Hey guys! Today we have a Fall Advent Calendar from Etsy! This is the last Fall related advent calendar and then the holiday calendar season will start tomorrow, November 1st! There is just one item in the calendar that I really wasn't expecting! Let me know what you think about this box! Love ya 💖
I think maybe add some pre-wrapped candy with the packets of hot chocolate that you can put in them and do unflavored oatmeal and like one of those individual nuts in it would be perfect. I like that they gave you so many not just one, but I think that does kind of go with that fall vibe, oatmeal hot chocolate type thing and I understand not re-packaging it because of food safety issues they'd have to have licenses for that body products you do not need a license and you don't need to have someone come to your house and inspect your kitchen and your handling of the food
I’m so excited to see what you get! I’ll be doing my Aldi Calendars again this year but I open one day at a time for 24-days I guess my version of Vlogmas 😅❤
Oatmeal?! I mean...I guess I could see if it was some kind of artisan, organic, bougie oatmeal in a burlap sack that was tied with a sweet gingham ribbon but some Quaker oats?!
If I paid over $100, for that advent calendar, I would be very unhappy. Especially, to get Quaker oatmeal pack, and Nestle hot chocolate pks! That's ridiculous!
You are a far nicer, understanding and forgiving person than I will ever be, if it paid over one hundred dollars and got 2 packs of Quaker oatmeal & Nestle hot chocolate I'd be heated. Small business or not there should still be value and quality. Thanks for the video, you look gorgeous as always.
So per the notebook ( and a quick google 😂) it would appear that warm records equal warm memories so warm “memories, written down now, will be fresh again, when you open the book in several years.” Quite a sweet saying I think
Based on the look of the soap and items, I would guess semi-handmade, as in, they use premade soap bases, premixed scents and oils, and very basic lotion/salt/wax bases. But repackaged and mass produced wouldn't surprise me either, given, well, the oatmeal.
Ok as an Etsy seller, that DOES handmake my items, I’ve found numerous people abusing the average customer’s understanding of the meaning of handmade being made by hand with assumed context in conjunction to made by small business, made one by one in small batches, sold by same small business or by second party in support. The legal technicality of the word handmade in retail literally only means it only has to be manually assembled or altered by human hands at some point. This literally can mean a one person painstakingly constructing, assembling & adding little finishing touches of a single item at a time all the way to mass produced in a factory, parts machine constructed one after another in one or more factories, but workers have to put it together physically by hand, often a small easy to do detail is added like a bow or like a face on a snow man figurine painted giving that little handmade one at a time feel. It also allows for imperfect items usually not sold if people know it’s mass produced but that people find as endearing when they think it’s unique & individual details. You’ll start to notice a series of tags used together by actual small businesses that actually do make their products the way consumers think it means bc of this handmade, handcrafted, homemade, madeathome, craft, crafted, craftedbyme, madebyme, lovingly, madewitove, and more. These tags can contradict the technicalities of legal use of handmade & the more of them in the same realm but referencing what it means to most people the more likely it’s actually handmade. Sucks we have to do that. The same goes for the term made in the US. Our laws only state that the product must be altered in the US before sold as finished ready for sale product. So in the example of eyeshadow palettes, the packaging & the eyeshadow pans, and product pressed into those pans can all come from China as individual parts to one end product but once in US they are glued in the packaging and legally made in US. Again misleading to the average consumer to think that everything in production from start to finish happened in the US. I’ve seen so many brands make a massive mistake that I see like a red flag but I look for their oversight of marking these handmade & made in US but also put China under manufactured, produced and made in or a combination of US in one part but contradicted in another. Etsy has specific guidelines to use those hashtags and deceptive marketing is reportable. I understand that in most markets now, the raw materials are processed in China & in reputable facilities simply bc of the U.S. closing down factories here bc bc of high cost of production. So it’s just about impossible to not have one or more vital supplies or materials produced in China, natural raw material processed into useable forms like the mineral composites of mica from stone to powder or any vital chemical tbh or medication. So I get that. I get that majority of packaging is also made in China. But in every other stage of production by a business is made and produced ion their location wherever it may be. But that’s a far cry from gluing a pan in an empty space in packaging and claiming the same. I’m not ok with consumers mislead by technicalities when sellers would still have sales if honest & gain appreciation honesty but rather more sales knowing using loopholes that ultimately mislead the average consumer. There’s so many tips to avoid this but it’s sad you have to know this at all.
I took an idea from you tonight , stopped at TJMaxx and bought stuff to make my own advent calendar. By the time I open this stuff in December I will have forgotten what I purchased. I am sure to be happier with the items, as I chose them all. Hopefully this will stop me from buying stupid crap. hahaha
My husband and I do something like this. We have a wood reusable advent tree. We set a small limit and buy tiny gifts for each other (like 3 items, $10 total) and we buy a bag of little mini candy bars. He fills the even numbers for me and I do odd numbers for him. We fill most days with candy but 3 different days have a slip of paper that lets the other person get one of the 3 small gifts we bought for them. 😁
@@Alexandria-Ryan Hi Alexandria! I also had an idea to repurpose those reusable calendars - using it as a way to rotate your makeup/skincare samples and minis/even nail polish and jewellery - like something to rediscover every day! I'm going to do this with mine starting January and I'll try to replenish it every month.
Dude, if the oatmeal was in one of those soup mugs with a spoon attached, that at least would have made it more appropriate for taking up a while day of the calendar.
i also love supporting small businesses as well as getting handmade items! but i think if i spent $90 on an advent calendar, i'd be super upset about getting oatmeal and hot chocolate for two of the twelve items. it just doesn't make sense to me to put those things in a $90 box
Agreed! Like Nestle is the opposite of a small business and can be found all over the world. So many small businesses make amazing hot chocolate too!!!
Heck, even the actual bath salts were underwhelming with how tiny the jar was.....I mean, I usually put a good cup of my salts in the tub when I use them..... That tiny little jar wouldn't do squat and you'd probably barely even smell it!
@@bethlovesthingsNot only is Nestle the opposite of a small business, they’re a really awful company who’s done (and continue to do) some truly terribly things. I’m not great at not buying this or that due to personal reasons but I do try my very best not to support Nestle via purchasing their products. (Which is actually quite difficult as they own TONS of other brands/companies, many of which you’d never expect to be the case.) So, yeah, Nestle isn’t a small business but they are an AWFUL company who’s done genuinely HORRIFYING things. (And they show 0 signs of discontinuing those practices!)
The special part of that oatmeal is that those 2 packs are part of a larger box of Quaker Oats. Did they individually sell what's not supposed to be individually sold?
Individual packs of things are usually labelled "not for individual sale". It's a violation of the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and is illegal to sell items like the oatmeal and cocoa. Extra side note that Nestle is a horrible corporation. They have a dark history and deserve zero dollars of support.
They probably get around the labelling rules by only selling/pricing the box as one item with contents. That’s how manufacturers can sell multipacks in units of one box.
@@amandagreen4332Multipacks of food items will always have the nutritional info and ingredients of all items on the outside of the box. That's why it's illegal to resell individual packs out of a larger pack, because they aren't individually labelled with the nutritional info and ingredients which is required by law.
The oatmeal and coco packages feel like a " Oh no, I need a few filler items. Look in the kitchen for emergency goods because I either didn't get a collaboration with the companies that promised to give items" or you ran out and just put something in the packages type situation. Also, I don't know for sure, but I think you're supposed to boil the potpourri in a pot to release the scent. Love your videos, maybe do all the smaller advent calendars together in one or two videos.
You are the RU-vid Advent calendar Queen. You and you alone stand out as the Advent calendar guru that tells us everything we ACTUALLY want to know, or would actually say, about an Advent calendar. LOVE IT!
I had a shave soap that smelled like a floral basement in the best possible way. Let's go with floral wine cellar instead lol. I forget what the actual scent was called, but it was supposed to smell like that, not like a batch that went bad. So it is possible, but I have no idea how they did it.
When the Nestle rich hot chocolate came out, I couldn’t help but chuckle. Only an hour or two ago I was at Wegman’s and passed by the same hot chocolate for $1.89 per 8-pack box.😅
Ok I'm no longer a Wegmans shopper since my partner moved from Buffalo to Toronto with me so I am not in WNY as much but I wanted to join in on the Wegmans solidarity
Even a sheet mask instead of the oatmeal would be better. Then it feels more like a self-care calendar. The hot chocolate would be nice as a day 2 with a few little candy canes to flavor them.
I love that you threw in a bit of your expertise here, Alexandria! When I see something like this package, I kind of expect there to be a theme. Maybe it's just the marketing manager in me, but if they'd rearranged the days a bit differently, they could have easily marketed this as a self-indulgent bath night. Ya know: make some hot cocoa while the tub fills, grab your journal and a pen, light a candle, break open the handmade soap, have the body butter on standby for after, pour in the bath salts, and relax and soak while the mask refines your skin. Not sure where the red herring of the oatmeal would work in there though, but all of it could have been better arranged with the ultimate being a (bigger!) jar of bath salts on the 12th day. Missed opportunity imho. 🤔
Girl, you are so diplomatic and sweet! It's absolutely okay to say they messed up that box putting instant oatmeal and hot coca in there! 😂😂 Seriously, that was borderline tacky! ❤❤❤❤❤ It made me laugh and roll my eyes at the same time! 🤣🤣🥴🥴🙄😁
I do love the handmade small business calendars. Having a very small business myself, I love to support others and also see what's out there! There were some cute things in this one, but the sizes were really small for the price. The oatmeal freaking killed me. I can totally get behind the hot chocolate, but the oatmeal....
Ooh, I really wish you'd do an advent calendar or subscription box from your shop! I'd love that soooo much. With you wide experience in both subjects and actual training/business background, this would be a perfect fit!
I never would have guessed oatmeal, anything edible was out of the question for me lol. I was expecting this box to have more of a specific theme but it was pretty random. I guess the listing should have given it away but the oatmeal and hot chocolate were especially random. But I’ve never seen handmade soap any bigger than the one in this box. I have one that’s lilac and gooseberries scented (like Yennefer from the Witcher series 🥰) and it’s the exact same size and definitely doesn’t look like fudge
Right?! That's what I said! A nice big mug with like a chocolate dipped stir spoon and some candy canes or peppermint candies and a pack of marshmallows or something, even a few squares or Ghirardelli chocolate.... With gourmet hot chocolate packs at least!
When you pulled out that oatmeal 😮 … No way any of us could have guessed that or the hot chocolate packs at the end. Smh. You were so kind and gracious w your final thoughts and gentle suggestions. Lol. I would have been emailing the company for a refund after the oatmeal. Don’t matter what else in the box.
I’m making sure to watch all the adverts so you can pay for the calendars! The box, I couldn’t justify the cost for the products, personally. Especially with two packets of instant oatmeal and three instant hot chocolate packets. Wow, just wow. What was the thought process there?! 🤔 It was fun watching your reaction though 😂. I am going to look for the Library spray or Book spray for my library. I had no clue any such spray existed, I’m almost giddy!
Spireside makes a Gothic library wax melt that you should try! I often mix mine with another called 'alchemists fire' and the two together are heavenly.....I also recommend voodoo bayou and ghostly attic......my house smalls amazingly earthy with hints of leather, Amber, and old books!
I'd be so mad if I got oatmeal! The maple flavour is also the only okayish one IMO. That plus hot chocolate would have been okay with the cozy fall theme in a $25 box, but not $100. Etsy is so hit and miss these days.
I fully expected it to be bath salts I honestly could’ve never guess strawberry oatmeal…..uhhhhhhhhh especially for that price range Edit - honestly I think it would’ve been better just as a 10 day calendar instead of 12 with 2 random items
They could have at least got like, pumpkin spice or maple flavor to fit in their fall theme as opposed to one of the quintessential early summer fruits 😒
They could've made their own instant oatmeal and hot chocolate for fairly inexpensive. Packaged it in a little paper bag with a label. Cost would be a bit more but you could do it.
You are the sweetest. I would be so annoyed if I got oatmeal and hot chocolate packs. Not even the fancy packs, either. I love how poised and encouraging you are towards them. It is so refreshing and helped remind me kindness always wins.
I would not have guessed oatmeal. A rice and seasoning mix was my second thought after bath salts. Something seasoned with fall in mind, just adding water (and some seasonal vegetables?).
2 weeks late but the dried nature is definitely for a simmer pot! boil it all and let it simmer in some water and it will make the house smell real nice.
I hope you left a 1/2 star review with a link to your video. 😂. Edit: you are SO kind and I love the notes you offer for the seller. Your hard work and dedication do not go unnoticed, and you bring a sparkle of sweetness and friendliness to my day. ☺️✨ As someone else in this video's comments said, Happy Adventween! 🎉🎁
Looks like they include instant packs of hot chocolate in orders of mystery books, quite popular! But I agree that maybe shouldn't be like a "day" in an advent calendar
For the library scent I imagine., the scent of leather from leather bound books mixed with the wood from the floor to ceiling and lined rows of bookcases. My happy place!🥰💜📚
Oatmeal and hot chocolate?! I'd be so mad getting them in a box! Absolutely no thought went into that, whatsoever. It says "I've run out of products/budget, so I'll just shove something cheap in there", to me! 😬
The bag with the dried flowers is for a “simmer pot” for on your stove. I make these all the time from my rose bush out front of my house and fresh herbs
I think it could be super fun if you could add testing clips in between days to show if the soap lathers or how a product works so we can get an idea if we’re interested in purchasing!
A handmade lip balm in strawberries and cream or hot chocolate heck..both would be better than the instant packs. Otherwise it was nice, but on the expensive side.
Threw me off with the oatmeal and hot chocolate. There are small companies that make those. You frightened me a bit because I thought you were going to taste the gingerbread soap. Love your channel. 💕
I love that you look things up when you don't know what they are especially as I don't normally know either so saves me doing it later 😂 great video Ally can't wait for Xmas Advent calendars! I look forward to it all year and don't watch anyone else open them. Honestly I tried last year and they were just boring I couldn't even finish their videos 🫣
I never ever would have guessed oatmeal in any calendar and certainly not a $170 one. Sephora didn't even to that. I think advent calendars are so over-priced it's ridiculous. This from the woman who during insomnia and a moment of insanity bought the Elemis calendar which was $280 (US). They are based in London. Ok, off to finish this box of "hopefully it doesn't get worse than oatmeal". Love you girl ❤❤
I felt so guilty spending that much money on myself that I didn't open it for a week. I love it. I love the feel and scent of the products. I'm happy now and really enjoy it! It is expensive! ❤@@WillSing4TP
I totally agree with your assessment. The oatmeal and the hot cocoa were a big miss imo. I could even forget the mumbo jumbo on the journal that makes no sense if all the other items were hand made, quality items. Even the dried “potpourri” kind of cheapened it for me a bit but even THAT could be forgiven if the two food items were really nice hand made, well presented creams or bath items, or even a 2nd candle! They could’ve done better. I always love to watch you unbox anything, but the advent calendars are my favorites 😊 I can’t wait!! 🎉 hope you have a great rest of your week and keep right on shining! 💖💕 💫
First time your channel has shown up in my recommendations and I really enjoyed it. Lived in Richmond several years ago and I'm now about 30 minutes or so away, so I'll definitely have to check out your shops!
I think this small company just got a ton of free advice and valuable feedback from a knowledgeable, experienced, successful business woman. Something they would have had to pay $$$ for from a professional consultant. There were so many good ideas in this advent calendar, I hope they can use the information to make themselves even more successful.
I made my husband listen to the oatmeal sound (I guessed potpourri) and he listen, I played the next part where ya shake it and he said sounds like oatmeal 😳! I think I got tunnel vision! He said I swear in a stack of bibles I’ve never seen that before!!! He loves his breakfast, that’s true! But I honestly think, because he didn’t know what kind of adventure calendar it was or any idea of a theme, that the lack of info let his mind go to places our didn’t?
The box reminds me of a day of comfort....hot coco during and after a pampering bath and the oatmeal to eat while you write in your journal? The two.food items.through me for a loop
