I got my hands on Diptyque’s summer advent calendar – you read that right, it’s a thing now; and these are my honest thoughts
Advent calendars are no longer reserved for Christmas
Traditionally, advent calendars are reserved solely for the winter, opened every day of December in the lead-up to the big day – Christmas day. But have you heard of summer advent calendars? That’s right, they’re a thing now as Diptyque’s Summer Essentials calendar lands online and in stores – and I got my hands on this very special and luxurious box of goodies retailing for £235.
Unlike the traditional best advent calendars which come with 24 or 25 little gifts - including the luxury ones like the Diptyque and Jo Malone advent calendars - Diptyque’s summer advent calendar includes only 10 products, three of which are some of the best scented candles - the new, limited-edition 70g Pinede (pine grove) candle, a mini Citronelle (lemongrass) candle to keep the bugs away and a mini Figuier (fig tree) which is one of the brand’s bestsellers and classics, perfect for summer.
The products included in the calendar are all within the 100ml limit so you can bring them on your summer travels in your carry-on.
Several of the included products are full-sized but still very travel friendly which is what we all need for our summer holidays. The £235 price point does seem rather steep at first glance – but it’s essentially £23.50 per product which is not that bad in my opinion, especially since they’re all Diptyque products which are beautiful, high quality and are known to be on the higher end of the spectrum.
Even though this is the first time I’ve heard of Diptyque’s summer advent calendar, it turns out this is not the first time the brand has done one in recent years. But I must admit they managed to fly under my radar until now.
Each year, the box features a different design which is a work of art in its own right, this year’s included. For this summer collection, Diptyque partnered with mosaic artist Mathilde Jonquière who created a design inspired by the concept of a water garden (jardin des eaux) paved with multicoloured, cut stones arranged into beautiful patterns. It’s Mathilde’s mosaic pattern that covers both the outside and the interior of the summer calendar, which is also fitted with a black leather and brass carry strap and a closing tab.
The calendar arrives in Diptyque’s branded dust bag which is a lovely touch and shows attention to detail which is again very Diptyque. I own one of these dust bags, it hangs in my bathroom and collects my skincare and makeup empties intended for recycling.
I love the idea of making your chosen summer period a little special with a calendar like this – perhaps you can use it as a countdown to your next holiday to make the wait a little sweeter and more bearable. It’s undoubtedly a splurge but if you want to treat yourself or a loved one, I highly recommend the Summer Essentials calendar.
Alternatively, you can just treat yourself to one of the Diptyque candles included in the calendar. But instead of a mini version, you’ll get a full-sized one.
It doesn't get much fresher than lemongrass which is central fragrance of this candle, paired with verbena and neroli.
Inspired by the cool shade of a pine grove on a summer day, this limited-edition candle smells exactly like umbrella pines.
Figuier is one of my all-time favourite Diptyque candles. And it's also one of the brand's bestsellers which works all year round, including the summer.
All in all, the idea of summer advent calendars gets a thumbs up from me. What are your thoughts on them? Are you on board or do you think they should stick to December only?
