Crafting your own fragrance calendar (or crackers & baubles!)

For those who adore the world of fragrance, the excitement of a beautifully curated advent calendar is hard to resist. However, many of the luxurious fragrance calendars available can be prohibitively expensive or sell out faster than one can say “spritz.” But fear not—there’s a delightful solution: creating a bespoke scented calendar using sample vials and miniature bottles from The Perfume Society’s Discovery Boxes and exquisite Brand Sets!

 

 

 

Fabric Gift Garland fill-your-own Calendar: £16.99 adventcalendarshop.co.uk

 

We know it’s early to be thinking about gifts for Christmas (shhh, say it quietly!), but as advent calendars are traditionally opened from the beginning of December, it’s high time to get cracking on crafting or curating yours.

Imagine the joy on a friend’s face as they open each little door to reveal an array of luxurious scents, perhaps from houses they’ve never encountered before. This thoughtful gift is perfect for those who might be stuck in a signature scent rut, gently encouraging them to explore new olfactory territories. Moreover, for friends or relatives living in areas devoid of niche perfumeries, this DIY calendar brings an entire world of fragrance right to their doorstep. It’s a wonderful way to introduce them to scents that may not be easily accessible where they live.

 

 

 

 

Fill Your Own Gingerbread Advent Calendar by Lisa Angel: £25 notonthehighstreet.com

 

One of the most appealing aspects of crafting a fragrant calendar is its affordability. By selecting samples and miniatures, one can create a luxury gift that feels far more extravagant than its cost. It’s like performing olfactory alchemy—transforming simple vials into treasures. The joy of these calendars lies in the excitement of trying a new scent each day. Gone are the days when advent calendars were filled with horribly disappointing, cardboard-tasting chocolates or uninspiring images of robins and so forth. Now, each day can bring a fragrant surprise, enhancing the anticipation leading up to Christmas.

 

Winter Forest Advent Calendar: £12 hobbycraft.co.uk

 

 

 

But why limit this creative gift to Christmas? January can often feel dreary, so why not brighten up a friend’s New Year with a calendar full of delightful scents? Recently, beauty calendars have emerged for various occasions—New Year, Easter, or simply as a treat to lift spirits any time of year. We say: give the gift of a scented surprise whenever you wish!

 

Wooden Advent Calendar: £14.99 theworks.co.uk

 

There are numerous build-your-own calendar kits available online and in craft shops, making it easy to get started, and though many are already decorated, several plain wooden or fabric ones can be found, meaning your can decorate them for any time of year, or to any theme you fancy. Alternatively, one could create luxury scented crackers or perfume-filled baubles for an extra touch of elegance. Let your imagination run wild!

 

Make Your Own Christmas Cracker Kit: £9.82 thecrackercompany.co.uk

 

Fill Your Own Baubles Kit: £4 hobbycraft.co.uk

 

With beautifully curated Discovery Boxes and Brand Sets available in The Perfume Society shop – or perhaps you already have some samples set aside – crafting a personalised perfume calendar is both fun and fulfilling. It’s a heartfelt way to share the joy of fragrance with loved ones.

So whether it’s for the festive season or just because, creating a fragrant calendar is sure to delight any perfume enthusiast… we know we’d love to receive one! Now, which scents would you love to find in yours, we wonder…?

 

Written by Suzy Nightingale

5 ideas for fragrantly-filled homemade Christmas crackers…

Christmas crackers are inevitably disappointing – one big bang (if you’re lucky!) and out pops a plastic compass or tiny nail-cutters best suited for an elf’s manicure. So, this year, why not make your own rather more splendid crackers, filled with a selection of scented delights…?
There are countless guides online if you search for making your own Christmas crackers from scratch (we really like Jamie Oliver’s guide) but we also love this easy-peasy fill your own cracker set, £7 from John Lewis – it includes hats and cheesy jokes and the ready-to-stuff crackers for those of us who may be more than a little pressed for time round about now!Whether you choose to treat your guests to the stunning miniature bottles and luxury travel-size samples (or perhaps fill with a selection of the vials and keep the minis for yourself!) we suggest you stuff your crackers with the following fragrant goodies.
Six guests? Simply choose your two favourite Discovery Boxes, get stuffing with the minis and keep everything else for yourself. More than six guests? Grab another box and keep even more swag for yourself (or well, stocking fillers if you’re feeling generous, we suppose.) Win-win!
A gorgeous mini bottle of Vince Camuto Amore, the luxury sample of Atkinsons Pirates’ Grand Reserve and a travel-size Philosophy One Step Cleanser would be our choice here. The full-size chocolate bar from Green & Blacks won’t fit, so you’d have to eat that. Hard times.
From The Velvet Collection

Dinky bottles of Estée Lauder Modern Muse and Mia La Perla along with a travel-sized body wash of the brand new Molton Brown Russian Leather body wash are the ones we’d have our eye on at the dinner table!
From Fashion, Fabric & Fragrance
With two mini bottles of Prada (his ‘n hers, but we’d nick ‘his’ too…) the cult skincare must-have Pixi Glow Tonic and a Pixi brow pencil AND a travel-sized Timebomb Cleanser, that’s five crackers stuffed already!
From Scents of Style

Featuring some of our favourites from 2017’s perfume launches, cracker-pullers can gasp over the gorgeous E. Coudray Rose Tubereuse miniature spray, a darling fragrance sachet from The Very Nature (to hang in the car or perfume your drawers!) and a travel-size Weleda Relaxing Body Oil (at the time of year we most need a bit of help relaxing…)
From Latest Launches
The bling-tastic glitter of a full-size Nails Inc varnish is the beauty treat we’d have our claws out for, but with a Versace Eros Pour Femme mini and a 30ml bottle of Molton Brown‘s sumptuous Rosa Absoluta body wash, you simply can’t go wrong.
From Precious Perfumes
• Warning! Don’t try this if you are having Christmas lunch in a stone-floored room!
 
Written by Suzy Nightingale