At this point in the year, counting the days left until Christmas might either incite anxiety – about all the things to achieve before then – or excitement.
If you’re more inclined have the latter reaction, that anticipation will likely only increase by the time December rolls around.
Which means you might be one of those people that delights in the unique joy of opening a tiny window or box to mark each of the 24 days leading up to Christmas Day.
For those of you that think its far to early to consider, know that many of the most popular annual advent calendars sell out well before December, so we’re only giving you a heads up on your options.
The word ‘Advent’ is derived from the Latin word for ‘coming’. Many accounts attribute the origins of the advent calendar to 19th century Germany, said to have been when families started counting the days until Christmas by tallying chalk marks on a door or wall.
For those with religious beliefs, advent calendars have underlying spiritual messages of anticipation and hope as well as recognising the story of the birth of Jesus.
The beauty-filled version of the advent calendar has been a growing trend in recent years and cater to those of us significantly more excited about a body cream or mascara than a tiny square of chocolate.
So if you are keen to give your December a bit of fun, or know someone that might enjoy the ritual of ‘unboxing’ small beauty-related surprises, consider this edit of the best beauty advent calendars available this year.
There are plenty that contain the full 24 days, but there are also a number of options out there with 12 day versions too, which often means you get slightly larger products in each.
Some are available now, some are for pre-order and some will become available in the coming weeks. It pays to contact the retailer directly for exact details because as mentioned, many acquire wait-lists or sell-out swiftly.
Just try and avoid the temptation of opening all of the windows at once!
Clarins
Dior
Sothys
O Cosmedics
L’OCCITANE
Kiehl’s
Jo Malone London
Glasshouse Fragrances
Clinique
By Terry
Diptyque
The Body Shop
YSL Beauty
