117 Days 'Til Christmas: What to Plan Now (and Five Advent Calendars Worth Grabbing Early)
Hello and happy Monday eve - as of today, there are 117 days until Christmas! A little bit of planning now will give you a little time back in December.
Right now is peak season for a few sneaky things: advent calendars selling out, holiday travel prices creeping up, and the good gift ideas getting scooped before Black Friday even starts. A few smart moves now buy you a much calmer December.
What to Plan Now
1. Lock in your advent calendar(s). The best ones — especially beauty, chocolate, and LEGO sets — routinely sell out or go to waitlists well before Thanksgiving. And don’t sleep on Dandelion Chocolate - one of my favorite advent calendars every year. Plus if you like beauty, the Liberty of London calendar already has a waitlist. If there's a specific calendar you loved last year, this is the week to check if it's back.
2. Start a gift list, not gifts. You don't need to buy anything yet. Just start a running list (notes app, spreadsheet, whatever) of gift ideas as they occur to you. Future-you will be thankful in December.
3. Book travel if you're going anywhere. If Christmas means a flight or a full house of guests, now is when fares and rental rates are still reasonable. Prices only climb from here.
4. Check your card and photo situation. If you like sending holiday cards with a family photo, plan the photo now — good light, everyone in town, no last-minute scrambling in a Santa hat in December.
5. Set a budget. Not the fun part, but doing it now — before the sales start — means you'll actually enjoy the shopping instead of white-knuckling your bank app in mid-December.
Five Advent Calendars to Check Out This Year
Here's a mix of picks across price points and vibes, based on what's shaping up to be popular for the 2026 season:
Bonne Maman Advent Calendar — The beloved breakfast countdown (mini jams, honeys, and caramels behind 24 little drawers) is already back in stock, with the limited edition available on Amazon around $55.99. It's a genuine cult favorite that tends to sell out every year, so don't wait too long on this one.
Cadbury Dairy Milk Advent Calendar — If you want a classic, no-frills option, this is the budget-friendly UK staple, with a chocolate square behind each of the 24 doors, running around $9.99. Great for stocking stuffers or a kid-friendly first calendar.
Charlotte Tilbury Beauty Advent Calendar — For the beauty lover on your list (or for yourself, no judgment), Charlotte Tilbury is leading this year's beauty advent lineup, alongside Sephora's own countdown. Beauty calendars tend to move fast once they're revealed, so it's worth watching for the drop.
LEGO Advent Calendar — A perennial favorite for kids (and plenty of adults). LEGO's 2026 lineup is set to launch September 1 — mark the date if you want first pick before the popular sets sell out.
Harrods Beauty Advent Calendar — For a true splurge option, Harrods' 2026 calendar is already available for pre-order, and it's a big one: 34 beauty items including 21 full-size products, with a total value north of £1,780, featuring brands like Charlotte Tilbury, Augustinus Bader, and Tatcha.
The Bottom Line
You've got 117 days, which honestly is a gift in itself. Pick one or two things from the "plan now" list above, grab an advent calendar before it disappears, and let the rest of the season come to you.
What's on your advent calendar list this year? I'd love to hear your picks.