M & S Beauty Advent Calendar

BlueBelle

I so agree with the posters finding this opulence distasteful unnecessary and completely against the meaning of Christmas
If you’re in a minority I m with you Maddy
I can’t believe that people can imagine spending those sort of prices on frippery while half the world can’t afford to feed itself
I find it really unbelievable

If you find Advent calendars distasteful and unbelievable when they bring a little bit of Christmas Joy to people on their own or a not well-off families who share one and get a treat when they got something they otherwise could not afford. It appears to often be Gran who is buying as a present or to share.
How do you know they do not go to their local soup kitchens or make substantial gifts to charities like the Salvation Army,or Crisis at Christmas? You might just be condemning people who are doing something you are not doing yourself.

Mine was ordered , guilt free, yesterday.

No Joseann your treat is not a disgraceful frippery.
We all should be able to buy and spend our money on what we want.
Perhaps you aren't the type of family who buy multiple bottles of expensive booze or large cheap chocolates by the kilo box and it should not concern anyone else if you do.
I first got an Advent calendar with something behind the door when DH went away to visit DD in another country in the run-up to Christmas and I could not join him.
I was Facetimed each evening for a catch-up and what I had got that day and what I had cooked for Christmas to put in the freezer.
We are all different and like free speech our actions should be free if they do not impact anyone else we should not be made to feel guilty for our actions.
Enjoy your little daily treat I'll share mine with DD and GD.

Thank you Maggiemaybe. I wasn't going to comment, but ..
My DH is a chorister and sings in cathedrals and concerts during Advent. It is not his real job job, he isn't paid for it. These services generate £1000s for charities around the country. It probably costs him £600 personally in terms of hotels, petrol etc for his efforts. He doesn't receive expenses, I stay home alone, often at weekends.
So is my treat of a £50 or more beauty Advent Calendar distasteful frippery? I leave you to judge.

Blimey, I feel absolutely no guilt over the purchase of M & S Beauty Advent Calendars for myself and DD.

As for GC they will have Lego, Football Cards, and or similar, I have got DH the Laithwaites wine one.

None of these treats negate the meaning of Christmas, not all our family are religious, for them it is about the family being together.

BlueBelle

I so agree with the posters finding this opulence distasteful unnecessary and completely against the meaning of Christmas
If you’re in a minority I m with you Maddy
I can’t believe that people can imagine spending those sort of prices on frippery while half the world can’t afford to feed itself
I find it really unbelievable

Opulence? Frippery? Distasteful? A bit over the top, surely?

Of course it’s unnecessary, it’s an annual treat for some, but do you feel the same about anyone spending £45 on another pair of shoes they don’t need or a night out?

Why be so judgemental about what other people spend their own money on?

I don't usually have an Advent calendar but I did buy Molton Brown ones for my sister and friend.

*chocolate not chelated

I'm a bit of a boffin, sorry, when it comes to the origins of Advent Calendars as we did a short study on them during my German degree. (In Buddenbrooks, the renowned novelist Thomas Mann writes about a homemade tear-off calendar which the nanny makes for the child. That was in 1901 if I remember.)
Anyway, the first advent calendars on paper originated from Germany and had texts, sometimes religious, sometimes not, for every day leading to Christmas. I haven't time at the moment to find the names, I'm on child duty, but there were companies manufactuing them in 1930s when businesses started.
During World War 11 it was verboten to produce calendars with pictures. Instead, the Nazis chillingly produced their own version of an Advent Calendar which consisted of a pamphlet with images with swastikas and tanks being blown up.
I think it was the Americans in the 1950s who took over the idea of Advent Calendars in a big way, introducing chelated and sweets. Then the idea of gifts grew from there.

Some traditional ones here -

www.traditionaladventcalendars.co.uk/nativity-religious-advent-calendars.html

I so agree with the posters finding this opulence distasteful unnecessary and completely against the meaning of Christmas
If you’re in a minority I m with you Maddy
I can’t believe that people can imagine spending those sort of prices on frippery while half the world can’t afford to feed itself
I find it really unbelievable

maddyone

I’ll be lighting my Advent Candle each evening.
The expensive ones are rank commercialism and quite distasteful to my mind, since we’re supposed to be thinking of the birth of Christ.
I’m obviously in a minority here though.

How I agree! And try finding religious ones…. Only secular ones with chocolate, and increasingly, those with various themes- Lego, beauty, cheese…. And words fail me with those for pets!

maddyone

I’ll be lighting my Advent Candle each evening.
The expensive ones are rank commercialism and quite distasteful to my mind, since we’re supposed to be thinking of the birth of Christ.
I’m obviously in a minority here though.

Surely you can both think of the real meaning of Christmas and enjoy a lovely gift. The two aren’t mutually exclusive. 🎄

Visgir1

Aways done the M&S advent calendar but this year got DH to buy me the John Lewis one..looking forward to opening that. They claim £900 worth of goodies inside.

The John Lewis calendar is lovely. I will use everything in it. I’m sure you’ll be pleased with it.

#L’Occitane apologies

M&S who claim no animal testing have items from l'Occataine in their advent calendar. Also M&S claim The Deep Sleep Cocoon is £25 but it's available elsewhere for £18. It seems underhand.

Me too Jax !

I like that Witzend 👍

Jaxjacky

I’ve just got a £3 card one from the newsagent, I’ll enjoy opening the windows.

I treated myself to this one today - found it in the charity Christmas card shop in the town centre church.

Offers on the Body Shop calendars at the moment -

www.thebodyshop.com/en-gb/gifts/beauty-advent-calendars/c/c00259?campaignid=229692395&adgroupid=23092975355&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI5beBwomUggMV09btCh3-QAJ0EAAYASABEgJZm_D_BwE

My daughter always buys me a body shop one. Full of lovely things that last me all year . I’m very grateful

Not of any interest to me. The well known brands which cost £1 were good enough in my childrens day.

I’ll be lighting my Advent Candle each evening.
The expensive ones are rank commercialism and quite distasteful to my mind, since we’re supposed to be thinking of the birth of Christ.
I’m obviously in a minority here though.

I’ve just got a £3 card one from the newsagent, I’ll enjoy opening the windows.

Wow some of these bigger boxed calendars must weigh a ton!