AMID these trying times, a surprising trend has emerged - a surging interest in luxury advent calendars.
They have been on the rise?
In recent years, the range of luxury advent calendars on offer has increased to meet a growing interest in the concept, with the contents more varied each Christmas, from alcohol and food, to pet treats and cheese.
Now?
The cost-of-living crisis has left very few lives untouched, but it has emerged interest is even higher than previous years. According to price comparison website PriceRunner UK, searches for luxury advent calendars are up 400 per cent this year versus last year, while a YouGov study found 49% of Brits plan to open one this festive season, with 13% of these luxury beauty calendars.
Even with so many strapped for cash?
It seems surprising we would still splurge on excessive advent calendars, but experts say it is due to a trend of “unboxing”, where online “influencers” reveal the contents of calendars on their social media, but also due to the “lipstick effect”.
Lipstick?
PriceRunner consumer expert Evelina Galli said: “We are witnessing a phenomenon called ‘the lipstick effect’ or the ‘lipstick index’ – a term coined by Estée Lauder’s, Leonard Lauder which suggests consumers tend to splurge on affordable luxuries during times of economic difficulty.” According to Galli, these luxuries are still relatively affordable, offering a little retail therapy. She added: “There’s a plethora of advent calendars out there with a variety of themes and price points, so there should be something to suit every pocket.”
What are the most popular?
PriceRunner UK has revealed its most popular advent calendar searches for 2022, with the global beauty sell out Look Fantastic advent calendar, for £95, featuring £500 worth of cult beauty favourites topping the list, followed closely by the Lego Star Wars advent calendar, for £29.99, and the Rituals Ritual advent calendar bursting with the brands luxury candles and products for £105.
Stars are getting in on the act?
Celebrities are joining in the trend, including This Morning host Philip Schofield whose “Craft Gin Club Phillip Schofield Very Merry 25 Days Advent Calendar” retails for £95 on QVC.
And some are a small fortune?
The Dior calendar costs £470 for "24 Dior surprises" including fragrance, make-up and skincare, the Wedgwood calendar retails for £695, with an "expertly crafted porcelain ornament" behind each drawer. C W Sellors jewellers, meanwhile, sells the "Chatsworth Winnats Luxury Jewellery and Gift" calendar for £21,995, the contents of which are worth £23,515 apparently.
Back in my day….
…there was a little door and behind it, a picture of a snowman, yes, but times have clearly changed.
It’s all too much!
If the indulgence - and over-indulgence - is not your thing, you can now also get health and fitness advent alendars, such as a "running" offering from activewear Bimble and Bolt which offers the likes of reflective laces and protein balls, for £29.99, or a "microdrink" calendar. Waterdrop's £129 offering features 24 different flavours of their microdrinks - tablets infused with fruit and plant extracts that you drop into water to add flavour.
How did it all begin anyway?
It’s thought the first modern luxurious version dates to around 2010, when London department store, Selfridges, launched its beauty calendar in conjunction with cosmetics giant, L’Oréal, full of samples of products from its variety of brands, including Lancôme. Traditional calendars date back to 19th century Germany when families would count down to Christmas Eve with chalk lines, before printed calendars began appearing in the early 1900s and Chocolate versions took off in the 1970s. The term ‘Advent’ itself is derived from the Latin word for ‘coming’.
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