The Advent Calendar Gift Guide 2025: Festive Friday's - Earn Points on Your Christmas Shopping

The countdown to Christmas is officially on and I am loving it!

Advent calendars have come a long way from the simple chocolate-filled versions of childhood - today, they’re a festive ritual in themselves. Whether it’s fine wine, indulgent beauty treats, fun LEGO builds, or even daily dog or cat biscuits, there’s an advent calendar for everyone on your list.

This year, we are on a mission here at Points Well Made. We want to help you earn as many Avios or Virgin Points on your Christmas shopping, which is why we have created Festive Fridays and why we are bringing you Gift Guides each week.

By shopping through the Avios or Virgin Points portals, you can turn your seasonal spending into valuable travel rewards which might help you top up your points balance for your next holiday, or even help you get a cheeky upgrade!

So, here is Part 1 of the Gift Guides, Advent Calendars - a curated selection of ten brilliant options, plus how to earn extra points on each purchase.

1. The Wine Flyer Advent Calendar 2025

Why it’s a good option: Because wine and Christmas were made for each other! Or is that just my opinion?

I really like that it's a proper 24 days advent calendar and that there are 23 mini bottles covering reds, whites and rosés, with no repeat wines. Plus, behind the 24th door in time for Christmas Eve? A full sized Prosecco! Glorious!

How to earn rewards: When shopping via the Avios shopping portal, you’ll earn up to 500 Avios on your purchase. You also have the option to use Avios as part-payment toward the advent calendar, for example, “Save £25 when you spend 4,165 Avios. ”However, this generally isn’t the most valuable way to use your Avios, so paying in cash and collecting the points may offer better value overall.

Cost: This advent calendar is £99.99. There is the option to part pay with Avios however I personally think this is not the smartest way to pay or use your Avios. Save them for flights!

2. Virgin Wines Mixed Wine Advent Calendar 2025

Why it’s a good option: I know, more wine! Apologies! I wanted to balance out the opportunity to earn Avios on a wine Advent Calendar with one you can earn Virgin Points with.

This one contains 24 mini bottles (a mix of white, red, rosé and Prosecco), but also contains a full sixed bottle of Shiraz for Christmas Day. Now, don't get me wrong. I love the fact there is 25 doors, and a full sized bottle included. However, the fact it's a bottle of Shiraz is, to me, a little odd. I would have preferred to have seen a full size bottle of Proescco.

Virgin Wine also offer a Red Wine Advent Calendar and a White Wine advent Calendar. Same price, same style, with a full sized bottle (Cairanne Blanc for the White Wine Calendar, the same Shiraz as the Mixed Wine Calendar for the Red Wine one) in each.

How to earn rewards: You can earn Virgin Points by starting your purchase via the Virgin Red website and selecting Virgin Wines. Once redirected and shopping on the Virgin Wines site, you’ll earn 2 Virgin Points per £1 spent. There is also an opportunity to spend 20,000 Virgin Points to buy this calendar. If you're curious, then click here. It's not how we would spend our points, especially considering that Virgin Points don't expire, so we'll just hold onto them for that next flight.

Price: All Virgin Wine Advent Calendars (including their gin one) are £99.99.

3. Look Fantastic Beauty Advent Calendar

Why it’s a good option: Alright boys, listen up! Your partner / mum / sister / any woman you love in your life is going to love you if you chose to gift them this! This Advent Calendar is worth over £600, and is filled to the brim with cult classic products including 17 full sized products! There are honestly so many iconic brands in here I cannot list them all but a few of my favourites include: Medik8, L'Occitane, The White Company, Colour Wow, Elemis and Rodial.

How to earn rewards: You can earn up to 12 Avios per £1 when shopping through the Avios portal as a new customer; however, purchases classed as Christmas gifting may instead earn 4 Avios per £1. By comparison, shopping via the Virgin Shopping Portal could earn up to 10 Virgin Points per £1, or 3 Virgin Points per £1 on Christmas gifting purchases. It’s an ideal opportunity to treat yourself, or someone else, while maximising your points.

Cost: This advent calendar is on the pricier side at £105.00 but, as mentioned, it contains over £600 worth of products!

4. Boots 24 Days of Skincare Advent Calendar

Why it’s a good option: The 2025 24 Days of Skincare Beauty Advent Calendar by Boots marks the return of their popular skincare countdown, now in its second year. Housed in a reusable box, it features a mix of well-known names like Bubble, PIXI, BYOMA, The Inkey List, Soap & Glory, and Garnier, alongside trending K-Beauty brands such as Anua, Haruharu, Tocobo, and Round Lab.

The selection covers a wide range of skincare essentials, from cleansers and serums to masks and moisturisers, offering a diverse introduction to both cult favourites and newer discoveries.

How to earn rewards: You can earn up to 8 Avios per £1 when shopping through the Avios portal as a new customer, or 6 Avios per £1 if you’re an existing customer. In comparison, shopping through the Virgin Shopping Portal could earn you up to 6 Virgin Points per £1 as a new customer, or 4 Virgin Points per £1 if you are already an existing customer.

Cost: This advent calendar is £75, so a slightly lower price point than the Look Fantastic one. This one is worth almost £290.

5. LEGO Harry Potter Advent Calendar 2025

Why it’s a good option: I love Harry Potter, as does my niece who would seriously enjoy this particular advent calendar. A magical countdown for both kids and grown-ups! Each door reveals a mini build or character from the Wizarding World - a collectible calendar that turns December into a creative adventure.

Lego do a range of Advent Calendars, from Minecraft to Star Wars, there is something for everyone.

How to earn rewards: When purchasing from LEGO UK through the Avios shopping portal, you can earn 5 Avios per £1 on orders under £149.99, or 10 Avios per £1 on orders over £150. Alternatively, when shopping via Virgin Shops Away, standard LEGO purchases earn 4 points per £1 on transactions under £149.99, or 8 points per £1 on purchases over £150. So if you are thinking of getting a few things from Lego for various Christmas presence, this would be a great way to earn more points.

Cost: This particular Lego Advent Calendar costs £29.99.

Are you following us social media? If not, why not! Go drop us a follow on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok so that you never miss any of your favourite content!

6. Lily’s Kitchen Advent Calendar for Dogs or Cats

Why it’s a good option: Santa Paws is coming to town! I am a firm believe that pets deserve Christmas joy too! This adorable calendar is packed with natural, tasty treats - and yes, there’s one for cats as well. A festive favourite among pet-parents, and something we always buy ourselves for our nieces cat Simba!

How to earn rewards: When shopping via the Avios portal, both new and existing customers can earn 15 Avios per £1 spent. Meanwhile, through the Virgin Shops Away portal, new customers can earn 12 Virgin Points per £1, while existing customers may earn 12 Virgin Points per £1 depending on the current promotional rates. This makes everyday pet supplies an easy way to boost your points balance while treating your pet.

Cost: The Advent Calendar for Dogs costs £10.50 and the one for cats is £8.50.

7. Grind Coffee Advent Calendar

Why it’s a good option: Wake up to the smell of Christmas! If you have a coffee machine that takes Nespresso-compatible pods, this 25-day coffee advent calendar offers a different speciality-grade blend each day. The selection ranges from the brand’s House Blend and Extra Dark Blend to seasonal options like Pumpkin Spice. On Christmas Day, there’s a bonus treat, two limited edition Christmas Blend pods. Be quick on this one, as the 2024 variation sold out quickly!

How to earn rewards: When you shop through the Avios shopping portal, you can earn 6 Avios per £1 on all eligible Grind purchases. Alternatively, if you choose to shop via the Virgin Shops Away portal, you’ll earn 4 Virgin Points per £1 on the same spend.

Cost: This advent calendar is a great price points at £29.95. Do make sure you check out some of their other Advent Calendars as they also do whole bean options if you have a grinder at home! Fancy pants!

8. NOMO Ultimate Vegan Chocolate Advent Calendar

Why it’s a good option: Perfect for vegans or those with dietary sensitivities, hello me, NOMO’s dairy-free chocolate calendar ensures nobody misses out on festive sweetness. It’s rich, creamy, and completely plant-based. I love this advent calendar!

How to earn rewards: By purchasing through the Avios shopping portal, you’ll earn 10 Avios per £1 spent. Alternatively, if you go via the Virgin Shops Away portal, you’ll collect 8 Virgin Points per £1. So your favourite dairy-free, vegan-friendly chocolate can be a sweet way to top up your rewards balance at the same time.

Cost: This particular calendar costs £15.00, but they also do a cheaper "choc drops" version for £6.

9. Hotel Chocolat Kids Advent Calendar

Why it’s a good option: One for the little people in your life, this advent calendar adds a playful touch to the Christmas countdown, featuring an assortment of the brand’s chocolate characters hidden behind each door. It leans into festive humour with a mix of charm and whimsy - no coal here, just sweet treats for all ages. But if they have been particularly naughty, you can always pretend it is coal!

How to earn rewards: When you go through the Avios shopping portal, you’ll earn 4 Avios per £1 on all eligible purchases. Alternatively, by shopping via the Virgin Shops Away portal, you’ll earn 3 Virgin Points per £1. So whether you’re treating someone special or stocking up on your favourite chocolate, you can enjoy a little extra value with every order.

Cost: This one comes in at £8.95.

10. The White Company Advent Calendar

Why it’s a good option: This is a bit of a bougie one! The 2025 Advent Calendar offers a daily moment of indulgence leading up to Christmas, with 25 pull-out drawers containing a mix of seasonal scents and wellness treats - including more full-sized products than in previous years. It’s designed to be gifted, shared, or enjoyed solo, with a little something extra for Christmas Day itself.

How to earn rewards: When shopping at The White Company, you can earn rewards regardless of the portal you choose. Whether you go through the Avios shopping portal or the Virgin Shops Away portal, you’ll earn 1 point per £1 spent. This makes it easy to collect Avios or Virgin Points while picking up luxury homeware, candles, or gifts.

Cost: I warn you, I did say it was bougie! This one costs £195, and is filled with products worth around £320 if you were to buy them separately.

How to Maximise Your Points

• Always start from the portal (Avios Store or Virgin Red / Shops Away) before buying.

• Enable cookies and tracking; avoid discount codes that void rewards.

• Compare rates — some portals offer temporary “double points” events.

• Keep receipts in case your points don’t track automatically.

A Festive Farewell

And there you have it - ten brilliant advent calendars that’ll make December sparkle, all while helping you earn towards your next adventure. Whether you’re sipping wine, pampering yourself, or treating your furry friend, every little door brings a dose of joy - and every pound spent can bring you a little closer to your next reward flight.

So light the fairy lights, grab your mince pies, and start the countdown - Christmas magic (and a few extra Avios or Virgin Points) are just a click away.

Helena

Points Well Made is a passion project of Sam and Helena with a loyal following. If you like what we do, and wish to help us continue to create the content you love, please consider buying us a Kofi, or subscribing monthly. Your help is greatly appreciated. Thank you.