Best advent calendars 2023: beauty, toys, alcohol and other luxury alternative options

If you can’t get enough chocolate in your life, the Hotel Chocolat The Grand Advent Calendar is the ultimate chocolate option for this year (£75). Inside the 24 doors, there are delicious truffles, Velvetiser sachets, mini-crackers and Hotel Chocolat’s own vodka and gin creams.

The Ilchester Cheese Advent Calendar (£25.99) is the first ever cheese advent calendar and is popular year on year. Behind each door are individually wrapped cheeses and cheesy jokes (we see what they did there!) and you can try an array of cheeses, like cheddar, red Leicester, double Gloucester and festive flavours. The 2023 version will be released on 10th November at select stores, including Ocado.

Who doesn’t love crisps, especially at Christmastime! The Pringles 24 Days Crisps Countdown (£49.99) feature 24 tubs of Pringles classic flavours, including original, salt and vinegar, sour cream and onion and Texas BBQ sauce. Treat yourself to a tin of crisps a day or save them all up for snacks over the Christmas period.

A popular alternative advent calendar is the Nespresso Advent Calendar (£35). This year, Nespresso has partnered with French luxury outerwear brand, Fusalp for the box’s fun diamond smock pattern. Inside, you can find limited edition festive pods for Original and Vertuo coffee machines.

If you’re more of a tea fan, the Bird & Blend Tea Advent Calendar (£38) has been all over social media this year. This limited edition advent calendar gives you two tea bags to enjoy each day and there are regular and caffeine free options for your personal tastes. It also looks pretty and colourful too! 

For those planning an alcohol free Christmas, the Alcohol Free Craft Beer Advent Calendar (£69.95) is a brilliant way to ease into the season. It has 24 hand-picked craft beers from around the world, including Brewdog, Krombacher, Brooklyn Brewery and much more. 

Every year, the Brewdog Craft Beer Advent Calendar (£49.95) is increasingly popular. Inside, you get a glass and 24 cans of beer, including fan favourites like Punk IPA, Hazy Jane, Dead Pony Club and Elvis Juice. 

My ideal advent calendar is the Virgin Wines Mixed Wine Advent Calendar (£89.99). Inside the 24-door calendar, you get 24 red, white and rose 187ml bottles, a bottle of sparkling and a full sized bottle for Christmas Day. This calendar is available for pre-order, and you spend £10 to reserve yours before you pay the remaining £79.99 once it’s dispatched. 

The ultimate gin advent calendar is the Fever Tree Gin & Tonic Advent Calendar (£65). For everyday in December, you get 12 gins and 12 tonics that perfectly pair together or to experiment with. There are classic and festive flavours, and gins from brands like Opihr and Edinburgh Gin.

Build a Harry Potter scene throughout December with the LEGO Harry Potter Advent Calendar (£29.99). For ages 7+, this advent calendar has 227 pieces and includes mini-figures of Harry Potter characters in festive outfits, including Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger and Albus Dumbledore.

For Disney lovers, the Mickey and Friends Share The Magic Advent Calendar (£25) is covered in fun illustrations and colourful cartoons, perfect for displaying and keeping for next Christmas. Inside the drawers, you can find popular Mickey Mouse and Disney characters, including Minnie, Bambi, Stitch and Chip ‘n’ Dale.

The bakery edition of the Playmobil Christmas Advent Calendar (£19.99) is great for kids who love to help in the kitchen. This 24 door calendar features a Santa Claus mini-figure, baking utensils and baking accessories like biscuit cutters and stamps. 

The most talked about advent calendar of 2023 is the Charlotte Tilbury Lucky Chest of Beauty Secrets 2023 (£160). For make-up lovers or people who want to stock up on beauty products for next year, this Charlotte Tilbury beauty calendar has 12 doors of full sized and mini make-up and skincare must-haves, like lipsticks, serums and blushes.

Exclusively available to ELLE COLLECTIVE members, the ELLE Beauty Advent Calendar (£125) features 25 luxury brands, including Fenty Beauty, Cle de Peau Beaute and much more. There are full-size and mini products available, including candles, masks, creams and lip glosses.

Worth over £1,000, the Liberty London Beauty Advent Calendar 2023 (£250) is the most luxurious advent calendar on this list. The calendar is beautifully designed and fun to display, and is filled with goodies like mascara, blush, bronzer, candles, perfumes and more. Brands included are BIBBI, Votary, Dr Sebagh and more. 

Lush has many advent calendars up for grabs this year, but I’m recommending the limited edition Lush Advent Calendar (£195) with 25 doors. Inside, you can find Lush bath bombs, shower gels, jellies, bubble bars, lip scrubs and much more, all scented and decorated for the festive season.

The Body Shop Box of Wishes and Wonders Ultimate Advent Calendar (£145) is worth £250, saving shoppers £105 on this premium pamper calendar. Perfect for baths and showers, the calendar features hand wash, shampoo and conditioner, face masks, moisturisers, sprays and more.

Described as ‘25 moments of joy’ The White Company Advent Calendar (£175) is full of luxurious home and bath products. You can find candles, shower gels, body lotions, hand creams and home and body sprays. The box is also beautifully decorated with wreath and sparkle accents.

Another advent calendar I’ve been seeing everywhere is the Astrid & Miyu 12 Day Advent Calendar (£325). Available in gold or silver, this 12 day calendar is perfect for earring lovers as it’s full of studs, hoops, climbers, cuffs and more, adorned with stars, moons and sparkles.

Featuring jewellery that’s worth over £900, the Missoma Jewellery Advent Calendar (£395) is available in gold or silver for a limited time only. Inside the 12 drawers, you can find hoops, bracelets, studs and jewellery from the Lucy Williams and Harris Reed collections. If you find a golden ticket inside, you can also be in with the chance to win a diamond necklace worth £495.

The Abbott Lyon Advent Calendar (was £450, now £249) is a beautiful personalised advent calendar that you can completely customise. In gold or silver, you get birthstone pendants, rings and earrings and you can choose the birthstone and initials that you want so it’s completely unique to you.