoy. Plus, don’t miss their bestselling votives in the festive scents of Winter, Blanc and Fir Tree.
In a first for the White Company Advent Calendar, two full-size candles in festive scents have also been included so you can really get in the Christmas spirit this December.
ASOS
ASOS Face + Body 24 Day Advent Calendar, £75, Asos
ASOS have a mega advent calendar on offer this year, containing treats for both your face and body. In total, you’ll find 24 products (15 of which are full-size) and a tote bag. The brands featured in the calendar include The Ordinary, Olaplex, Clinique and Charlotte Tilbury, to name a few!
Holland and Barrett
25 Days Of Beauty Advent Calendar, £45, Holland & Barrett
Last year’s Holland and Barrett calendar sold out in record time, so the race is on to secure your very own beauty calendar for Christmas 2021. It includes products from in-demand brands like UpCircle, Q+A, Weleda and REN. And better yet, it’s plastic free and packaged in recycled card.
The products are worth over £170 in total, but the calendar costs just £45.
ESPA
Hidden Treasures Advent Calendar, £160, ESPA
This calendar includes ESPA favourites such as the Pink Hair Scalp Mud and signature blend classics from the Restorative Bath and Body Oil, to the Restful Pillow Mist. The ESPA advent calendar is worth a whopping £389 but is retailing for £160.
Last year, the calendar sold out in three weeks, so it’s best to be quick if you want to snap this up.
Revolution
Revolution Advent Calendar 2021, £80, Superdrug
This is an exclusive advent calendar full of 25 Revolution Beauty makeup products and accessories, including a Reloaded shadow palette, lipsticks, lipglosses, highlighters, makeup brushes and more!
Real Techniques
Real Techniques Advent Calendar, £80, Superdrug
The Real Techniques beauty calendar contains 28 skincare and make-up accessories, from the best-selling mini expert face brush to the number one Miracle complexion sponge and case… and so much more.
Jo Malone London
Jo Malone has brought back its iconic advent calendar again, but this year, it’s the first of its kind. Not only has the box been made to be reusable and refillable, but the advent calendar includes a 30ml cologne for the very first time.
Find out more about the contents of the advent calendar and when it will be available to buy here.
Bobbi Brown
12 day advent calendar, £125, Bobbi Brown
In another first, Bobbi Brown has released its first ever 12-day advent calendar for 2021. The advent calendar includes Hydrating Water Fresh Cream, Luxe Lip Colour, Bronzing Powder, Smokey Eye Mascara, Soothing Cleansing Oil and Vitamin Enriched Face Base to name a few. It costs £125, saving shoppers £97 on all of the products overall.
Nivea
NIVEA Ski Lodge Advent Calendar, £66.89, Amazon
The sellout Nivea Beauty advent calendar is back for another year. It sits on the cheaper end of the beauty advent calendar scale, costing a reasonable £66.89, and this year there’s a Nivea Men calendar on sale, too. Each calendar contains 24 treats, with a mix of 16 travel and full size products, along with 8 gifts like eye masks and nail files, or bottle openers and phone stands.
L’OCCITANE
Reusable Advent Calendar, £160 (worth £236), L’OCCITANE
Following on from the success of 2020, L’OCCITANE has brought back its Reusable Advent Calendar in collaboration with illustrator Kitty McCall and which you can use for years to come. Bought it last year? You can purchase a ‘refill’ of 24 products to reuse your much-loved calendar for £120 (worth £199.50).
The brand has also revealed two more festive iterations including a timeless Classic Advent Calendar priced at just £55 or a Luxury Advent Calendar priced at £99.
Cult Beauty
2021 Advent Calendar, £215, Cult Beauty
This year, Cult Beauty has pulled out all the stops with a calendar that consists of products worth over £950 and contains not 25 but 38 products from some of the best brands on the market. For a full reveal of what is included, click here.Â
Jo Loves
Advent Calendar, £325, Jo Loves
The iconic Jo Loves Advent Calendar returns for 2021 in a spectacular star design that can be style around a candle as a centrepiece or hung from a door. Expect 24 deluxe travel products and a full-sized surprise on Christmas Day.
No7
No7 Beauty Advent Calendar, £47, Boots
The No7 Advent Calendar is always a closely guarded secret until the launch date but it’s now available to buy and there are two to choose from this year. For more details, click here.
Next
Hers Advent Calendar, £69, Next
For 2021, Next has launched a special His and Hers advent calendar. Both advent calendars retail at £69 with the ‘Her’ calendar containing products worth £243 and the ‘His’ calendar £254.
Dr. Hauschka
Dr. Hauschka Advent Calendar, £85 (worth £154), FeelUnique
This year’s Dr. Hauschka Advent Calendar is packaged within a luxurious gift box with each individual gift lovingly wrapped in a reusable cotton bag so that you can use the advent calendar again in the future.
Origins
12 Days of Origins Advent Calendar, £60, Origins
In 2020, Orgins’ advent calendar sold out in less than three days so expect a stampede this year. Get your hands on it and save 35 per cent on the cost of the individual products.
Molton Brown
Advent Calendar, £195, Molton Brown
The Body Shop
2021 beauty advent calendars, £55-320, The Body Shop
This Christmas, The Body Shop has unveiled four advent calendars ranging in price from £55 (worth £77) for the Share Joy Advent Calendar to the Share Love, Joy and Kindness Advent Calendar priced at £320 (worth £495).
Lush
LOOKFANTASTIC
Advent Calendar, £85, LOOKFANTASTIC
Following a pre-order sell-out in 2020, this year’s LOOKFANTASTIC advent calendar contains 25 luxurious beauty treats from best-selling brands including Kate Somerville, Phillip Kingsley and NARS, worth over £410. LOOKFANTASTIC subscription box subscribers will be able to purchase the calendar for just £70.
Fortnum & Mason
Fortnum’s Beauty Advent Calendar 2021, £225, Fortnum & Mason
Worth over £750, Fortnum’s Beauty Advent Calendar is jam-packed with cult beauty favourites from the department store’s iconic beauty hall. Expect 20 full-sized products, 16 deluxe samples and 1 travel-sized miniature from brands such as Aromatherapy Associates, ESPA and Sol de Janeiro.
Soap & Glory
Soap & Glory 24 Days To Prep Into Christmas Advent Calendar, £31.50 (was £42), Boots
This beauty calendar features all of the brand’s most-loved products, such as the righteous butter body butter, Heel genius foot cream, face soap & clarity vitamin C face wash and much more.
Antonia Burrell
Beauty advent calendar, £147, Antonia Burrell
Leading British skin specialist Antonia Burrell has curated an incredible skin-kit for her beauty advent calendar, so we can show off our best complexions during the festive season. Expect minis of her skincare line, such as Natural Glow Cleansing Oil, Forest Dew Plump and Hydrate Beauty Water, as well as Daily Wellness Cards, an exclusive masterclass and her hero beauty tool, Complexion Cups.
Food and drink advent calendars 2021
Fortnum & Mason
Fortnum’s Feasting Advent Calendar, £200, Fortnum & Mason
Go all out in 2021 with Fortnum’s Feasting Advent Calendar. Packed with a whole host of gourmet delights – from classic teas, biscuits, chocolate and confectionery to preserves, condiments and festive tipples – it’s the perfect advent gift for foodies.
Whittard
The tea advent calendar, £60, Whittard
Whittard has not one, but three bespoke advent calendars on offer this year. There’s the Tea & Infusion Advent Calendar, the Coffee Advent Calendar for two and the Hot Chocolate Advent Calendar for two. The coffee and hot chocolate calendars include two single-serve products in each of their 24 draws, while the tea and infusion calendar includes four individually wrapped teabags in 23 of the draws, and two in the first draw (along with an extra gift).
Aldi
Haysmith’s Gin Advent Calendar, £69.99, Aldi
Aldi brought back their signature wine and Prosecco advent calendars again this year, as well as some new additions. For the first time ever, Aldi has created a gin advent calendar that contains 24 miniature bottles of gin. Find out more about what’s inside here.
Lola’s Cupcakes
Chocolate brownie advent calendar, £59.99, Lola’s Cupcakes
Why have just chocolate in a calendar, when you could have a selection of brownies? You can enjoy 24 full-size brownies, but don’t worry, they’re not going to go stale. A box of six is delivered every six days so the brownies stay at their best. Each Belgian chocolate brownie is individually boxed and numbered with the day to be eaten. Some of the flavours are: Caramel Popcorn, Rocky Road, Chocolate Orange, Red Velvet and Coconut & Raspberry.
Virgin Wines
Mixed Wine Advent Calendar, £89.99, Virgin Wines
Virgin Wines’ bestselling wine advent calendar is available in a mixed, all-white or all-red option. All three contain 24 wines and a full-size bottle of fizz to open on Christmas Day. They also have a beer and gin advent calendar on offer, which you can view here.
Freixenet
Freixenet & Divine 24 Day Advent Calendar, £74.95 (was £89.95), Slurp
As an extra special treat, Freixenet has partnered with Fairtrade chocolate specialists, Divine, for its 24 day calendar. The 24 Day Advent Calendar contains 12 x 20cl bottles from Freixenet’s sparkling range and 12 x 35g Divine chocolate bars including flavours such as Milk, Dark, Milk Orange and White. There’s also a 12-day advent calendar on offer.
Cheesies
‘Better than a Cheese-Bored’, £29.99, Cheesies
This is the first annual cheese-based advent calendar from Cheesies, a brand that started with the idea to turn a block of cheese into a tasty, crunchy snack, just by baking it. The calendar contains 24 x 20g bags of Cheesies in six different varieties: Sharp & Punchy Cheddar, Strong & Tangy Red Leicester, Smooth & Mellow Gouda, Creamy & Bold Goat’s Cheese, Nutty & Mild Emmental, and the special-edition Tongue Tingling Chilli Cheddar. Plus, you can expect plenty of cheesy jokes to keep you laughing until Christmas Day.
Joe and Sephs
Giant Popcorn Advent Calendar, £24.99, Studio
This advent calendar is ideal for popcorn lovers. It’s filled with 23 bags of popcorn and one bigger bag of chocolate popcorn bites. This isn’t just any ol’ plain popcorn though. Flavours you’ll find inside include: Banoffee Pie, Apple & Custard, Pumpkin Spice, Speculoos and Cinnamon Custard Bun.
Pip & Nut
The nut butter cup advent calendar, £20, Pip & Nut
This is ideal for vegan, nut-butter lovers. Pip & Nut has launched its very first advent calendar with 24 individually wrapped, full-size, dark chocolate nut butter cups. What’s more, for each Advent Calendar sold, the brand will donate three jars of peanut butter to its local Hackney Foodbank.
SugarSin
24 Days of Assorted SugarSin Treats, from £30, Sugar Sin
Ideal for those with a sweet tooth, this calendar is filled with luxury sweets: fruits and fizzes, sweets and sours, famous gummies for cocktail hours. The calendar is decorated with SugarSin’s iconic Covent Garden store façade and you can buy a pre-filled calendar for £30. There’s also the option to create your own from a pick ‘n’ mix jar for £35.
Walker’s Shortbread
Advent Calendar, £17.99, Walker’s Shortbread
For 2021, Walker’s Shortbread is releasing two beautiful advent calendars wrapped to perfection in the brand’s traditional tartan. Behind each window will be an individually wrapped piece of Shortbread.
Melt
Notting Hill Advent Calendar, £69.99, Melt
Made in MELT’s Notting Hill Chocolate Boutique by master chocolatiers, the MELT Notting Hill Advent Calendar is designed to look like the impressive facade of a Notting Hill townhouse featuring 24 delicious, fresh chocolates.
Mariage Frères
Christmas Calendar Noel Haute Couture, £45, Mariage Frères
Countdown to Christmas in style with Mariage Frères’ luxury Christmas calendar featuring 25 unique premium teas from the French teahouse, handsomely tied together with satin ribbon.
Flying Goose x Sous Chef
12 Days of Sriracha, £39.99, Sous Chef
Do you know someone who loves a bit of spice? The 12 Days of Sriracha calendar is just the thing for them. It contains 12x 200ml bottles in a rainbow of sriracha flavours from Flying Goose, ‘the world’s favourite brand of Thai Sriracha chilli sauces – made from sun-dried chillies, garlic and distilled vinegar.’ The flavours include Sriracha Tikka, Yuzu, Extra Garlic and Wasabi.
Newby Teas
Newby Teas advent calendar, £85, Newby Teas
London’s luxury tea brand Newby Teas is the advent calendar for major tea lovers. The 24-days Christmas advent calendar has been inspired by the magic of London’s theatres. Inside each drawer, you’ll find Newby Teas’ teabag collection, consisting of classic blends to more aromatic ones. No two drawers are the same, so you can enjoy a different brew every day – the calendar contains a total of 96 teabags.
Beer Hawk
Beer Hawk advent calendar, £85, Beer Hawk
This is ideal for all the beer drinkers out there. For the first time, the Beer Hawk calendar is packed with 25 beers from offbeat breweries as well as big-name breweries. From traditional wheat beers to more modern IPAs and famous Belgian styles, this year’s beery advent calendar brings together innovative beers from 14 countries across the globe.
Bird and Blend
Tea advent calendar, £38, Bird and Blend Tea
This year, Bird and Blend want to spread kindness and happiness with its tea-filled calendar, which contains two tea bags in each of the 24 boxes. There are special edition Christmas flavours like Snowball and Hazelnut Rocher, and you can also choose between a regular or a caffeine-free version.
Master of Malt
Premium Gin Advent Calendar, £84.95, Master of Malt
Within this advent calendar you’ll find 24 different 30ml wax-sealed drams of gin in different, new flavours, as well as more classic combinations. If gin doesn’t take your fancy, Master of Malt also has advent calendars full of whiskey, rum and vodka. Explore everything that’s on offer here.
The Naked Marshmallow Co.
The world’s first Gourmet Marshmallow Advent Calendar has returned after a sellout 2020. Behind each of the 25 doors, you’ll find a piece of handmade gourmet marshmallow in 12 classic, festive and sweet-inspired flavours. The flavours include: Vanilla Bean, Salted Caramel, Strawberry Cream, Rhubarb & Custard and many more. Plus, there’s an extra big surprise behind door 25. For £3.95 more, you can add on a toasting kit.
They also have a boozy edition, which can be found here.
24 Days of Rum
Rum Advent Calendar, £97, Harvey Nichols
Rum experts will love this advent calendar. It features a collection of 24 x 20ml glasses bottles of rum from 24 different countries – including Madeira, India, Thailand and Germany. Also included in the box are two tasting glasses and notes to guide you through.
Snaffling Pig
Pork crackling advent calendar, £20, Snaffling Pig
Yep, you can actually get a pork crackling advent calendar. This one contains six pork crackling flavours: Pigs In Blankets, Low & Slow BBQ, Black Pepper, Salt ‘N’ Vinegar, Marvellous Maple and the classic, Perfectly Salted. In total, there are 24x8g bags.
The Welsh Cheese Company
GIANT Welsh Cheese Advent Calendar, £149, The Welsh Cheese Company
This epic advent calendar measures more than a metre wide and contains a whopping 4.2 kilos of artisan cheese. It’s packed with 24 individual portions of Welsh cheese, with contents ranging from creamy soft cheeses to crowd-pleasing Cheddars and lip-smacking blues.
Firebrand Brewing Co
12 beers of Christmas, £40, Firebrand Brewing Co
Each one of the 12 beers included in this calendar is brewed with fresh Cornish spring water and strong Cornish spirit at Firebrand’s Launceston brewery. From the ever-popular Patchwork Rocket Pale Ale to their new Christmas creations, each sip is real treat.
Popcorn shed
Gourmet Popcorn Advent Calendar, £20, Popcorn Shed
Why not swap chocolates for popcorn this Christmas? Behind each of the 24 windows you’ll find a bag of handmade popcorn. Some of the flavours include: Salted Caramel, Cheddar Cheese Popcorn, Raspberry and Dark Chocolate Popcorn and Peanut Butter Caramel Popcorn. Plus, there’s also a vegan option.
Nespresso
Nespresso x Johanna Ortiz advent calendar, Vertuo, £39, Nespresso
Ideal for anyone with a Nespresso machine, there are 23 treats inside this calendar, and it also comes in an original version rather than Vertuo.
Laithwaites
Mixed wine advent calendar, £79.99, Laithwaites
No, you’re not going to get a whole bottle of wine every day throughout December. But you will receive a quarter-bottle of wine. Plus, you could win six FREE bottles for Christmas if you find a ‘Winning Window’. There’s even a half-bottle of Champagne tucked into the roof for an extra special treat. There are all-white and all-red wine calendars, too.
Bonne Maman
Advent calendar, £23.99, Bonne Maman
This calendar is jam-packed. No, really, it’s full of tiny jars of jam. For 2021, Bonne Maman are offering two surprise gifts – the first one to help start you off on 1 December and the other on Christmas Eve. The flavours are certainly unique, including (but not limited to): Apricot with Bergamot Spread, Lemon and Yuzu Marmalade, White Nectarine and Peach with Lemon Verbena Spread and Fig with Cardamom Extra Jam.
Jewellery and Lifestyle advent calendars 2021
Primark
Yep, you can even find advent calendars at Primark. The above jewellery one is just £10, making it a total bargain. The high street store is also selling a beauty calendar for £15.
Scream Pretty
Jewellery advent calendar, £250, Scream Pretty
Featuring 12 of Scream Pretty’s bestselling celestial pieces, including a mix of stud earrings, ear cuffs, huggies and charm hoops. The limited edition Celestial advent calendar is available in both gold and silver, and each is worth over £330.
Catherine Zoraida
12 days of Christmas advent calendar, £450, Catherine Zoraida
Catherine Zoraida is a brand worn by the likes of Kate Middleton. It’s advent calendar includes charms to create your own bespoke necklace, studs and hoop earrings, along with some new beauty products in collaboration with ILA Spa that Catherine has launched especially for Christmas. The calendar is worth over £800!
H&M
Advent calendar with jewellery, £17.99, H&M
Even high street favourite H&M has come out with a jewellery advent calendar this year, but for a very purse-friendly price of £17.99. It contains earrings, rings, charms, necklaces and bracelets in various designs.
Missoma
Advent calendar, $511 (£395), Missoma
Loved by the likes of Kate Middleton, Florence Pugh, Gigi Hadid and Kendall Jenner (to name a few), jewellery brand Missoma has launched its advent calendar once again. The set counts down 12 days to Christmas and is filled with the brand’s best-selling jewellery, including the Mini Spike Charm Hoops and Gold Bobble Chain Anklet. The items are worth over £800, so you’ll make a huge 50 per cent saving.
Astrid and Miyu
Another jewellery advent calendar comes from Astrid & Miyu, but this brand is offering a treat for every day of December until Christmas Day. It’s available in gold and silver, and features ‘all the key pieces to make the ultimate ear stack’. Inside, you’ll find £500 worth of jewellery for half the price of £250.
There were only a limited number of calendars, so unfortunately this has already sold out.
Lark & Berry
Charms box advent calendar, £4,995.00, Lark and Berry
This isn’t exactly an affordable advent calendar, but boy is it special. Jewellery brand Lark & Berry is set to release its 12-day set featuring the brand’s new white and yellow gold, detachable charms collection. As with all Lark & Berry jewellery, the 12 new charms feature the brand’s cultured diamonds that have been grown, not mined. Each charm slips onto the hoops from Lark & Berry’s fine piercing range.
This advent calendar is available to pre-order here.
Yankee Candle
Yankee Advent Calendars, £24.99-£79.99, Yankeee Candle
Yankee Candle has not one, but three advent calendars up for grabs in 2021. The Countdown the Christmas collection features a range of candles, from votives to tea lights, as well as useful items like a wick trimmer, snuffer and candle holders. The Advent Tree costs £79.99, the Advent Book costs £34.99 and the Advent Wreath is just £24.99.
Lovehoney
7 Nights of Temptation Lingerie Calendar, £60, Lovehoney
There are an impressive four advent calendars on offer from Lovehoney for 2021. They include the above, which includes seven lingerie pieces and accessories worth £100. There’s also a couples calendar that includes 24 treats worth £370. The separate calendars ‘for her’ and ‘for him’ contain 12 surprises worth over £200.
You can find the full selection of advent calendars and what’s included in them here.
Boux Avenue
12 Days sock advent calendar, £20, Boux Avenue
We’ve all received a pair of socks for Christmas at some point, right? Well, now you can get 12 multicoloured pairs thanks to this advent calendar. It contains six pairs of crew socks and six ankle socks.
Beder
Christmas Advent Calendar 2021, £49.99, Beder
Beder is a charity that aims to raise awareness around mental health and suicide prevention. This year, the charity has launched a limited edition advent calendar containing a range of wellness products, from aromatherapy and herbal teas, to healthy snacks and a live yoga class. Everything inside is aimed at nourishing the mind, body and soul to help look after mental health during the busy festive period. Inside, you’ll find brands like ThisWorks, HelloFresh, Indie Bay, KIND and Joe & Sephs.
Freedm Street
2021 Advent Calendar-Christmas Express, £185, Freedm Street
Ethical online retailer Freedm Street has launched Christmas Express – an advent calendar that’s completely cruelty free, vegan, available in a 100 per cent plastic-free option. Plus, it only contains sustainable palm oil or palm oil-free beauty products, gifts and edible treats from sustainable brands. Perfect for the eco-conscious!
Christmas Express is available to pre-order from 20 September at 7pm. It will retail at £185, with products inside worth a huge £350. For every calendar sold, charities including Humane Society International, Food For Life Global and Brook Farm Animal Sanctuary will each receive a donation.
007 Store
The James Bond advent calendar 2021, £199, 007 Store
The 007 Store is launching its very first James Bond advent calendar this year (perfect timing with the long-awaited No Time To Die film). The luxury limited edition calendar features 12 drawers of Bond-inspired gifts to open in the run up to Christmas. The presents include a Casino Royale prop, exclusives, collectibles and unique collaborations from Bond’s 25 film history.
The Urban Botanist
The Urban Botanist Limited Edition Plant advent calendar, £194.95, Selfridges
That’s right, you can even get plants in an advent calendar now! This includes 24 plants, planters, ancillary botanical gifts (such as Airplant Christmas Baubles, Potted Christmas Succulents, Potted Christmas Cacti, Fairy Lights, Rustic Merry Christmas Wooden Messages and more). It’s worth over £250.
Paperchase
Stationery Advent Calendar, £40, Paperchase
Are you a stationary lover? Behind every window in this calendar you’ll find a stationery treat and the chance to win one of four golden pens worth £100 to spend with Paperchase. The calendar contains £85 worth of stationery, including a £5 Paperchase voucher.
Advent of change
Advent of Change Advent Calendar, £32.95, John Lewis
This calendar is a lovely option for people who want to put their money towards a good cause. Advent of Change is a UK-based non-profit, so instead of finding a product behind each window, each day reveals a new charity recipient. The 24 doors represents a £1 donation and will tell you how your contribution could be used, from protecting oceans to providing food.
