I grew up drinking tea almost every night and I still do. In fact, I have an entire cupboard dedicated to tea: bagged, canned, loose leaf, cold brew, whole flower, dried herb stems – you name it, I have it. I was particularly excited to get my hands on this set as a long-time fan of Palais des Thés teas. For me, it’s a little luxury.

Although this Advent calendar lacked bells and whistles, the cardboard packaging was beautifully festive. And for $38, my expectations were significantly lowered.

Spoilers: Inside, I found an assortment of teas, including green, dark, and herbal flavors like grapefruit and lemon zest. Each tea bag was hidden behind a numbered flap which, when removed, revealed an adage or quote.

I enjoyed tasting the different teas, although I also found myself “moving forward” looking for different flavors I wanted to try. After a few days, the tea bags started to slide out of their respective slots and I removed them from the carton for easier access.

Verdict: Avoid it. You pay extra for packaging with this one. As a reminder, a box of 20 tea bags (of a single flavor) costs between $17 and $19. If you want to experience a varied set and don’t mind compromising on the packaging of the Advent calendar, go for the slightly cheaper model. Discovery Box, $28. Although there are six fewer tea flavors, there is a solid overlap between the two sets.