Counting down to Christmas has never looked so good
Forget about waiting to unwrap gifts on Christmas Day, this holiday is all about opening presents every single day in the run-up to the big festive celebration! These days, advent calendars are no longer limited to tiny chocs – not that we'd ever say no to one – as you can also count down the days with a myriad of goodies including everything from sweets, bonbons and boozy treats to fragrant candles, and all kinds of lotions and potions. Keep scrolling to see some of the most exciting advent calendars we’re looking forward to unpacking this year.
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RECOMMENDED: Not quite ready for the festive season yet? We understand. Check out our ultimate guide on how to celebrate Halloween in Hong Kong!
If you’re a fan of Lush’s colourful products, take advantage of this year’s advent calendar that comes in a reusable trunk made from 100 percent recycled materials featuring an artwork created by London-based designer Sally Kelly. Expect a range of 25 vegan products, including Lush bestsellers, retro products, and exclusive items like Kris Mouse Bubble Bar, Sleepy Bath Bomb, and Merry Christmas Shower Gel.
Price: $2,800
Where to buy: Available in Lush shops and lush.com/hk
Countdown to the 12 Days of Christmas with Benefit Cosmetics’ 2021 The More the Merrier Advent Calendar. This year’s festive gift set includes the brand’s 12 beauty bestsellers and makeup must-haves in mini and fun sizes, including Gimme Brow+ brow-volumizing fibre gel, Precisely, My Brow Pencil, The Porefessional, Hoola bronzer, They’re Real! Tinted Primer, among others.
Price: $585 (valued at $1,083)
Where to buy: Available in Benefit Cosmetics stores and Sephora
Atelier Cologne has partnered up with Ukraine-based artist Dariia Hlazatova to bring you on a celestial adventure this Christmas! Made with 100 percent plastic-free packaging, the advent calendar contains an enchanting collection of mini and full-size fragrances, candles, and luxurious hand creams – so rest assured that you'll have yourself a stellar Christmas this year.
Price: Discovery advent calendar, $1,200; Luxury advent calendar, $3,100
Where to buy: Pre-order from October 22 to 31 via Atelier Cologne’s online store, or purchase at counters and boutique locations from November 1
Charlotte Tilbury’s Beauty Dreams & Secrets advent calendar this year comes in the form of a sparkling treasure chest – jewelled handles and all – loaded with 12 beauty weapons in full or travel size. From the brand's easy-to-use eyeshadow pencil in a new exclusive colour to a range of skincare items that will give your face some TLC, you'll have everything you need to stand out from the crowd this Christmas.
Price: $1,600
Where to buy: Order online via Charlotte Tilbury’s official website or any of their stores in Hong Kong
This holiday, Dior has put together a magical advent calendar that will make all your winter beauty dreams come true. Designed by London-based artist Alice Shirley, the blue and white calendar, clad with gold embossing, pays homage to Dior’s iconic Paris boutique at 30 Avenue Montaigne. The calendar features 24 beauty surprises, including nine scented items, seven iconic makeup products, seven best-selling skincare products, and an exclusive Dior 30 Montaigne candle.
Price: $3,500
Where to buy: Order online from October 25 via Dior Beauty
Parisian luxury brand Diptyque is back at it again to bring you 25 little treasures this festive season. This year's calendar takes on an artsy, psychedelic design and features some of Diptyque's most classic scented candles like the babies (berries), figeur (fig tree), and roses scent, a range of 10ml fragrances, as well as limited-edition candles and decorative items. No matter which box you open, you’re guaranteed to smell fantastic every day throughout December.
Price: $2,950
Where to buy: Preorder online via Selfridges
Working in collaboration with French illustrator Marylou Faure, Kiehl's 2021 advent calendar is made out of 100 percent recyclable materials. Covered in colourful festive designs, the calendar is packed with 24 of the brand's best-selling beauty essentials, including the Midnight Recovery Concentrate, Calendula Herbal-Extract Toner, Clearly Corrective Dark Spot Solution, and many more.
Price: $910
Where to buy: Order online via Selfridges
Have a wonderful little Christmas and spoil yourself silly with Lookfantastic's advent calendar this year. Getting you through every single day of December before Christmas Day, the thoughtfully curated calendar is packed with 25 full and miniature-sized products from a top range of brands like Espa, Shiseido, Aveda, Nars, and Kate Somerville. Lookfantastic's advent calendar gets sold out every year, so lock in yours now!
Price: $910
Where to buy: Pre-order now via Lookfantastic’s official website
Jump into the winter tale of Ritual’s golden 3D advent calendar this December and treat yourself to 24 wonderful little gifts! Featuring a festive advent village, the calendar has 24 tiny houses and trees, each with a luxury gift tucked inside. Expect everything from soaps and scrubs, mini candles, fragrance sticks, shower gels, and body oils. It even comes with a small set of Christmas lights so you can light up your village all winter long!
Price: $1,025
Where to buy: Order via Rituals’s online shop or any of their boutiques in Hong Kong
If you’re looking for treats that offer a boozy spike, go for Zotter’s organic and fair traded bonbons that come in a golden, three-dimensional star Biofekt Advent Calendar. The pack contains 25 handmade bonbons that include mulled wine, rum, and Champagne flavours, as well as those without alcohol in raspberries, orange, cranberries, almond, hazelnut, and pistachio flavours.
Price: $750
Where to buy: Order online via profood.hk; 15 percent off until November 14
Lady M New York’s treat-filled Merry and Bright Advent Calendar is sure to get you in the festive spirit. It comes in a wreath-shaped box with twinkling LED lights that open 24 custom drawers filled with a decadent assortment of brand-new confections from Lady M’s exclusive candy line, Lady M Bon Bon. Countdown to Christmas with delightful sweets that include Red Velvet Orbs, Earl Grey Crunch, Matcha Crunch, Strawberry Jelly, Chocolate Cookie Puffs, and Crème Brûlée Almonds flavours.
Price: $588
Where to buy: Available in all Lady M boutiques in limited quantities beginning November 1
This one is an advent calendar perfect for wine connoisseurs and enthusiasts. Explore the world of wine in 24 days with premium wines from renowned European winemakers. The tasting set comes in 100ml bottles that include various wine varieties from white to red, plus a special full-size sparkling wine bottle to help you usher in the New Year.
Price: $1,190
Where to buy: Order via winemoments.com; 15 percent off until October 31
Home to many British food and drink items that bring plenty of joy, Fortnum & Mason is counting down to Christmas the same way, with lots of delicious and festive bites including three different advent calendars. The Tea Lovers Advent Calendar opens up to different teas to kick start your festive morning, while the little ones can indulge in a carousel filled with 24 milk chocolates in the Children’s Chocolate Advent Calendar. Then, for something a little more extravagant, the wood-designed F&M Piccadilly House Advent Calendar Musical plays a merry tune upon opening each door, which can be filled with small treats.
Price: Tea Lovers Advent Calendar $398; Children’s Chocolate Advent Calendar $338; F&M Piccadilly House Advent Calendar Musical starts from $2,388
Where to buy: All products are available at Fortnum & Mason Hong Kong
Enjoy a ‘hoppy’ holiday with HK Brewcraft’s beer advent calendar filled with 24 mystery beers that come in bottles or cans. The pack is a great gift for beer lovers who would love to countdown to Christmas with daily surprise brews. Make sure to order this ahead as HK Brewcraft is only releasing it in limited quantities.
Price: $1,100; $920 Early bird price before November 20
Where to buy: Order online via hkbrewcraft.com
This year, The Peninsula Boutique has designed an adorable Sparkle advent calendar that features a pop-up reindeer leaping for joy and windows that have sweet treats including chocolate bonbons or dark chocolate carres behind. They also have something called the Wonder Trove which is an adaptation of the advent calendar with 24 small boxes of surprises inside. Think gourmet palmiers, pralines, candies, cookies and chocolates. The Trove isn’t dated like an advent calendar but there are enough boxes of goodies to enjoy a treat every day in the run-up to Christmas.
Price: Sparkle Advent Calendar $395; Wonder Trove $890
Where to buy: In-store at The Peninsula Boutique or peninsulaboutique.com
Drinks by the Dram has been releasing their annual advent calendars since 2012, and their whisky entries are popular for whisky lovers who want to discover various expressions as they countdown to Christmas. The 2021 pack includes 24 wax-sealed 30ml glass drams filled with whiskies from 21 distilleries originating from 14 countries around the world.
Price: $1,337.35 + delivery charge
Where to buy: Order via masterofmalt.com
That Boutique-y Gin Company and Drinks by the Dram collaborate for this year’s gin-filled advent calendar that makes for a perfect gift for gin enthusiasts. Discover 24 30ml wax-sealed drams of exciting samples from the Boutique-y selection featuring gins from nine different distilleries.
Price: $445.53 + delivery charge
Where to buy: Order via masterofmalt.com
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