I'm so glad you did this unboxing. I feel so much better not spending $125 on a box I'd like 3 items out of. The math may be mathing, but the value isn't valuing to me!
I’m starting to think my math was off - but that’s because it sounds like A&O stickers and other items are overpriced compared to other companies. And I might have over estimated the pens too.
This is why I rarely do advent calendars, I'd be much happier spending $125 picking out A+O goodies myself! But super fun to watch, thank you so much for doing this!
Yess! This! ^ I opted to piece together items from a stationery company I like off of a bst group to put together an equivalent of treasures I know I’ll love. I do miss having the surprise but it’s way better than the risk of unused items. We’re stationed in Japan & for New Years stores put together blind bags called fukubukuro (lucky bags) and I can’t bring myself to get them either (depending upon the store it could be a bunch of clearance items or some retailers create product specific for the lucky bag).
Glad you enjoyed the watch. That’s what we are all here for. And you are 100% on point - getting what you want has a lot more value. I love a good surprise though.
you and me both considering those pens I found easily off aliexpress I am like I have seen that exact knock off Kaweco before with a brush time and yep found in 2 sec and it is AUD$8 so glad I didnt get this box as would have cost close to AUD$300 with shipping
I opened mine last week and was beyond disappointed, I’m new to A&O and while I don’t expect $500 worth of items for a $125 box I do expect $125 worth of items at best this box was worth $60
I think this is when a lot of people will say... do I risk it for something I dont know about vs just getting exactly what I know I want. Thanks for checking out the video and your comment.
Just started the video. The accordion book is used in Japan for temple stamps. When you visit a temple, there’s a stamp and stamp pad available with the image of the temple that you are visiting. So, it’s a record of temples visited. Lots of Japanese people use them as well as tourists. Many stationery shops, such as The Travelers Factory, and also museums and galleries, have their own stamps that you can use to commemorate your visit. Im not sure if this is a thing in other countries.
There's something like this in all of the national parks in the United States. You buy a book with every park in it and then can get a stamp when you visit each one. This program has been going on since 1986! We also have a lighthouse one from the United States Lighthouse Society.
Oh Mark, thanks for taking one for the team. I feel like starting a go fund me for you to help pay for this advent box. Honestly, I would never spend $125 on these items. Nothing in this box sparked much joy or excitement for me, even the cute journal. So happy I saved my money. Thanks Mark for the fun video!
I agree that nothing was exciting to me. The pens and ink would be cool if the nibs were my style but I hate extra fine and I have no use for the brush. I give the advent calendar a 0/10 but the video about it was enjoyable to watch.
@@markyourpagesif every one of us who went “whew!” sent you $1, you’d be refunded and have a very merry Christmas. It’s back in stock and I was going to buy. Thanks for saving my money! ❤❤😂
My biggest issue with this box is it didn’t feel very A&O to me. Like you mentioned, the plain plastic tape dispenser. Even the pens didn’t have a logo or anything. I feel they don’t live up to the quality we’ve grown to expect from A&O. Give me a tape dispenser like the key and I might keep it around. The paper cutter fits the little paper the short way but not the long side. Love the B6. Aaaaand that’s about it. I’ll keep the pens and ink, cuz why not. But the snowman theme/style isn’t really my thing. I have the A6 and B6 rulers and the metal is enough to chop your finger off, much less your pen/pencil, so I’ll stick with the plastic. 🤷🏻♀️I see per your math it’s worth it, but definitely doesn’t feel worth it.
Your comment about the tape dispenser like the key is exactly what I was thinking. Give me some weight or something really neat that I haven't seen before. The math works, but you are right - it doenst feel like it should.
Thank goodness I didn’t purchase this box, I would have been super upset! We pay $75 for the sub boxes and usually get 2 notebooks, stickers, washi, and some sort of specialty item for $50 less. Big sigh of relief
I agree. Only item that spoke to me was the notebook. A&O way overpriced their stickers! I don't care about the pens and ink since I don't want to go that direction.
Mark I love your optimism with this advent calendar! While they are some super cute items I personally would have felt slightly cheated in value. We can all learn a lesson from you and your great attitude. I really enjoyed watching this video! Happy Holidays!
I appreciate you taking the financial hit for the team, Mark! I love the notebook and fountain pen, but I'm very underwhelmed with the rest. I did get their A5 snowflake journal instead though. I went with the Diamine inkvent calendar this year, and I think I made the right choice. I'm so excited for 24 mini inks and 1 full-size ink!
Thanks for a very honest unboxing... It's why I love your account. You say it as it is and not just what a company would like to here. I love A&O products and have splurged on Hallowe'en releases in the past. I'm so glad I didn't get this (What I would call a '12 Days of Christmas') Box. (For me Advent is the 24 days from the 1st to Christmas eve). 24 items would have pushed the cost of an A&O box through the roof.... especially when adding international shipping to Europe makes the overall cost too much greater than the value of the contents. Usually with A&O I add shipping before deciding "am I prepared to pay this for X item". I think that the playing cards and tape dispenser are total duds.. you can get away with a few 'filler' items in a 24 box but not a 12.
One thing about the accordion books is that they can stand up for display. So you can do pictures for the mantel. Another use is for reference at your desk, lists of names, grammar rules you forget, things you always forget, etc. I used one for ink swatches. It was nice to see them all instead of having to flip through pages.
I would use the accordion book for sketching or painting. Artist sometimes use each panel for a picture and move though a visual story or to do a long painting which when folded each panel is still visually pleasing on its own. The brush pen also looks more like a very good quality fillable paint brush we take filled with water for blending when you are painting outdoors. I may have to try one of the ones I have with ink instead of water just to experiment with.
There have been some cool ideas around this notebook. Someone mentioned a stamp book. But this could be cool as a multi panel piece too. Thanks for the suggestion and for checking out the video.
when i saw the accordion notebook it really reminded me of japanese style stamp collecting books - in majy public areas/ parks/ touristy spots you can collect large intricate stamps that require a decently thick paper and that style seems to be popular in the asian market from what i've seen :) maybe A&O were inspired by that kind of trend?
This brand is like a few others (Grabbie) out there that claim to create amazing unique products, but they’re actually just white labelled and rebranded and the only different thing is their name on it or sometimes some graphic design work. You can actually find almost all these products on other websites for a fraction of the price I literally was able to find almost every item elsewhere and it came to less than 50 bucks. I personally think all the money went into the packaging and presentation.
Thank you for buying and unboxing for us! I'm glad i didn't buy. For me the value is not there simply because of the contents even though the math maths. Advents are more for the experience i guess. The inks are gorgeous! I like they included the fountain pen set. Those are cool. I already have a Kaweco though . Probably wouldn't use the brush pen. I'm curious to see you try them out! The little paper cutter is nice. I have one that's a bit larger. very handy! The notebook is so pretty.
Thanks for your feedback. Seeing some of these other contents I may have over valued the pens... but I still feel okay with where I landed because a regualr store (not online) would probably price them around that much. I'm excited to play with them more.
I would have also expected more higher quality materials or more variety within the boxes for that price. I think the price must have gone up due to the fountain pen and inks and maybe the stencil.
I am so tempted to watch this!!! But I got myself the advent and want it to be a surprise. I hope it's a good advent and that I won't be disappointed. Love your content and wishing you a happy holiday
@@markyourpages it was indeed a disappointment. I saw they had a really good Black Friday sale so I looked at the content of the advent to decide if I was going to shop the Black Friday or not. Is it just me or is their subs box kinda better than the advent (for the price value)?
I bought a not A&O mystery kit this year because last year’s box was amazing. Will not even consider A&O next year. These unboxing are greatly appreciated. Sometimes it costs me money and sometimes it saves money. The notebook is adorable!
@@markyourpages Just so you know, you are the reason I bought the A&O Halloween box and an 8x8 of the snowflake from the winter release. (Fountain pens & ink.) 😁
The fountain Penni’s awesome and writes so well. The concertina notebook is generally used by artists as a sketchbook. Love it. And I’ve been ysing the paper cutter every day. For me, it was really good.
I’ve been using my pen too and I’m a mega fan! I love that I can see the ink too in the holder. So glad you are loving the items. That makes me happy :-)
Thank you so much for taking one for the collective team. I am an archer and olive sub girl for life because for $80 I get two whole notebooks and several cool accessories but the price on this box was too much. I want notebooks so the extra trinkets don’t really interest me (unless it’s stickers but not worth it for this box), and this was nothing but trinkets. The tape dispenser could have been cool but like you said it should have had some heft to it. Glad I didn’t partake, I would have been very upset 😂 we appreciate your sacrifice good sir.
Hey Mark, thanks for the video! I am a new sub and enjoy your videos! I think part of the excitement of an advent box is the surprise. Yeah, you also want value, but the value of the “good” things gives the value paid for the box. I just wouldn’t want to pay for surprise items I don’t need or want, but the joy on your face makes it look so fun!
Thanks for sharing this box! It's a big no for me- the value just doesn't seem worth it at all and the items were a little underwhelming, but I can definitely appreciate the cuteness and fun for those interested!
I’ve ordered this and it’s in transit to me here in Australia. With the exchange rate I paid approx $192 AUD plus $73.12US international shipping. I purchased some pens and one of the new winter release notebooks at the same time to make the cost of shipping worth it. I’ve brought a few other advents this year from the US and the Uk all about the same price. I find most advents you’ll get some items you’re not keen on and others you love. I don’t think any advent is really worth the money you pay when shipping to Australia with exchange rates and shipping so expensive, but really we pay more for most planner items if we are importing them and can’t get them here anyway. I wasn’t going to watch the reveal and keep it a surprise, but had no will power so finally caved. But I’m glad I watched it. I am excited to receive the fountain pen and inks as I have none and I am looking forward to the small notebook as well as I only have the two in the last subscription box. Would I get one next year, probably not but we’ll see. Thanks Mark for a fair and informative review. To me the playing cards I’ll convert into a mixed media tag, so even they will come in handy. Amazing what a bit of Prima, paint, stamping and stickers can do. And the accordion book will be turned into a mixed media memory book. So there’s really nothing in this box I won’t be able to use. So excited to get mine.
Great job on making all the shipping worth it. I can't imagine what my collection would look like if i had to pay so much in shipping. Great idea of the cards for multimedia. I would love to see what your cards look like or if you have any inspiration.
I see some value in having the washi tape cutter made of clear plastic... the washi tape design stands out. Thanks for the video. Loved seeing what was in the advent box.
Thank you so much Mark for doing this video for us and saving us money. I absolutely don't see this as worth the 125$. I don't like at all that nothing really matches, you have the guillotine in mint colour, the tape dispenser is clear, the notebook silver, the inks purple and blue? I dont know, I don't see a well thought out color scheme here people and that is a basic thing for me if I buy an advent of stationary. And sorry the tape dispensar looks really cheap and plasticky, as well as the playing cards, would have been cooler if they had an original design. And I cant believe that for that price they didnt include not one of their paint markers, which is what they are most known for after the notebooks, ugh. 😞 Again, super thanks. I did like the Silver snowflake notebook and the inks, they were pretty but you can totally get that on its own and save the money.
6:14, for fountain pens with cartridges like that, I usually use the cartridge to suck up the ink directly, because once ink has a wring way of entering into your pen, it will make sure to exit the wring way as well. So many of my fountain pens got destroyed because of this. I just can't make myself use a pen that leaks ink all over my hand through the nib.
Thanks once again for your honest review! I watched your advent unboxing from last year too and in both cases I'm very glad I didn't spend the money lol. I appreciated your math on this one because it helped me see how A&O might justify this high of a price tag, when I would look at this box and think it was barely worth $60. However for me it's not just about the "value" but about the thoughtfulness/usefulness of the chosen pieces and how well they work together. This one is better than last year for that, but it's clear to me I'll continue to get the quarterly sub box but will never reach for the advent box because the sub boxes are just more thoughtful and have more useful items.
Thank you for taking one for the team. I was curious but I couldn’t justify the shipping cost without having a look at the contents first. I will have a look at the sneak peek for the December sub box instead.
I used your code to buy it and I’m so grateful you showed it. I plan to open it with my family as we do advent together but I was very curious about the contents!
Hey, I use brush pens quite a bit and have a pentel pocket brush pen I've had for 20 years and still works like new. Mine's only different cause it has replicable cartridges and generally only comes in black. When I'm about to use mine, I place it tip side down for about 10 mins, or just get it out the night before to let it get saturated. When it's not in use I can store mine tip side down, but it's probably better to place it on its side. I've had different brand's of brush pens leak if left tip side down for too long and the ink drips out. So I'd test yours to see what it does. If you do store it tip up, the ink will leave the brush pen part and potentially dry it out from gravity, so you'd have to flip it over for a bit to get it going again. If the pen brush dries out I dip it in water to get it going. If it's really bad, I just use more water or clean the tip with brush soap (I just use whatever hand soap is around, but I'd look it up on how to clean the brush.) Just be gentle when cleaning it, you don't want to ruin the shape of the bristles. Pushing too hard or washing to hard can ruin the form of the brush. I'm not sure how great the glitter ink will work in the pen, I'd think it'd clog the flow of the ink, but I don't know archer and olive inks. But I don't think I've even come across a glitter brush pen in my travels. You use brush pens for multiple things, like sketching, art and calligraphy (regular and kanji). But there is a bit of a learning curve and isn't as forgiving as nib calligraphy pens, so don't get discouraged. It will definitely help develop a steady hand. There's plenty of youtube videos on brush pen tips, so I'd check them out.
Thank you for all this detail. And thanks for all the tip here too. I’ll keep them all in mind as I use it more. I did use it more later and once it flower and saturated the brush more it was nicer. And I probably should have washed the tip because it was glued together. I have used one glitter brush pen from kuretake that I liked. But you are right that it’s not usually common.
I didn’t order the box, but I like the items. The pens, inks, paper cutter, stencil, notebook… so cute! I love that purple ink and I wish I had those fountain pens! Thanks for doing this, Mark!
I loved the journal, pens and, inks. The rest I felt were filler. I wouldn’t pay $125 and I love me supplies. Oh forgot the washi. That was great too. But still not enough for $125. Just subscribed today. You channel is right up my alley 👍
For the brush pen, part of the problem I think is that you didn't clean the starch out before inking it. Also I feel like the sparkle will clog the feed even in that brush, so that might also be an issue. I feel like the value isn't really there for the price, honestly. Stickers on three of the days? That's a full fourth of the advent. A pack of cards? Ridiculous. You could basically reproduce most of this box for half the price, I think. They could and should have just thrown an actual kaweco branded pen in there at the price of the calendar. You were very generous with the prices you gave, I think, and even with that it doesn't really feel like you're getting great value.
I agree about the starch - I should have done that and i'll be sure to give it a good rinse before i retry it again. Thanks for checking out the video and dropping your thoughts.
I'm thrilled with it! Not sure that it adds up to the value, but for the surprise factor, I'm happy 🙂 The accordion journal is PERFECT for showcasing Zentangle art - as a CZT, that's pretty cool!
This is exactly why I struggle to buy holiday mystery boxes. It feels like it’s always hit or miss. I would have only been excited about a few things in the box the rest would have stay in my stash until I did a declutter then it would have been given away or donated.
Thank you for purchasing the box for us to look at. Seems most folks didn't think it was worth it. Hmm, I'm not sure myself. A lot of money for a couple of things. Thank you for spending your money!!
Last week I watched your advent unboxing from last year, and decided against this years. There were some very cool pieces that I'd like to ve able to purchase individually, but not the majority of these items.
There is a trend happening with them. I’m starting to think we are looking at these advent calendars as sub boxes or specialty when really they are just little gifts. Problem is, the are not really a value of items… just items and some not so great at that.
@markyourpages It's funny you make the comparison to the sub boxes because my first sub box was this year's Dark Academia, and I've been comparing everything I've seen to that, lol. The idea that the advent box is probably meant to be more like a gift box rather than be like a sub box makes the items in the advent make more sense 🤔 A&O: You get useful items all year long, here's random some fun! 😄
I’m so glad you posted this unboxing! I’m glad I didn’t get this since I never like spending the money on their stickers and I’m not a fountain pen person (I prefer a straight up paintbrush or a dip pen). Honestly the only thing I liked in this box was the notebook and even that is kind of meh to me since I wouldn’t have chosen it from options. Thanks for the honest unboxing opinion!
I think that with a few modifications, I would have liked the box quite a bit more. I think the B6 notebook is very pretty. If more of the items had been themed to match the classier (than some of the items) look of that, I would have been pleased. The ink colors were an interesting choice, though I did buy the northern lights notebook and I think they're a good match for that vibe. But for the stickers (the sheets and the individual big stickers) and the washi tape, I would have liked it they matched the vibe of the notebook rather than kind of the generic snowman. Then I think I would have liked most of it since it wouldn't have felt a bit more upscale. The designs of all the stickers and washi kind of brought everything down for me. Even with 4 more items than the average sub box, it didn't feel like $50 more value (especially when we've been getting really nice notebooks and accessories with those boxes). I'm looking forward to seeing what's cooking in the December sub box though - the last several of those have been really nice :)
I did find the same exact design fountain and brush pens for $4.99 each, so my math for the box (considering retail value for a lot of the items which is more than I'd probably pay for several of them) was about $126. I was kind of bummed about not getting a couple of the past advent calendars and though that with the price increase the quality increase was going to be really noticeable, but now I'm kind of bummed and have some overpriced stocking stuffers for my niece who kind of likes art. (Love the notebook design, though - keeping that for me).
Depending on the quality of paper in the accordion fold book artists use them for small watercolours, pen and ink drawings, acrylics etc you can use one square at a time or open up as many pages as you want to make a larger landscape image.
Thank you for doing this video. I almost bought this box and I’m so glad I didn’t. I would have been so disappointed. There are only a couple of items I like.
While I liked most of what was in the box, I didn’t feel like the value was there. I feel like the price of last years box was a better price point. The sub boxes definitely have a better value! That said I’m super excited to try out the fountain pen and ink! Those and the notebook were the highlight of the box for me lol
I think that the ink and pens added a bit more value than last time, but I am sure that the pens were not as much as I said... i was being a little generous I think - so it almost kind of equals out a little with not much to add to value for the price.
Fun tip to prolong those plastic paper cutters- cover the grid lines and ruler area ( flat parts) with stick on laminent or book cover sheets. This will keep the measurements and grid in tact for years as it cannot be rubbed off with the clear sheet stuck over it.
Thank you so much for your honesty when doing these. I feel like so many other people gush over things that we all know are really lame dollar store things. I am ultimately glad I didn't get this Advent box. Might have been a good deal for $80, but the cards, tape dispenser and numerous stickers make it not a good deal for me. I am a subscriber of their quarterly boxes and this felt more like the quality of stuff I would get for that. A B6 notebook is also a bit disappointing, too, though I guess it's an Advent box, so maybe we shouldn't expect an A5? People seem to like the accordion books for drawing--like comic artists can do one scene on each "page" and then unfold it for a comic strip. Or some artists like to do a series of drawings/paintings with it. Like a different type of flower on each page, then unfold for a series. I don't know what use it would be for stationery folks. LOL A few questions for you: do you feel the fountain pen is equal in quality to the Kawecos? How functional was the metal stencil? The previous metal stencils I got from A&O were useless--the holes were so tiny that I could only get my mechanical pencil lead to work with it, or the thinnest Micron pens, even then I worried that the metal edges might ruin my nibs. Personally, as a stencil-using bullet journalist I prefer plastic stencils with larger "holes" to accommodate different nibs and not damage nibs. Lastly--you priced both pens at $20 and while the fountain pen with the metal nib may be worth that, a quick price check on Jetpens shows fountain pens with the plastic synthetic brush nib to run about $10 or so (and this is Jetpens, which is rarely discounted--I bet Amazon would have cheaper prices). So I would knock down your estimate by $10. :-) Thanks again. I love your honesty and enthusiasm. I think your reviews are the most valuable for me. Carry on!
Thank you for your honest review, Mark! I unfortunately bought this box which cost me $200 with shipping to Europe and taxes, and I regret it so much! With the higher price tag, I hoped that the quality would be much better, comparable to the quarterly subscription boxes. It's definitely the last "advent" box I'm buying from A&O. I am probably in the minority, but I didn't care for the pens and inks. I love fountain pens and have been collecting them for a couple of years, so I'd rather have a quality real Kaweco fountain pen and ink from a good brand (I also bought the Diamine Inkvent calendar), instead of some cheap copies with a logo slapped on them. Also, as a lefty, I can't even use their playing cards because their value isn't printed in the top-right corner. I love the B6 notebook, and I'll make the best of everything else, but I won't repeat this mistake.
Sorry about the regret buy - and i hear you about the pens. Anyone who is into FP are like… brooo no. Dupes are not it. But for those who are newish - it can be exciting. I know you know this. Hope you find some good uses for what you go … or presents for others for the holiday.
So glad you did this before I got mine. I hope they do returns because for that kind of money, I can think of a few other things on the site I would rather have.
@@markyourpages You have nothing to do with that decision. I would have look at the same things and still would have thought to return it. That return just turned into Black Friday purchase's anyhow. 🤣
Glad I opted out of this one, honestly. It’s strange because their Halloween box was so awesome and was almost $50 less. Maybe they should just do a holiday box with fewer items but higher value instead of an ‘advent’ style. Sometimes less is more!
That’s an idea! I really am starting to think the strategy for these is just little ideas of things - sticking stuffers. But it’s hard to balance high value and stuffers “stuff”. I like where you are going with this idea
I was a bit iffy about the tape dispenser but I have it sitting on my desk next to my plastic Scotch tape dispenser and the difference is obvious - A&O's actually looks designed and it has some weight to it compared to the Scotch one so I'm beginning to feel I was a bit harsh about it.
I think they repackage everything and so you pay for the packaging. It might come from their manufacturer/supplier already in the paper packaging, but it's more likely (cost effective) that they buy it all separately, assemble it into packaging, and then send it on. When you're paying $125 per box, the actual markup is probably over 250%, plus you pay shipping and taxes. So keep the packaging because you paid for it.
I have a question, you may have a video on proper nib care, because that box had a shimmer ink and normally the recommendation for shimmer inks is medium to broad tips to prevent clogging. How would you go about making sure the tip of a fine nib like the A&O fountain pen lasts if using a shimmer ink? Or just rinse very well?
I think the price is worth the items (also because I know how expensive it can be to produce them), just not for me. Glad I sat this one out again. The notebook from the collection is so much prettier. I rather have pens and inks from a brand that is specialised in it. And to copy a design from another brand is just not sitting right with me. Stickers are prices way to high from A&O btw.
Thanks for keeping it real. I'm always A&O's #1 fan when it comes to the sub boxes. The quality is undeniable, even if it's not something I would usually choose myself. But this box just felt disconnected from the A&O vibe, like a kit you'd get for beginner journaling on Amazon, with a bunch of things of lower quality that you immediately want to upgrade once you get into the craft a little. I did like the pens but was surprised they weren't better quality. I was expecting a lot given that it was $45 more than a sub box that delivers us 2-3 notebooks and for me the quality just wasn't there. Side note: did you ever figure out how to remove the roll in the tape dispenser? I'm afraid I'm going to break mine trying.
I was disappointed by last year's Advent calendar so I didn't get this year's. I'm glad I didn't. Some of the jtems are cool, but I'd rather spend $125 on stuff I know I'll be happy with. Thank you for doing the unboxing!
As an A&O admirer from a far this was interesting to watch, thank you for doing this unboxing. I think my stationery tastes are too specific to get enough value out of an advent box. Another company I subscribe to had one for $165. After watching unboxings from previous years I feared there would be too many items that would be unused or that didn’t match my asthetic interest so I opted to go on a BST group and purchase bits & bobs I knew I’d love and use… bummer that the surprise is gone but I prefer it to a box of supplies I’m underwhelmed with. You are being very generous in your review of each item. The notebook is beautiful but it’s the only thing that captures my interest again, I’m probably too picky. 😂 The playing cards & tape dispenser were disappointing and for the price point of their stickers I’d expect some foiling or a shimmery overlay especially for the snowglobe diecut stickers. As you said I’m sure this box is great for A&O to gage response on prospective future products but the items but a lot of them felt like a prototype and needed more pizazz to live up to their brand imo 🤷🏻♀️
I had been looking forward to receiving this Advent box ever since it was released. It came in the mail today and what a disappointment it was! The worst item was the washi tape dispenser. I agree with you, Mark. It should have been a premium item and would have looked amazing if it was made out of other materials than this cheap clear plastic. I did not care for any of the snow globe stickers or the snowman family stickers! I feel like they could have used other holiday/winter scenes like vintage painting. This whole box was such a waste of money and not worth $125 at all!
I get the quarterly subscription boxes and the worth to me varies. I want more notebooks (I think most people probably do) and with the price paid they should include more of them. I would have been greatly disappointed in this advent calendar.
Can someone please explain what playing cards have to do with stationery???? That one item threw me off completely, at least the tape dispenser is stationery-related 🙃
Nicer stuff than last year. But it was too rich for my blood then and this year is just out of the question. As much as I love the idea of an advent calendar they are usually filled with a certain amount of throw away stuff (whether it is cheap stuff or something you just don't need or use) and never worth the $ spent on it. I thought it would be a cool idea to do like a secret Santa advent calendar exchange with a buddy, so you don't know what is coming but you can request specific types of supplies that you do or do not want. I think the "do not" is a big one. I only need so many clips or stickers or post it notes, however cute they might be. That being said, thanks for sharing the fun and excitement of opening it all!
So glad I didn’t purchase, definitely not worth the $125 in my opinion. I would rather spend on items I actually want
I think that’s the safest way to roll
I can get most of those items for much cheaper somewhere else and have stuff I really want.
The blue ink bleed a lil.
I'm so glad you did this unboxing. I feel so much better not spending $125 on a box I'd like 3 items out of.
The math may be mathing, but the value isn't valuing to me!
I’m starting to think my math was off - but that’s because it sounds like A&O stickers and other items are overpriced compared to other companies. And I might have over estimated the pens too.
This is why I rarely do advent calendars, I'd be much happier spending $125 picking out A+O goodies myself! But super fun to watch, thank you so much for doing this!
Yess! This! ^ I opted to piece together items from a stationery company I like off of a bst group to put together an equivalent of treasures I know I’ll love. I do miss having the surprise but it’s way better than the risk of unused items. We’re stationed in Japan & for New Years stores put together blind bags called fukubukuro (lucky bags) and I can’t bring myself to get them either (depending upon the store it could be a bunch of clearance items or some retailers create product specific for the lucky bag).
Glad you enjoyed the watch. That’s what we are all here for. And you are 100% on point - getting what you want has a lot more value. I love a good surprise though.
👀 I think I'd rather spend the $125 on sushi...
Notably, I know I'm not the target audience for these kinds of things, but the value isn't here for me 😅
😂😂😂😂😂
Hahaha 🍣 and wouldn’t leave a bad taste in your mouth.
you and me both considering those pens I found easily off aliexpress I am like I have seen that exact knock off Kaweco before with a brush time and yep found in 2 sec and it is AUD$8 so glad I didnt get this box as would have cost close to AUD$300 with shipping
@@ladybeavanerdventures ditto. Image paying that much per box of stuff costing pennies
I opened mine last week and was beyond disappointed, I’m new to A&O and while I don’t expect $500 worth of items for a $125 box I do expect $125 worth of items at best this box was worth $60
I think this is when a lot of people will say... do I risk it for something I dont know about vs just getting exactly what I know I want. Thanks for checking out the video and your comment.
125 and only 1 b6 notebook
Just started the video. The accordion book is used in Japan for temple stamps. When you visit a temple, there’s a stamp and stamp pad available with the image of the temple that you are visiting. So, it’s a record of temples visited. Lots of Japanese people use them as well as tourists. Many stationery shops, such as The Travelers Factory, and also museums and galleries, have their own stamps that you can use to commemorate your visit. Im not sure if this is a thing in other countries.
That's a cool use!
It's not, or less people would complain about getting it. 😆That's very cool, though!
There's something like this in all of the national parks in the United States. You buy a book with every park in it and then can get a stamp when you visit each one. This program has been going on since 1986!
We also have a lighthouse one from the United States Lighthouse Society.
That's only one of many, many uses for accordion books - many artists use them for drawing, sketching, painting art books.
That's super cool... If I traveled more, I'd absolutely be into something like that 😃
I would have been BIG mad if I had paid $125 for that. Thank you for taking one for the team!
I got you. 😉
Also pure joy watching how excited you were about the pens!!
Hahaha - it felt like pure joy. I’m excited about them for sure.
I'll just be here, not skipping ads so you can get some of that back. 😆
Omg. Dying laughing. And thank you
They get more $ if you don’t skip ads? 🤯
@@ktanderson5035 They get more if you watch all of it (or most of it before skipping when they're over 15 seconds). 🥰
I thought it was 30seconds?@@cvvzdesigns
Oh Mark, thanks for taking one for the team. I feel like starting a go fund me for you to help pay for this advent box. Honestly, I would never spend $125 on these items. Nothing in this box sparked much joy or excitement for me, even the cute journal. So happy I saved my money. Thanks Mark for the fun video!
I agree that nothing was exciting to me. The pens and ink would be cool if the nibs were my style but I hate extra fine and I have no use for the brush. I give the advent calendar a 0/10 but the video about it was enjoyable to watch.
Hahaha omg can you imagine a go fund me for me. Haha. People would be like, you need too pay me.
@@markyourpagesif every one of us who went “whew!” sent you $1, you’d be refunded and have a very merry Christmas. It’s back in stock and I was going to buy. Thanks for saving my money! ❤❤😂
My biggest issue with this box is it didn’t feel very A&O to me. Like you mentioned, the plain plastic tape dispenser. Even the pens didn’t have a logo or anything. I feel they don’t live up to the quality we’ve grown to expect from A&O. Give me a tape dispenser like the key and I might keep it around. The paper cutter fits the little paper the short way but not the long side. Love the B6. Aaaaand that’s about it. I’ll keep the pens and ink, cuz why not. But the snowman theme/style isn’t really my thing. I have the A6 and B6 rulers and the metal is enough to chop your finger off, much less your pen/pencil, so I’ll stick with the plastic. 🤷🏻♀️I see per your math it’s worth it, but definitely doesn’t feel worth it.
Your comment about the tape dispenser like the key is exactly what I was thinking. Give me some weight or something really neat that I haven't seen before. The math works, but you are right - it doenst feel like it should.
At this point in my paper madness, I like to curate my own supplies, but I really appreciate you doing this to inform us. Thank you.
You are so welcome!
Thank goodness I didn’t purchase this box, I would have been super upset! We pay $75 for the sub boxes and usually get 2 notebooks, stickers, washi, and some sort of specialty item for $50 less. Big sigh of relief
I agree. Only item that spoke to me was the notebook. A&O way overpriced their stickers! I don't care about the pens and ink since I don't want to go that direction.
Glad to take one for the team
Agree! The sub boxes are so much better.
Mark I love your optimism with this advent calendar! While they are some super cute items I personally would have felt slightly cheated in value. We can all learn a lesson from you and your great attitude. I really enjoyed watching this video! Happy Holidays!
Thanks so much for checking out the video. I am a firm believer that you can be a fan of a brand and not love everything they put out.
I appreciate you taking the financial hit for the team, Mark! I love the notebook and fountain pen, but I'm very underwhelmed with the rest. I did get their A5 snowflake journal instead though. I went with the Diamine inkvent calendar this year, and I think I made the right choice. I'm so excited for 24 mini inks and 1 full-size ink!
I got that ink box too!!! It’s my first and I can’t wait. That one I am taking a day at a time.
Thanks for a very honest unboxing... It's why I love your account. You say it as it is and not just what a company would like to here. I love A&O products and have splurged on Hallowe'en releases in the past. I'm so glad I didn't get this (What I would call a '12 Days of Christmas') Box. (For me Advent is the 24 days from the 1st to Christmas eve). 24 items would have pushed the cost of an A&O box through the roof.... especially when adding international shipping to Europe makes the overall cost too much greater than the value of the contents. Usually with A&O I add shipping before deciding "am I prepared to pay this for X item". I think that the playing cards and tape dispenser are total duds.. you can get away with a few 'filler' items in a 24 box but not a 12.
Thanks so much. and good point about filler items in a larger box, makes a lot of sense. 12 days is like, give me all the good stuff. 100%
I have been making my own advent calenders for my daughters for years. Amazing how much thought it takes to make one..
One thing about the accordion books is that they can stand up for display. So you can do pictures for the mantel. Another use is for reference at your desk, lists of names, grammar rules you forget, things you always forget, etc. I used one for ink swatches. It was nice to see them all instead of having to flip through pages.
Nice ideas. Thank you.
I would use the accordion book for sketching or painting. Artist sometimes use each panel for a picture and move though a visual story or to do a long painting which when folded each panel is still visually pleasing on its own. The brush pen also looks more like a very good quality fillable paint brush we take filled with water for blending when you are painting outdoors. I may have to try one of the ones I have with ink instead of water just to experiment with.
Such a cool idea. I’ll keep it on mind.
1:44
As an artist, I love the accordion book! I would use it to draw similar art pieces. 😊
There have been some cool ideas around this notebook. Someone mentioned a stamp book. But this could be cool as a multi panel piece too. Thanks for the suggestion and for checking out the video.
Thanks for sharing! I agree on the cards-they make nice journaling/mindfulness cards that would’ve been a nice choice.
They’ve done that before too and personally I’m not a fan. But these are just little fun ideas I guess so maybe it makes sense for these type of boxes
when i saw the accordion notebook it really reminded me of japanese style stamp collecting books - in majy public areas/ parks/ touristy spots you can collect large intricate stamps that require a decently thick paper and that style seems to be popular in the asian market from what i've seen :) maybe A&O were inspired by that kind of trend?
Oh that’s very cool. I just looked it up. Amazing. You are giving me some good ideas! Thank you
Thank you! I know what I’m gonna make for my future trip ahead
Ps I already have a thin travel book with stamps. They are everywhere in Japan!!
This brand is like a few others (Grabbie) out there that claim to create amazing unique products, but they’re actually just white labelled and rebranded and the only different thing is their name on it or sometimes some graphic design work. You can actually find almost all these products on other websites for a fraction of the price I literally was able to find almost every item elsewhere and it came to less than 50 bucks. I personally think all the money went into the packaging and presentation.
Some of these look like they’re straight from aliexpress don’t they
I appreciate the outlook. Thanks for sharing
Thank you so much for doing this! Love this video!
Glad you liked it!!
I am very happy with the items. It was fun opening all the boxes. It is a chunk of change though.
Opening them up is a lot of fun :-)
Thank you for buying and unboxing for us! I'm glad i didn't buy. For me the value is not there simply because of the contents even though the math maths. Advents are more for the experience i guess. The inks are gorgeous! I like they included the fountain pen set. Those are cool. I already have a Kaweco though . Probably wouldn't use the brush pen. I'm curious to see you try them out! The little paper cutter is nice. I have one that's a bit larger. very handy! The notebook is so pretty.
Thanks for your feedback. Seeing some of these other contents I may have over valued the pens... but I still feel okay with where I landed because a regualr store (not online) would probably price them around that much. I'm excited to play with them more.
YESSSS!!!! So happy to see the unboxing!!!!
Glad you enjoyed it
I would have also expected more higher quality materials or more variety within the boxes for that price. I think the price must have gone up due to the fountain pen and inks and maybe the stencil.
I am so tempted to watch this!!! But I got myself the advent and want it to be a surprise. I hope it's a good advent and that I won't be disappointed. Love your content and wishing you a happy holiday
Dang nabit I saw the comments and now I'm sad 🥴
@@LisaLeCastelan Yep!
Come back after your open it all and let me know where you landed
oh no :-(
@@markyourpages it was indeed a disappointment. I saw they had a really good Black Friday sale so I looked at the content of the advent to decide if I was going to shop the Black Friday or not. Is it just me or is their subs box kinda better than the advent (for the price value)?
The accordion notebook would be such and interesting sketchbook to fill
I've seen a few ideas for it. I like what I am hearing. Thank you
I bought a not A&O mystery kit this year because last year’s box was amazing. Will not even consider A&O next year. These unboxing are greatly appreciated. Sometimes it costs me money and sometimes it saves money.
The notebook is adorable!
Thanks for sharing and checking out the video
@@markyourpages Just so you know, you are the reason I bought the A&O Halloween box and an 8x8 of the snowflake from the winter release. (Fountain pens & ink.) 😁
The fountain Penni’s awesome and writes so well. The concertina notebook is generally used by artists as a sketchbook. Love it. And I’ve been ysing the paper cutter every day. For me, it was really good.
I’ve been using my pen too and I’m a mega fan! I love that I can see the ink too in the holder. So glad you are loving the items. That makes me happy :-)
I love how excited you were about Ink
Thank you so much for taking one for the collective team. I am an archer and olive sub girl for life because for $80 I get two whole notebooks and several cool accessories but the price on this box was too much. I want notebooks so the extra trinkets don’t really interest me (unless it’s stickers but not worth it for this box), and this was nothing but trinkets. The tape dispenser could have been cool but like you said it should have had some heft to it. Glad I didn’t partake, I would have been very upset 😂 we appreciate your sacrifice good sir.
I got you.
Hey Mark, thanks for the video! I am a new sub and enjoy your videos! I think part of the excitement of an advent box is the surprise. Yeah, you also want value, but the value of the “good” things gives the value paid for the box. I just wouldn’t want to pay for surprise items I don’t need or want, but the joy on your face makes it look so fun!
Thanks so much for hanging out and watching.
Thanks for sharing this box! It's a big no for me- the value just doesn't seem worth it at all and the items were a little underwhelming, but I can definitely appreciate the cuteness and fun for those interested!
I totally agree!
Thanks for taking the hit for us. I would be feeling cheated, honestly. That box would end my ordering anything from Archer & Olive.
I got you.
I’ve ordered this and it’s in transit to me here in Australia. With the exchange rate I paid approx $192 AUD plus $73.12US international shipping. I purchased some pens and one of the new winter release notebooks at the same time to make the cost of shipping worth it. I’ve brought a few other advents this year from the US and the Uk all about the same price. I find most advents you’ll get some items you’re not keen on and others you love. I don’t think any advent is really worth the money you pay when shipping to Australia with exchange rates and shipping so expensive, but really we pay more for most planner items if we are importing them and can’t get them here anyway. I wasn’t going to watch the reveal and keep it a surprise, but had no will power so finally caved. But I’m glad I watched it. I am excited to receive the fountain pen and inks as I have none and I am looking forward to the small notebook as well as I only have the two in the last subscription box. Would I get one next year, probably not but we’ll see. Thanks Mark for a fair and informative review. To me the playing cards I’ll convert into a mixed media tag, so even they will come in handy. Amazing what a bit of Prima, paint, stamping and stickers can do. And the accordion book will be turned into a mixed media memory book. So there’s really nothing in this box I won’t be able to use. So excited to get mine.
Great job on making all the shipping worth it. I can't imagine what my collection would look like if i had to pay so much in shipping. Great idea of the cards for multimedia. I would love to see what your cards look like or if you have any inspiration.
I see some value in having the washi tape cutter made of clear plastic... the washi tape design stands out. Thanks for the video. Loved seeing what was in the advent box.
Thanks for watching.
Thank you so much Mark for doing this video for us and saving us money. I absolutely don't see this as worth the 125$. I don't like at all that nothing really matches, you have the guillotine in mint colour, the tape dispenser is clear, the notebook silver, the inks purple and blue? I dont know, I don't see a well thought out color scheme here people and that is a basic thing for me if I buy an advent of stationary. And sorry the tape dispensar looks really cheap and plasticky, as well as the playing cards, would have been cooler if they had an original design. And I cant believe that for that price they didnt include not one of their paint markers, which is what they are most known for after the notebooks, ugh. 😞 Again, super thanks. I did like the Silver snowflake notebook and the inks, they were pretty but you can totally get that on its own and save the money.
Happy that is put your mind as rest on getting it or not. Helpful to help inform next years thoughts on buying
That ruler is really cool-with the cheat sheets for the dot locations!
Yeah they do them well
I'm so freaking glad I got that code. >.< Thank you, again, for getting this up so quickly! 🥰
Hope you enjoy it!
6:14, for fountain pens with cartridges like that, I usually use the cartridge to suck up the ink directly, because once ink has a wring way of entering into your pen, it will make sure to exit the wring way as well. So many of my fountain pens got destroyed because of this. I just can't make myself use a pen that leaks ink all over my hand through the nib.
Whoo! $125 of stickers 🎉
Hahahahha. So yeah……..
Thanks once again for your honest review! I watched your advent unboxing from last year too and in both cases I'm very glad I didn't spend the money lol. I appreciated your math on this one because it helped me see how A&O might justify this high of a price tag, when I would look at this box and think it was barely worth $60. However for me it's not just about the "value" but about the thoughtfulness/usefulness of the chosen pieces and how well they work together. This one is better than last year for that, but it's clear to me I'll continue to get the quarterly sub box but will never reach for the advent box because the sub boxes are just more thoughtful and have more useful items.
Good points about the usefulness factor.
Thank you for taking one for the team. I was curious but I couldn’t justify the shipping cost without having a look at the contents first. I will have a look at the sneak peek for the December sub box instead.
Shipping plus the cost of this would have been too much for me too. Glad to taken one for the team :-)
I used your code to buy it and I’m so grateful you showed it. I plan to open it with my family as we do advent together but I was very curious about the contents!
I think it will be fun to open as a family and then see who wants the items. Now you know which ones to lock down for yourself ;-)
Hey, I use brush pens quite a bit and have a pentel pocket brush pen I've had for 20 years and still works like new. Mine's only different cause it has replicable cartridges and generally only comes in black. When I'm about to use mine, I place it tip side down for about 10 mins, or just get it out the night before to let it get saturated. When it's not in use I can store mine tip side down, but it's probably better to place it on its side. I've had different brand's of brush pens leak if left tip side down for too long and the ink drips out. So I'd test yours to see what it does. If you do store it tip up, the ink will leave the brush pen part and potentially dry it out from gravity, so you'd have to flip it over for a bit to get it going again. If the pen brush dries out I dip it in water to get it going. If it's really bad, I just use more water or clean the tip with brush soap (I just use whatever hand soap is around, but I'd look it up on how to clean the brush.) Just be gentle when cleaning it, you don't want to ruin the shape of the bristles. Pushing too hard or washing to hard can ruin the form of the brush.
I'm not sure how great the glitter ink will work in the pen, I'd think it'd clog the flow of the ink, but I don't know archer and olive inks. But I don't think I've even come across a glitter brush pen in my travels.
You use brush pens for multiple things, like sketching, art and calligraphy (regular and kanji). But there is a bit of a learning curve and isn't as forgiving as nib calligraphy pens, so don't get discouraged. It will definitely help develop a steady hand. There's plenty of youtube videos on brush pen tips, so I'd check them out.
Thank you for all this detail. And thanks for all the tip here too. I’ll keep them all in mind as I use it more. I did use it more later and once it flower and saturated the brush more it was nicer. And I probably should have washed the tip because it was glued together.
I have used one glitter brush pen from kuretake that I liked. But you are right that it’s not usually common.
Oooooh-that tiny paper cutter is cool, too!
It’s neat
I didn’t order the box, but I like the items. The pens, inks, paper cutter, stencil, notebook… so cute! I love that purple ink and I wish I had those fountain pens! Thanks for doing this, Mark!
Thank you so much for watching.
Thank you for such a thorough video.
Glad it was helpful!
I loved the journal, pens and, inks. The rest I felt were filler. I wouldn’t pay $125 and I love me supplies. Oh forgot the washi. That was great too. But still not enough for $125. Just subscribed today. You channel is right up my alley 👍
Welcome to the crew!
For the brush pen, part of the problem I think is that you didn't clean the starch out before inking it. Also I feel like the sparkle will clog the feed even in that brush, so that might also be an issue. I feel like the value isn't really there for the price, honestly. Stickers on three of the days? That's a full fourth of the advent. A pack of cards? Ridiculous. You could basically reproduce most of this box for half the price, I think. They could and should have just thrown an actual kaweco branded pen in there at the price of the calendar. You were very generous with the prices you gave, I think, and even with that it doesn't really feel like you're getting great value.
I agree about the starch - I should have done that and i'll be sure to give it a good rinse before i retry it again. Thanks for checking out the video and dropping your thoughts.
I love the purple ink. The square notebook is nice for field sketching. Thank you for sharing.
Thanks for watching!
I'm thrilled with it! Not sure that it adds up to the value, but for the surprise factor, I'm happy 🙂 The accordion journal is PERFECT for showcasing Zentangle art - as a CZT, that's pretty cool!
This is exactly why I struggle to buy holiday mystery boxes. It feels like it’s always hit or miss. I would have only been excited about a few things in the box the rest would have stay in my stash until I did a declutter then it would have been given away or donated.
Yeah it’s always hard with mystery boxes
Playing cards are awesome for storing washy and stickers in your planner
Oooooh, I'm in love with the snowflake notebook. 🤩 I love snowflakes! ❄❄❄
It’s pretty
This video popped up as suggested, I really enjoyed it. Nice that you demonstrated every product. Will subscribe.
Awesome! Thank you! And welcome to the crew.
I'm going to use my Accordion Notebook for mindful art practice
Oh nice!!!!
Thank you for purchasing the box for us to look at. Seems most folks didn't think it was worth it. Hmm, I'm not sure myself. A lot of money for a couple of things. Thank you for spending your money!!
Happy to help for the fun and love of stationery.
Love the fountain brush pen
I am excited to play with it more.
I want the outer and inner boxes......I collect snowmen and it's adorable
You would have been in all your glory
Last week I watched your advent unboxing from last year, and decided against this years. There were some very cool pieces that I'd like to ve able to purchase individually, but not the majority of these items.
There is a trend happening with them. I’m starting to think we are looking at these advent calendars as sub boxes or specialty when really they are just little gifts. Problem is, the are not really a value of items… just items and some not so great at that.
@markyourpages It's funny you make the comparison to the sub boxes because my first sub box was this year's Dark Academia, and I've been comparing everything I've seen to that, lol. The idea that the advent box is probably meant to be more like a gift box rather than be like a sub box makes the items in the advent make more sense 🤔
A&O: You get useful items all year long, here's random some fun! 😄
I’m so glad you posted this unboxing! I’m glad I didn’t get this since I never like spending the money on their stickers and I’m not a fountain pen person (I prefer a straight up paintbrush or a dip pen). Honestly the only thing I liked in this box was the notebook and even that is kind of meh to me since I wouldn’t have chosen it from options. Thanks for the honest unboxing opinion!
Always. Thanks for watching and dropping a note.
I think that with a few modifications, I would have liked the box quite a bit more. I think the B6 notebook is very pretty. If more of the items had been themed to match the classier (than some of the items) look of that, I would have been pleased. The ink colors were an interesting choice, though I did buy the northern lights notebook and I think they're a good match for that vibe. But for the stickers (the sheets and the individual big stickers) and the washi tape, I would have liked it they matched the vibe of the notebook rather than kind of the generic snowman. Then I think I would have liked most of it since it wouldn't have felt a bit more upscale. The designs of all the stickers and washi kind of brought everything down for me. Even with 4 more items than the average sub box, it didn't feel like $50 more value (especially when we've been getting really nice notebooks and accessories with those boxes). I'm looking forward to seeing what's cooking in the December sub box though - the last several of those have been really nice :)
I did find the same exact design fountain and brush pens for $4.99 each, so my math for the box (considering retail value for a lot of the items which is more than I'd probably pay for several of them) was about $126. I was kind of bummed about not getting a couple of the past advent calendars and though that with the price increase the quality increase was going to be really noticeable, but now I'm kind of bummed and have some overpriced stocking stuffers for my niece who kind of likes art. (Love the notebook design, though - keeping that for me).
Great suggestions! And I’m really excited for December too. Fingers crossed for great stuff.
The items looks so beautiful! (Although unsure about the price or worthiness, but still glad to see an unboxing of Archer and Olive advent set!)
Thanks for watching. I think I over priced. A few times.
Depending on the quality of paper in the accordion fold book artists use them for small watercolours, pen and ink drawings, acrylics etc you can use one square at a time or open up as many pages as you want to make a larger landscape image.
Very cool idea. I’ve been giving it more though with so many ideas. Thank you.
Thank you for the review. Honestly glad I didn't buy it but there were a couple of items I liked.
Yeah can they offer these piece mealed ?
Thank you for doing this video. I almost bought this box and I’m so glad I didn’t. I would have been so disappointed. There are only a couple of items I like.
Glad it was helpful! And happy to be the test guinea pig
Wow lots of goodies in there ❤ I like that accordion sketchbook
Some great stuff for sure. I have my favorites, obviously :-)
While I liked most of what was in the box, I didn’t feel like the value was there. I feel like the price of last years box was a better price point. The sub boxes definitely have a better value! That said I’m super excited to try out the fountain pen and ink! Those and the notebook were the highlight of the box for me lol
I think that the ink and pens added a bit more value than last time, but I am sure that the pens were not as much as I said... i was being a little generous I think - so it almost kind of equals out a little with not much to add to value for the price.
Fun tip to prolong those plastic paper cutters- cover the grid lines and ruler area ( flat parts) with stick on laminent or book cover sheets. This will keep the measurements and grid in tact for years as it cannot be rubbed off with the clear sheet stuck over it.
Thanks for the tip!
I guess the money is mostly spent on packaging, the packaging is amazing. I love the paper cutter
They always do a great job there. Very thoughtful
Ok I was hesitant but still purchased it and hope for the best - well I’m glad I did. I’m so excited for the pens 🤩
Yay!!
Thank you so much for your honesty when doing these. I feel like so many other people gush over things that we all know are really lame dollar store things. I am ultimately glad I didn't get this Advent box. Might have been a good deal for $80, but the cards, tape dispenser and numerous stickers make it not a good deal for me. I am a subscriber of their quarterly boxes and this felt more like the quality of stuff I would get for that. A B6 notebook is also a bit disappointing, too, though I guess it's an Advent box, so maybe we shouldn't expect an A5?
People seem to like the accordion books for drawing--like comic artists can do one scene on each "page" and then unfold it for a comic strip. Or some artists like to do a series of drawings/paintings with it. Like a different type of flower on each page, then unfold for a series. I don't know what use it would be for stationery folks. LOL
A few questions for you: do you feel the fountain pen is equal in quality to the Kawecos? How functional was the metal stencil? The previous metal stencils I got from A&O were useless--the holes were so tiny that I could only get my mechanical pencil lead to work with it, or the thinnest Micron pens, even then I worried that the metal edges might ruin my nibs. Personally, as a stencil-using bullet journalist I prefer plastic stencils with larger "holes" to accommodate different nibs and not damage nibs.
Lastly--you priced both pens at $20 and while the fountain pen with the metal nib may be worth that, a quick price check on Jetpens shows fountain pens with the plastic synthetic brush nib to run about $10 or so (and this is Jetpens, which is rarely discounted--I bet Amazon would have cheaper prices). So I would knock down your estimate by $10. :-)
Thanks again. I love your honesty and enthusiasm. I think your reviews are the most valuable for me. Carry on!
Thanks so much for your thoughts on the box and stationery. I really appreciate it
Mark you're gonna enjoy playing with Komamono Lab Fonte line, they have a brush and rollerball.
👀
Fonte also has a glass nib option 🤩
Omgosh!! I love the pens!! I would buy those if they carry them separately!
I hope they do too
Love the purple ink!
Thank you for your honest review, Mark! I unfortunately bought this box which cost me $200 with shipping to Europe and taxes, and I regret it so much! With the higher price tag, I hoped that the quality would be much better, comparable to the quarterly subscription boxes. It's definitely the last "advent" box I'm buying from A&O. I am probably in the minority, but I didn't care for the pens and inks. I love fountain pens and have been collecting them for a couple of years, so I'd rather have a quality real Kaweco fountain pen and ink from a good brand (I also bought the Diamine Inkvent calendar), instead of some cheap copies with a logo slapped on them. Also, as a lefty, I can't even use their playing cards because their value isn't printed in the top-right corner. I love the B6 notebook, and I'll make the best of everything else, but I won't repeat this mistake.
Sorry about the regret buy - and i hear you about the pens. Anyone who is into FP are like… brooo no. Dupes are not it. But for those who are newish - it can be exciting. I know you know this. Hope you find some good uses for what you go … or presents for others for the holiday.
Its back in stock if anyone is interested
Oh wow.
So glad you did this before I got mine. I hope they do returns because for that kind of money, I can think of a few other things on the site I would rather have.
:-/ I feel bad if people are returning do to me. But everyone should get their monies worth
@@markyourpages You have nothing to do with that decision. I would have look at the same things and still would have thought to return it. That return just turned into Black Friday purchase's anyhow. 🤣
Wild that they can put together such a great sub box and can’t do the same for advents
I’m starting to think that this isn’t meant to be like a sub box but like a little trinkets box - but the price needs to drop
@@markyourpagesAgree. It’s only 12 items - not a full 24 items - they should cut the price and they may sell more.
I want those pens. ❤ so minimalistical.
I’m a mega fan of them
@ thanks for sharing so much. I will try them. I’m new at this. 🤭 greetings form Mexico 🇲🇽
Glad I opted out of this one, honestly. It’s strange because their Halloween box was so awesome and was almost $50 less. Maybe they should just do a holiday box with fewer items but higher value instead of an ‘advent’ style. Sometimes less is more!
That’s an idea! I really am starting to think the strategy for these is just little ideas of things - sticking stuffers. But it’s hard to balance high value and stuffers “stuff”. I like where you are going with this idea
I thought the tape dispenser had a cool lucite vibe. The gold tape was fun too.
I would have just liked a bit better quality. There are ways to do clear and even plastic but slightly elevated. I just wasn't feeling it in this one.
I was a bit iffy about the tape dispenser but I have it sitting on my desk next to my plastic Scotch tape dispenser and the difference is obvious - A&O's actually looks designed and it has some weight to it compared to the Scotch one so I'm beginning to feel I was a bit harsh about it.
I think they repackage everything and so you pay for the packaging. It might come from their manufacturer/supplier already in the paper packaging, but it's more likely (cost effective) that they buy it all separately, assemble it into packaging, and then send it on. When you're paying $125 per box, the actual markup is probably over 250%, plus you pay shipping and taxes. So keep the packaging because you paid for it.
Haven’t thought about that.
Not sad that I missed out on this one. It’s o.k. So, actually, I love the deck of cards! Feel free to send them my way!😂
You might be the only one. 🤣
The fountain pen are awesome. Hopefully it will be in future boxes
I hope so too
woah ! what do you use to swatch the inks? I've never seen that before
It’s an ink muddler. New tool to me. It’s from Dominant Industries. Great tool.
I have a question, you may have a video on proper nib care, because that box had a shimmer ink and normally the recommendation for shimmer inks is medium to broad tips to prevent clogging. How would you go about making sure the tip of a fine nib like the A&O fountain pen lasts if using a shimmer ink? Or just rinse very well?
You are right, it’s not recommended- but you can use them, but you need to make sure to really clean them out well.
I think the price is worth the items (also because I know how expensive it can be to produce them), just not for me. Glad I sat this one out again. The notebook from the collection is so much prettier. I rather have pens and inks from a brand that is specialised in it. And to copy a design from another brand is just not sitting right with me. Stickers are prices way to high from A&O btw.
Thanks so much for your perspective, especially around the cost to produce.
The only thing that speaks to me is the little notebook, but not for $ 125…..
No, def not that much for 1 notebook. There will be more at that size I am sure with cooler prints.
Thanks for keeping it real. I'm always A&O's #1 fan when it comes to the sub boxes. The quality is undeniable, even if it's not something I would usually choose myself. But this box just felt disconnected from the A&O vibe, like a kit you'd get for beginner journaling on Amazon, with a bunch of things of lower quality that you immediately want to upgrade once you get into the craft a little. I did like the pens but was surprised they weren't better quality. I was expecting a lot given that it was $45 more than a sub box that delivers us 2-3 notebooks and for me the quality just wasn't there. Side note: did you ever figure out how to remove the roll in the tape dispenser? I'm afraid I'm going to break mine trying.
You just put my thoughts into exact words ! I think that’s why so many people aren’t seeing the value.
I was disappointed by last year's Advent calendar so I didn't get this year's. I'm glad I didn't. Some of the jtems are cool, but I'd rather spend $125 on stuff I know I'll be happy with. Thank you for doing the unboxing!
I’m always interested in the surprises - but there is always a risk.
As an A&O admirer from a far this was interesting to watch, thank you for doing this unboxing. I think my stationery tastes are too specific to get enough value out of an advent box. Another company I subscribe to had one for $165. After watching unboxings from previous years I feared there would be too many items that would be unused or that didn’t match my asthetic interest so I opted to go on a BST group and purchase bits & bobs I knew I’d love and use… bummer that the surprise is gone but I prefer it to a box of supplies I’m underwhelmed with. You are being very generous in your review of each item. The notebook is beautiful but it’s the only thing that captures my interest again, I’m probably too picky. 😂 The playing cards & tape dispenser were disappointing and for the price point of their stickers I’d expect some foiling or a shimmery overlay especially for the snowglobe diecut stickers. As you said I’m sure this box is great for A&O to gage response on prospective future products but the items but a lot of them felt like a prototype and needed more pizazz to live up to their brand imo 🤷🏻♀️
Please excuse the typos 😅 I’m tired 🥱😴
I’m starting to think the advent boxes aren’t made to be close to the sub boxes. But it is disappointing that this one was so much more this year.
You are good. Haha I didnt notice if there were any
I had been looking forward to receiving this Advent box ever since it was released. It came in the mail today and what a disappointment it was! The worst item was the washi tape dispenser. I agree with you, Mark. It should have been a premium item and would have looked amazing if it was made out of other materials than this cheap clear plastic. I did not care for any of the snow globe stickers or the snowman family stickers! I feel like they could have used other holiday/winter scenes like vintage painting. This whole box was such a waste of money and not worth $125 at all!
Someone mentioned that theming into the snowflake and the sheer / shimmer would have made it feel more upscale.
I get the quarterly subscription boxes and the worth to me varies. I want more notebooks (I think most people probably do) and with the price paid they should include more of them. I would have been greatly disappointed in this advent calendar.
The notebooks are their bread and butter. So I know what you mean.
I did get some today during the sale and used your code 😊
I just did a pause & compare, and I'm relieved to see that I didn't waste money as well on the ink set coming with my advent calendar. 😆
hahaha all about those pens and inks
@@markyourpages And it's your freaking influence! 🤪
@@markyourpages Also, luckily none of my FWP inks are those colours, either. 🥳
Can someone please explain what playing cards have to do with stationery???? That one item threw me off completely, at least the tape dispenser is stationery-related 🙃
Yeah… agree on that.
Nicer stuff than last year. But it was too rich for my blood then and this year is just out of the question. As much as I love the idea of an advent calendar they are usually filled with a certain amount of throw away stuff (whether it is cheap stuff or something you just don't need or use) and never worth the $ spent on it. I thought it would be a cool idea to do like a secret Santa advent calendar exchange with a buddy, so you don't know what is coming but you can request specific types of supplies that you do or do not want. I think the "do not" is a big one. I only need so many clips or stickers or post it notes, however cute they might be. That being said, thanks for sharing the fun and excitement of opening it all!
Thanks for checking out the video and sharing about your idea. We do that Secret santa at work and it's a nice way to take on the holiday fun.