Christmas is going to be meh this year with Covid-19 restrictions. Apart from blasting All I Want for Christmas Is You at home, what else can you do to get in the festive spirit?
Answer: advent calendars!
What is advent calendar ah? Traditionally, it’s a huge cardboard calendar with 24 “doors”, each with a bible verse or religious picture behind it. You are supposed to open one door daily from the first day of December to Christmas Eve.
Over time, fun elements are added to this popular practice, with gifts hidden behind the doors. Think of it as small instant daily gratification before you reach the biggest prize — your Christmas present.
7 best advent calendars in Singapore for Christmas 2020
Here’s how much it costs to take a peek behind every door for daily surprises.
| Advent calendar | Price | What it contains |
| Lego | $34.90 to $54.90 | 24 x lego pieces |
| T2 Tea | $40 | 24 x tea bags/ sachets |
| Hook Coffee | $50 | 24 x drip bags |
| Sephora Collection | $85 | 24 x beauty items |
| The Body Shop | $89 to $229 | 24 x bath and beauty items |
| Thirsty | $159 | 24 x beers |
| L’Occitane | $179 | 24 x bath and beauty items |
Lego advent calendar ($34.90 to $54.90)
Every parent has a love-hate relationship with Lego bricks that keep pesky kids occupied but are a painful hazard for their feet. But if that means buying some precious free time for yourself, then this advent calendar is for you.
The Brick Store has released 4 advent calendars — Lego City, Lego & Friends, Harry Potter and Star Wars. Each 24-piece Lego set lets you recreate your own storyline.
The most expensive ones are the Star Wars Advent Calendar ($49.90) and Harry Potter Advent Calendar ($54.90). If your wallet wants to skip those, you can always settle for the cheaper Lego City ($34.90) and Lego & Friends ($39.90).
Delivery fees are about $5 for orders below $80. But you can also find similar sets with cheaper delivery fees on Lazada and Amazon.
T2 Tea advent calendar ($40)
T2 Tea has released two tea advent calendar sets — tea bags and tea leaves — at $40 each. With 24 teas to drink in December, we can probably make it through to 2021.
Folks with hypertension might want to avoid overwatering yourself with tea. Some contain tree nuts, milk and liquorice roots that may spike up your blood pressure.
The only annoying part is that one advent calendar alone isn’t enough to hit the minimum requirement for free delivery. But hey, don’t pay that $10 delivery fee when you can easily top it up with more tea bags. Duh? The cheapest tea bags on T2’s website cost about $12.
Hook Coffee advent calendar ($50)
Life begins after coffee and here’s how you can have a better start for your December.
Hook Coffee’s box includes 24 unique types of coffee in drip bags that includes a combination of crowd-favourite classics and Christmas specials.
The normal set ($50) comes with a poster and stickers created by Very Special Arts Singapore (VSA). You can choose to bundle it up with a Gooseneck Kettle ($75) or STTOKE Cup ($89) or both ($115).
Part of the proceeds will be donated to VSA so you get to save your dark soul through charity and coffee. A perfect way to kill two birds with one stone.
The pre-order promotion has ended but you can still get 2 sets at a $10 discount. Choose SingPost normal mail for free delivery or pay $2.50 more for peace of mind.
Sephora advent calendar ($85)
With WFH being the norm, beauty products are truly the most useless things we own in 2020. What’s even more pek cek is that you can no longer swatch or test make-up, thanks to Covid-19 measures.
If you want to experiment with beauty products without blowing your budget, you should definitely get Sephora Collection’s Wild Wishes Advent Calendar ($89).
It contains 15 full-size products and 9 mini products for bathtime, skincare, haircare, make-up and more. What makes the deal even sweeter is that you don’t have to fork out extra cash for delivery. Yay!
Don’t want Ninja Van to be your Santa Claus? You can always head to Sephora Stores to get it on your own.
The Body Shop advent calendar ($89 to $229)
We know, 2020 is definitely a stressful year we hope to skip.
Here’s the opportunity to wind down with The Body Shop’s Beauty Advent Calendar. Like picking your BTO size, the bigger the “house” is, the more expensive it gets.
| Normal | 24 items | $89 |
| Big | 25 items | $109 |
| Ultimate | 25 items | $229 |
Each set contains The Body Shop’s best-selling make-up, skincare, deliciously scented bath and body items. By the start of Christmas, you’ll be feeling like a glamour puss on a cloud of perfume.
The only sian part is that you can only get it from 37 stores islandwide, but not online. Hello? Smart Nation?
Thirsty craft beer advent calendar ($159)
Your kidneys and wallet are definitely going to hate this, but we all know that you can’t end a disastrous year without alcohol.
So cheers to Thirsty’s craft beers from America and Australia. Here’s what you are getting from Thirsty’s Not An Advent Calendar:
- 24 beers in cans of 330ml, 355ml and 375ml
- 14 beer types from light to dark, hoppy to malty
- A free gift
What makes it special is that they have added dumb jokes and fun facts behind every mini door. Not so sure how that will register in your brain if you are already drunk.
And since you are already paying $159, delivery is free of charge. The only caveat is that delivery will only begin on 16th November — too bad if you need a drink right now.
L’Occitane advent calendar ($179)
If you can’t holiday in Provence this year, you could at least smell it with Loccitane’s Provence Advent Calendar.
This set contains 24 miniature products which include best-sellers like Immortelle Overnight Serum Reset and Almond Shower Oil.
Choose to pay $176 for the entire set, or spend $30 and get it at $80. It’s no brainer to choose the latter. After all, you are only paying $110.
It’s currently sold out online so your only chance to get it is through its 9 stores in Singapore. Before you brave the crowds and the hassle of SafeEntry scanning, make a call to see if stocks are available first.
Enjoy gifts that keep on giving — at least for 24 days? Share this with friends who love little surprises.