Today, I am bringing on a special guest reviewer. He's almost 4 years old and was very happy to help out with this review. He was so elated to get this set last year, he took one big sniff of the bag I brought over and immediately began running around in circles. He must have known it was time for Trader Joe's Advent Calendar for Dogs.

Ok, I'm a bit early, but I had to get him to review it before this was off of store shelves for the season.

A Black Lab's Review

And in case you haven't figured it out by now, tonight's special guest is Bailey, my Mom's black lab. He's an all-around good boy. Except on Halloween when he's the bad pet. His crime is bothering the 18-year-old cat a bit too much.

But since he is such a good boy, he did get 2 calendars. One is for when advent actually starts in December. This treat set costs $5.99 but brings the little pupper much joy.

Since pictures couldn't accurately contain Bailey's joy, here is a quick video review of the unpackaging and joy this set brought. Enjoy! And if you are wondering, yes, I'm getting to the cat advent calendar. I'll have another special guest soon featuring another fur baby.

Enjoy! I added Bailey's honest thoughts and reactions to the video. And all thoughts and feelings are Bailey's own. He also knows not to just grab things out of our hands, so if you see any hesitation that comes down to training. Note: There were no crumbs or leftovers of any treats given that evening.

And if this is a holiday must-have and you can't get to a Trader Joe's (or your local store is sold out) these are also available through third-party sellers on Amazon.

Overall

Bailey looks forward to getting on each year. He especially enjoys the day before Christmas with his very big treat. When he sees this box he has been very helpful in removing it promptly from my shopping bag to help with the process of opening it.

Would I buy this again? Yes, Trader Joe's Advent Calendar for Dogs is an annual purchase here.

Did you buy it?  Let me know what you think in the comments section! I'd love to hear your pet's thoughts on this!

Visual rundown

The box of Trader Joe's Advent Calendar for Dogs:

The Bottom Line

Don't forget to share your thoughts by going to the "user review" at the bottom of the box (click on the number of stars you believe this product deserves) and leave a comment below.

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I am a sample junkie. And when Trader Joe's 12 Days of Beauty hit shelves I was strangely excited. Finally a sample set of items on shelves, seasonal items, and some items unique only to this set. But be warned, if you want to be surprised then this review contains spoilers as to what is behind each door (not that you couldn't flip the box over and see what was in it. I've purchased this every year since it first debuted and one thing I can say: the products have rotated greatly.

For $19.99, the price here might take you back a bit. That works out to about $1.67 each, which makes it girl math the way it should.

It is hard to find travel-sized items for that price anyway. Now, you could treat this as an AIadvent calendar and open one each day. Or you could be like me and can't wait to crack into it. I made a chilly Saturday afternoon into a home spa day and got into all 12. So if you don't want to know how or what each of these happens to be, now is your last chance before the spoilers.

And yes, I'm adding this to my Trader Joe's Gift Ideas list in case you need some inspiration for holiday shopping.

What is in Trader Joe's 12 Days of Beauty

So if you aren't using this as an advent calendar then there is what it looks like cracked open:

And the back:

Rainbow Sherbet Flavored Lip Balm- This is pretty standard. If you buy Trader Joe's Lip Balm Set you pretty much know it's the same formula just scented differently. It's hydrating and pleasant. I liked this one.

Vanilla Orchid Scented Body Mist- Trader Joe's doesn't do too much in terms of Body Mists. Usually it's only the Brazil Nut variety which is pretty good, but it is strong. This is a solid choice where it's nice and floral-y without being overpowering. The vanilla is the dominant note with

Pomegranate Berry Lip Butter Balm- If you ever purchased the Lip Treatment Set, you know this is a little squeeze tube of hydrating lip butter. Very hydrating and I enjoy the smell.

Mango and Tangerine Scent Ultra Moisturizing Cream- Same formula as what is normally sold, just in a different scent. Great office drawer size for those dry days. Nice fruity scent to it.

Coconut Coffee Body Scrub- More coconut smell than coffee, but still smells like a non dairy latte. Hydrating with little bits of coffee grounds. I wish they sold this in a larger size.

Hazelnut Scented Body Butter- Pleasant without being overwhelming. Body butter is the typical formula. If you pick up any of the other body butter

Lavender Eucalyptus Bath Fizzer- This isn't a big fizzer, but it is cute and has two colors. It doesn't put a lot of color in the tub and is a good scent to relax to. Very spa like, just wish it were larger or sold separately like the way they used to offer an entire box of bath fizzers.

Rice Polish Cleaning Powder- Like the bath fizzer, you probably won't get a chance to use this more than once. It is super mild and a very fine exfoliant. I wish this was sold in a larger size outside of this set.

Warm Vanilla Scented Leave-in Conditioner - Similar to the Leave-in Conditioner currently on shelves, this one has a more pleasant scent that isn't as overpowering. I actually like this better than the other one currently found on shelves.

Mandarin Basil Scented Moisturizing Hand Balm- If your hands are dry to the point they are cracked and need to be greased back into life, then this is a great product. Otherwise, this is a little too thick for me and does feel greasy. Basil scent was the primary note with the citrus behind it. Probably my least favorite item from the set.

Rose Glow Facial Oil- Since the Rose Facial Oil hasn't been seen lately on shelves as it usually has been, this made its debut in 2024 and is one of my favorites, minus the shimmer. It is floral-scented but does a great job of absorbing into skin.

Illuminating Daily Sunscreen- This also made its debut in 2024. If you are a fan of the Invisible Gel Facial sunscreen this adds and extra tint and shimmer to the formulation. Again, this would be a great year round addition. I'm not sure how well the tint will work on darker skin tones as I'm very fair skinned.

Final Thoughts

The 2025 set is far more unique than the one offered in previous years. Keep in mind yes, it's almost $20, but that still works out to be under $2 a product. Not a bad deal at all. And there really weren't any duds in this box. However, despite some crazy levels of inflation, the price hasn't changed since it was first released. While I absolutely adore these sets every year the only bummer is that you aren't able to buy most of them full-sized or individually outside of this set.