Chanel’s US$825 Advent Calendar Contains Items Like Stickers & Mini Dustbags — And Netizens Are Not Pleased About It

Some TikTokers who purchased Chanel’s first-ever advent calendar got surprises that they weren’t quite expecting from a luxury collector’s item.

The advent calendar, which retails for $1,150 in Singapore and is reportedly sold out, is shaped like a ginormous bottle of its best-selling N°5 fragrance, and contains 27 boxes, “each of which contains a full-size fragrance or makeup product, miniature, or other surprise”, according to its website. However, some customers took to social media to express their disappointment that the boxes contained many low value items, albeit those that are not typically sold in stores, some of which are given out free with purchases.

TikToker Elise Harmon, who bought the advent calendar for US$825 (S$1,125) and did a series of unboxing videos on TikTok, went viral for her reaction to some of the items, including stickers, an empty dustbag and string bracelets. Her series of videos have amassed over 60mil views in total.

“This has to be a joke! Stickers? Stickers?!” she exclaimed when she pulled out a sheet of Chanel stickers from a box. When she unveils a small dustbag from another box, she quipped: “I can’t make this up. It’s just a dustbag!” Some YouTubers have pointed out that it’s a free dustbag that accompanies certain beauty purchases. Of the reportedly one-of-a-kind snowglobe that she opened, Elise mused: “It looks like it came out of a gumball machine.”

website, which also includes a limited edition Rouge Allure lipstick and a Le Vernis polish in a new shade of red.

Elise, who said she’s been blocked by Chanel on socials (the brand denies this claim), clarified that she’d bought it in store, as did Dr Alex. Both were unaware of what items were inside as the description of its contents are not available in physical stores.

“When you’re buying from a brand like Chanel that is coveted and known for quality and luxury, and you receive something that’s like gumball status and free things that they had given away months prior, it’s questionable,” said Elise.

Chanel has since responded to the social media backlash and released a statement to say “sorry that this calendar may have disappointed some people” and that it’s “a true collector’s item whose value cannot be summed up by the products it contains alone”.

Photos: TikTok screenshots, Chanel