Woman addicted to advent calendars spends thousands on designer countdowns – and then regifts her reject items to family

A UK woman has revealed she spends thousands on buying designer advent calendars each year, before regifting all the items she does not want to her family.

Flora Ivy tells the Daily Mail she is addicted to high-end beauty calendars, often buying several countdowns a year to tear open in search of expensive holiday items.

This year alone, the Babestation star, 35, has splashed £1,573 (AU$3,180) in total on seven lavish calendars, with many of the products going into gift baskets for family.

‘I snag mine as soon as they’re out because they sell fast and look stunning on the shelf,’ she says.

‘Then I can’t resist. I rip them all open and peek inside in a greedy rush. It’s like opening presents without needing permission.

‘They’re gorgeous little boxes and they make me feel spoiled, like someone wrapped up 25 presents just for me.’

Flora says she often discovers full-sized creams, masks and new serums in her advent calendars, with duplicates or items she does not use getting regifted.

‘My family never really asks where the items come from, they just enjoy the gifts during the holidays,’ says Flora, who creates gift baskets with her rejected items.

‘For me, it’s more about loving to create the boxes myself. 

‘I add chocolates and other little treats, so I don’t think anyone really thinks about where the presents come from.’ 

Flora says her loved ones ‘lose their minds’ when they get the designer gift packs, with the former flight attendant revealing she makes seven every year. 

‘Each pretty gift box gets a mix of beauty goodies from the calendars, a perfume that matches them and a nice cream or two,’ she says.

‘Then I add personal touches like their favourite chocolates or fluffy socks. I do them for about seven women in the family—it’s my secret Christmas joy.

‘It warms me up seeing them unwrap full-size luxury. Those are their big Christmas presents and I put real effort in.’

‘The calendars aren’t cheap, but spreading the cost like that is cheaper than shopping on the high street for full-size perfumes and serums,’ she adds.

‘Plus it’s a very thoughtful gift. Everything is tailored to each person. Not everyone knows they’re from advent calendars—but I don’t think they’d care.

‘Even if they asked, I’d just say it’s Christmas magic.’

Flora, who is from the Cotswolds, says she began buying advent calendars four years ago when she tried out an Espa calendar and got hooked on the products inside. 

Now, she says she buys five to six every Christmas and opens them all early to sort through the gifts. 

This year she has treated herself to a Charlotte Tilbury Beauty Advent Calendar (AU$353), Liberty London Beauty Advent Calendar (AU$556), Harrods 24-day Beauty Advent Calendar (AU$505), Harrods 12 Days of Christmas Advent Calendar (AU$200), an Espa Advent Calendar (AU$353), the Harvey Nichols Beauty Advent Calendar (AU$606) and the Lovehoney Couples Advent Calendar (AU$604).

Despite splashing thousands on the Christmas countdowns, Flora says she is often also gifted designer advent calendars by devoted fans.

‘The most expensive advent calendar I’ve ever been gifted was £275 (AU$556),’ she says. 

‘It was the Liberty advent calendar, which included lots of perfume minis as well as several full-sized bottles,’ Flora continues.

‘The total value of the calendar was nearly £1,500 (AU$3,033), so it was definitely worth the money.’ 

Flora says after four years of splashing out on advent calendars, she has no intention of stopping her little Christmas habit. 

‘I’ll keep buying a stack every year—they’re too addictive to quit. I’m not materialistic or anything, but that little click of a luxury lid? Sublime,’ she says.