holiday highlights: the 12 days of christmas disney advent calendar

What is it about advent calendars? Each December, they manage to amaze and delight. There is something so fun about the element of surprise, the anticipation that builds as the countdown continues, and the fact that there is a fun treat to enjoy day after day. Behind each little door, there is always a small surprise waiting. It might be a chocolate or a beauty item or even a pair of socks! Yes, I love advent calendars. In fact, I love them so much that I watch advent calendar unboxing videos on YouTube and opened four different calendars of my own this year. This year, I had a traditional chocolate calendar, an Elf on the Shelf calendar, a Funko pop calendar for The Office, and a Disney accessories calendar. The latter was the 12 Days of Christmas Advent Calendar and it was purchased in Disneyland in the fall. It retailed for $34.99 USD but is currently on sale for $16.98 USD. (Just in case you are interested.) Ready to find out what was inside the calendar? Here is a belated reveal...

When it comes to packaging, this advent calendar is oh so cute. The accessories came in a sturdy cardboard box with a wonderful holiday themed Minnie Mouse illustration on the front. (I confess: I kept the box and will continue to store these festive accessories inside it year round.) This is a 12 day calendar, but there are actually 14 accessories in total. The 12 Days of Christmas Advent Calendar included a pair of gold hoop earrings and a gold necklace chain. Those were not considered "days" in the calendar, which I really appreciated. I've opened calendars in the past where those essential items were unveiled on either the first or last day. Something to note? The gold hoops and necklace chain can be worn alone or some of the other accessories in the calendar can be added to them for an extra dose of Disney holiday magic.

So what was inside the calendar? There were four sets of stud earrings tucked away inside. This included some colourful Christmas present earrings, a Mickey mouse gingerbread set, a Minnie Mouse Christmas cookie set, and a Mickey Mouse Christmas cookie set. I've worn these a lot (during the holidays and after) and just adore them. The earrings are cute, colourful, and easy to wear. I especially love the Mickey gingerbread earrings, since gingerbread is my favourite cookie ever. They perfect blend my love for Disney with my love for seasonal treats. There were also five different Disney charms. The charms can be added to the gold chain or hoops earrings for a dash of something seasonal. I just love them. There was a Donald, Daisy, Mickey, Minnie, and Goofy charm. Each one shows the iconic character in a seasonal hat and can be mixed and matched according to mood. I personally love to wear the Daisy and Donald charms on the gold hoop earrings. 

As for the remaining three days, these were kind of meh for me. There were three very tiny hair clips included. One was red and sparkly, one was red and white, and the other was blue and white. These are honestly just way too small for my thick hair. It's a shame because they are really cute to look at and I love the designs. Unfortunately, they don't serve much purpose for me. They can certainly be used for aesthetic reasons (in a 90s sort of way) but are not functional for me. 

All in all, the 12 Days of Christmas Advent Calendar from Disney wowed. Since I am a total Disney fanatic... it was a real thrill to count down to Christmas with a handful of Disney themed accessories. Everything was so colourful, fun, and festive. I especially love the stud earrings and the charms. What a wonderful way to celebrate the holiday season. 

Did you open any advent calendars this year? What items stood out to you?