Rituals Advent Calendar's 24 full-sized beauty products bring joy

The anticipation of what will lie behind that door and the thrill of having a square of chocolate at breakfast make the dark mornings a little bit brighter. 

But who says the fun should stop when you become an adult? 

Heaven knows that during these dark December mornings, anything that makes getting out of bed a little easier should be embraced. 

And while chocolate might not be an ideal treat if you are over the age of 16, there's still something nice about counting down the days with a little something nice. 

Advent calendars for adults seem to have exploded in recent years, we've seen beer advent calendars,. cheese ones, even ones with a packet noodle behind every day. 

But the beauty advent calendar is where the real opulence lies. 

And what better than treating yourself to a gorgeous new product every day - and hey, if you don't like that morning's offering, then there's still time to regift.... (it's not cheap, it's environmentally friendly). 

One of the contenders for the best beauty advent calendar this year comes from beauty brand Rituals. 

The Dutch beauty brand first launched in the UK in 2004 in London and opened its first store outside of London in Birmingham in 2017. However, it has its eyes set on expansion with plans to open 10 new stores across the UK and Ireland - including in Hampshire in Basingstoke - by the end of the year.

It has launched its Premium Advent Calendar, which includes full-size products, as a daily reminder and moment of holiday cheer.

The brand sent one of the calendars to the Hampshire Chronicle office for the team to try - and the postman was delighted when we opened the door quickly as it is big and heavy! 

We set about assembling the calendar, following the instructions, and after a bit of fiddling about with the fairy lights, plus a mad search for some batteries to make them work, the calendar was set up proudly next to the office's Christmas tree. 

The products smell divine and it's tempting to dive straight in, however, we exercise self-control and set up all the products which are all housed in cute little boxes that are set up to look like a wintery village, covered in snow. 

We dim the lights and the fairy lights twinkle subtly through - making us excited for December 1 to roll around so we can rush into work to see what's inside box number one. 

This would make a great present for a loved one, or is the perfect way to make December that little bit more joyous. 

THE ADVENT CONTAINS

-          The Ritual of Karma Body Lotion Mousse 150ml

-          The Ritual of the Dragon Parfum d’interieur 50ml

-          Christmas Ornament Tassle

-          Mini Candle Private Collection – Orris Mimosa 25g

-          Refreshing Spray Karma 250ml

-          The Ritual of the Dragon shower foam 200ml

-          Savage Garden Parfum d’Interieur 50ml 

-          The Ritual of Jing Hand Mask sleep 70ml

-          The Ritual of Mehr Hair & Body Mist 20ml

-          The Ritual of Sakura Body Cream 100ml 

-          Mini Candle Private Collection – Savage Garden 25g

-          Sweet Jasmine Hand Wash 110ml 

-          Sweet Jasmine Kitchen Hand Balm 85ml

-          The Ritual of Hammam Foaming Shower Gel 200ml

-          The Ritual of Hammam Body Scrub 125gr

-          The Ritual of Namaste Anti-Ageing Serum 10ml 

-          Sport Anti-Dryness Body Lotion 70ml

-          Mini Candle Private Collection – Smooth Violet 25g

-          Fortune Balms-Repair Balm

-          Amsterdam Collection Car Perfume

-          The Ritual of Ayurveda Rich Body Oil 100ml

-          Travel Rêve de Hanami 15ml

-          The Ritual of Namaste Skin Brightening Face Exfoliator 30ml

-          Smooth Violet Mini Fragrance Sticks Bottle 100ml 

-          Mini Candle Private Collection – Wild Fig 25g

The advent calendar is £165, but contains products worth £295.50. It can be bought from rituals.com