Traditionally, Advent calendars count down the days until Christmas. Some classic options have chocolate, caramels or other sweet treats hidden behind little doors, while others require you to turn on a light or check off a box leading up to the holiday. In recent years, however, Advent calendars have taken on a new life. There are now options available for any holiday you celebrate, and some of the best Advent calendars come filled with coffee, wine, socks, Legos, beauty products and more. To ensure our furry friends don’t miss out on the festivities, there are even Advent calendars for pets.
Because Advent calendars are so popular around the holidays, I recommend purchasing those you have your eye on as early as possible — they tend to sell out as we get closer to Christmas and Hanukkah. Below, I rounded up high-quality Advent calendars for any celebration. I encourage you to buy them for yourself, but they make great gifts for loved ones, too. If you’re looking for even more gift ideas, check out NBC Select’s gift guides, which we’re updating all season long.
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To recommend the best Advent calendars, I researched highly rated options across seven major categories: chocolate, coffee and tea, food, wine, beauty and skin care, adults and kids. Every option on my final list comes from a brand we’ve covered before or have personally tried. (Many of the calendars were also sent to us as courtesy samples from brands.) To evaluate each one, I assessed its contents, price and packaging. Our list includes options that countdown the 12 and 24 and 25 days before a holiday.
There are always at least three jars of Bonne Maman jam in my refrigerator, so it’s no surprise that I look forward to the brand’s Advent calendar every year. I usually gift it to myself, but it’s great for the foodies in your life, too. The calendar is filled with 24 mini jars of honey and spreads in flavors like mixed berry, caramel with coffee, apricot with orange blossom, guava, and raspberry and rose. I get about two uses out of each little jar — I add the spreads to toast and pound cake or swirl it into my overnight oats.
Timeframe: 24 days
While some people are interested in unique Advent calendars, others prefer classic options that come filled with sweet treats. This Lindt calendar has a piece of chocolate hidden behind each door, including milk and dark chocolate bears, hazelnut chocolate balls and chocolate neapolitans. Each confection comes wrapped in festive foil.
Timeframe: 24 days
Your dog can get in on the Advent calendar fun with this option from Himalayan Pet Supply. It’s packed with treats in a variety of shapes and flavors, including peanut butter bears, bacon cubes, chicken bites, cheese puffs and bacon bites cookies.
Timeframe: 24 days
This Advent calendar is made for Lego lovers ages 6 and up. There’s a packet of blocks behind each door, which, when put together, form characters and pets. Some also prompt kids to build figurines that lead to interactive activities, like launching snowballs with a catapult and baking cookies.
Timeframe: 24 days
Pukka’s Advent calendar is filled with 24 tea bags in classic flavors like chamomile, lemon and English breakfast, as well as seasonal flavors like peppermint and licorice, wild apple and cinnamon, and vanilla and manuka honey. All tea bags are compostable and the Advent calendar itself is recyclable.
Timeframe: 24 days
There are 12 80-piece mini puzzles inside this Advent calendar, all of which have Andy Warhol’s 1950s paintings printed on them. And while you can construct them by yourself, they’re much more fun to do with a group. “I have three younger siblings who are all under the age of 13, so finding a family activity that caters to everyone’s interests is hard. These puzzles, however, are a major success,” says Bianca Alvarez, NBC Select associate reporter. “Putting them together every night is a great way for us to spend quality time together, which is really what the holidays are all about.”
Timeframe: 12 days
This Advent calendar keeps your cat extra entertained leading up to the holidays. There’s a toy hidden behind each door, including plushies and balls, some of which are filled with catnip.
Timeframe: 12 days
Godiva’s Advent calendar lets you enjoy different milk, dark and white chocolate confections. It comes with dark chocolate ganache hearts, almond crunch, chocolate-covered caramels, hazelnut and milk chocolate pralines and more.
Timeframe: 24 days
Peppermint bark is a festive holiday treat, and with this Advent calendar, you can snack on one piece a day leading up to the holidays. The bark is made from creamy, peppermint-infused white and dark chocolate topped with crushed candy canes. Pieces come shaped like Christmas trees, Santa, toy soldiers and snowmen.
Timeframe: 24 days
I’m typically not someone who likes flavored chocolate, but I can’t resist Compartés. With this Advent calendar, you get to try 24 of the brand’s chocolates, each of which has a filling in the center like coffee toffee, passionfruit, strawberry cheesecake and peanut butter banana. The chocolates come in a box that has a colorful garden design, and each piece of candy has a vibrant pattern on top, making them mini pieces of art. Compartés, one of our favorite LBGTQ-owned brands, starts shipping its Advent calendars on Nov. 1.
Timeframe: 24 days
There are 24 little boxes inside Christopher Elbow’s Advent calendar, each of which has candies or chocolates inside, like champagne bonbons, crème brulee malt balls, peppermint cookie bonbons, cran-orange pate de fruit and eggnog malt balls. “Not only are the treats absolutely delicious, but they’re also gorgeous to look at,” says Mili Godio, NBC Select updates editor. “They come in a bunch of pretty designs and vibrant colors that make the perfect gift. And since there are so many different flavors, this Advent calendar will satisfy any sweet tooth.” The bottom of each box has a label that tells you what’s inside, so you know what kind of treat it is before you take a bite. Christopher Elbow starts shipping its Advent calendars around Nov. 11 so they arrive by Thanksgiving.
Timeframe: 24 days
Hotel Chocolat’s Advent calendar is best for those who prefer drinking their chocolate instead of eating it. It comes with 24 single-serve packets of hot cocoa in 16 different flavors, including standard dark and milk chocolate, peppermint dark chocolate, pumpkin spice chocolate and coconut white chocolate. You can make the hot chocolate by adding it to 8 ounces of warm dairy or plant-based milk. The Hotel Chocolat Advent calendar is currently available for preorder and it ships in early November.
Timeframe: 24 days
Tea Forte’s signature 3D, pyramid-shaped tea bags let leaves fully unfurl in water, leading to a more flavorful beverage, according to the brand. Its Advent calendar has 24 of these unique tea bags inside, and each one is a different flavor. You get to brew flavors like Bombay chai, cherry blossom, citrus mint and ginger lemongrass leading up to the holidays.
Timeframe: 24 days
Onyx Coffee Lab’s Advent calendar lets you taste 24 roasts from across the world, like Costa Rica, Mexico, Kenya, Colombia and Honduras. Each packet has 2 ounces of whole bean coffee inside, which can make a 24-ounce pour-over. The Advent calendar itself is a box that opens like an accordion, so you can leave it out on your countertop as a piece of décor throughout the holiday season. It’s currently available for pre-order and ships in mid-November.
Timeframe: 24 days
If you know (or are) a coffee lover who doesn’t own a coffee machine, Cometeer’s Advent calendar is the ideal holiday gift. It comes with 24 frozen coffee capsules, which lets you make hot or cold beverages by adding water and/or milk. The coffee itself comes from different companies Cometeer partners with, like Intelligentsia, Equator, Birch and Joe Coffee, so you get to try a new roast each day leading up to the holidays. I’ve been a Cometeer customer for years and love how easy its capsules make whipping up a hot latte or iced coffee at home. Because it’s frozen, the coffee concentrate maintains its freshness for weeks — I often find it fresher and more flavorful than some coffees I get at café.
Timeframe: 24 days
Walker’s Advent calendar provides you with 24 days of dessert leading up to the holidays. It’s filled with six types of the brand’s buttery shortbread cookies: shortbread fingers, rounds, stars, hearts, chocolate chip rounds and salted caramel squares.
Timeframe: 24 days
Indulge in 24 types of Sugarfina candy before the holidays. Each box in this Advent calendar has a packet of sweets inside, including caramels, gummies, chocolate-covered cookie dough and cookie bites. You can see a full list of the included candies on the back of the calendar, but you won’t know what order you’ll unwrap them in.
Timeframe: 24 days
If you’re looking forward to holiday movie marathons, odds are you’re also thinking about what snacks to stock up on. This Advent calendar takes care of the menu for you. It’s filled with 24 bags of popcorn kernels in different flavors, like sweet caramel, white cheddar, dill pickle and creamy ranch. You can use them to make popcorn over the stove or in the microwave, and each bag makes enough for a few people to share.
Timeframe: 24 days
Fly By Jing, one of our favorite AAPI-owned brands, is best known for its Sichuan Chili Crisp sauce, which is included in this Advent calendar along with other types of chili sauces and spice blends. The sauces come in 2-ounce jars, and three of the flavors, along with four of the spice blends, are brand new — whoever gets this limited-edition Advent calendar will be among the first to try them.
Timeframe: 12 days
Vadham’s spices are some of my favorites to cook with. They’re fragrant, flavorful and come in beautiful gold tins I display on shelves in my kitchen. You can gift yourself or the chef in your life 24 of the brand’s spices with this Advent calendar, which is cylinder-shaped and has drawers you pull out to reveal what’s inside. Some of the included spices are cinnamon powder, whole cumin, Himalayan pink salt, yellow mustard seeds and turmeric powder.
Timeframe: 24 days
Think of this Advent calendar like a charcuterie board. It’s filled with 3.5-ounce portions of cheese from across the world, including selections from England, Italy, Spain and France. You also get jams and crackers to snack on. The Advent calendar ships in an insulated box and must be refrigerated upon arrival.
Timeframe: 12 days
Bokksu is offering two Advent calendars for the 2024 holiday season: a premium 24-day countdown ($199) or a luxury 12-day countdown ($499). The 24-day Advent calendar opens like a book and has drawers you or a giftee pull out to see what’s hidden inside each day. It’s filled with 17 Japanese snacks and seven handcrafted collectible items. The 12-day Advent calendar is a rectangular-shaped box that’s designed to look like a lantern. Its drawers are filled with seven high-end Japanese snacks and eight collectibles. Both Advent calendars ship in early November.
Timeframe: 12 or 24 days
This wine comes in cans, so there’s technically no need to pour it into a glass — just crack it open and sip. However, you can split a can with a loved one, if you prefer. Leading up to the holidays, for example, my parents open their wine of the day right before dinner to drink with their meal. The Advent calendar includes 12 cans from female- and minority-led wineries, and you’ll get a mix of dry reds, whites, rosés and sparkling varieties. A wine guide is included with your purchase, which links to tasting videos that accompany each can. If you’re shipping the Advent calendar directly to a loved one, you can add a gift note at checkout.
Timeframe: 12 days
You can have a wine tasting at home with In Good Taste’s Advent calendar. It’s filled with 24 bottles of reds, whites and rosés, each of which holds 6 ounces of wine you can pour directly into a glass. Wine comes from areas around the world like Italy, Spain, South Africa, Argentina, Australia and California. You can also add a gift note at checkout.
Timeframe: 24 days
Vinebox has three Advent calendars: 12 Nights Coastal Holiday ($129), 12 Nights European Holiday ($129) and 24 Nights of Wine ($199). Each is filled with 100 ml. mini bottles of wine from across the world, including Italy, France and Sonoma. You can pour the bottles directly into a glass and sip. The calendars come with a wine guide that highlights tasting notes and pairing recommendations; a limited-edition art print; and virtual tasting videos accessible via the QR code on the package.
The 12 Nights Coastal Holiday calendar is packed with three white wines, two rosés and seven red wines, while the 12 Nights European Holiday calendar has two white wines, two rosés and eight red wines. The 24 Nights of Wine calendar comes with all the wines included in the European and Coastal calendars.
Timeframe: 12 or 24 days
Sample some of Sephora’s bestsellers with this Advent calendar, which is packed with 24 products, including skin care, nail care and makeup. The Advent calendar opens like a book, and you can stand it up to display it at home.
Timeframe: 24 days
The skin care, hair care and body care products inside L’Occitane’s Advent calendar are everyday essentials, so you can easily incorporate them into your beauty routine. Over 24 days, you’ll unwrap hand cream, shower oils, soaps, shampoos, conditioners, scrubs and more. Many of the products are made with almond oil, giving them a sweet, warm, nutty scent.
Timeframe: 24 days
Every time I give myself a manicure with Olive & June’s products, people ask me if I got my nails done at a salon, which is the best compliment. The brand’s Advent calendar comes with all the necessary components to prep and polish, including top coat, cuticle serum, dry drops and nail strengthener, as well as six mini bottles of nail polish. You’ll also get two packs of Olive & June press-on nails, a limited-edition polish bottle cookie cutter and the brand’s Poppy polish bottle handle.
Timeframe: 25 days
There’s a skin care or hair care product hidden behind each door of Ulta’s Advent calendar, including Olaplex’s No7 Bonding Oil, Patchology eye gels, Peter Thomas Roth moisturizer and Sunday Riley vitamin C serum. Most products are travel-sized, so you can throw them in your toiletry bag if you have an upcoming trip.
Timeframe: 24 days
Beauty enthusiasts know and love Laniege’s lip mask, and with the brand’s Advent calendar, you’ll get to restock your supply while learning about its other bestsellers, like moisturizers, toners and face masks. “I love the variety of products in this Advent calendar — you really get a little taste of everything Laneige has to offer,” says Godio. “I’m a huge fan of Laneige’s lip products, so it’s great to be able to try the brand’s other options, too” Some products are travel-size, while others are full-size.
Timeframe: 12 days
After opening this Advent calendar, you’ll have a full suite of Dermalogica skin care products, including three full-size and four travel-size items, along with 17 luxe trial-size products (which is a bit bigger than the travel size). Some of the items you’ll open include the brand’s Multivitamin Power Recovery Mask, Antioxidant Hydramist, Pro-Collagen Banking Serum and Daily Microfoliant.
Timeframe: 24 days
Beekman’s Advent calendar made almost everyone in our office stop and stare when I unpacked it. It opens like a book and has gold decorations, giving it a grand look. The brand’s skin care and body care products are packed inside pull-out drawers, and they’re all wrapped in beautiful packaging. “It’s truly like getting a present every day, and each of the soaps, creams and serums feel luxurious when I apply them,” says Alvarez. The Advent calendar also comes with a storybook that incorporates some of the items you’ll unwrap.
Timeframe: 24 days
“If you or a loved one is a nail enthusiast like me, but don’t have the right tools to do a manicure at home, this Advent calendar is the perfect gift,” says Alvarez. “It comes with everything you need for a gel manicure, including polishes, stickers, nail care tools and a mini LED lamp.” All the products that come inside Le Mini Macaron’s Advent calendar fit inside a toiletry bag, so they’re easy to store or travel with.
Timeframe: 12 days
Kitsch’s Advent calendar comes with everything you need to practice self care this holiday season. Each drawer reveals a surprise, like a satin pillowcase, hair clips, an ice roller and heatless curlers.
Timeframe: 12 days
Stationery lovers rejoice — Papier is offering its bestselling Advent calendar again this year, and it’s packed with notebooks, pens, stickers, thank you notes and desk decor that will upgrade any workstation. “This is one of the most gorgeous Advent calendars I’ve ever seen,” says Sadhana Daruvuri, NBC commerce social media editor. “All the goodies are packaged in decorative paper boxes that you can definitely save and reuse to store little knick knacks.” The Advent calendar itself opens similarly to a traditional jewelry box, and it’s designed to be reusable, too.
Timeframe: 24 days
If you can’t decide on one piece of jewelry to buy your loved one, gift them this set of curated silver or gold pieces from Abbott Lyon. There’s 12 items inside the Advent calendar, including four that come personalized with your giftee’s birthstone or initials, like earrings, bracelets, rings, necklaces and charms. You can also add your giftee’s name to the calendar’s front cover, giving it an even more custom touch. I love Abbott Lyon’s jewelry because it’s resistant to water, sweat and heat, so I wear it while working out or spending time in the sun without worrying about damage. The jewelry also doesn’t irritate my sensitive skin — I practically never take it off.
Timeframe: 12 days
There are 12 mini candles tucked away in the compartments of this Advent calendar, and each day you open one, you’ll be able to infuse your home with scents like Santal Vanille, Spiced Pumpkin Latte, Forbidden Fig and Moso Bamboo. You’ll also find a gold-plated wick trimmer inside. Each candle comes in a colored glass vessel and is made with coconut wax and a natural wick. Candles have a burn time of up to 25 hours, according to the brand.
Timeframe: 12 days
The 24 socks inside this Advent calendar add a little festivity to any outfit. They’re made from a breathable cotton fabric to keep your feet cool and comfortable, and come in bright, bold patterns like pink polka dots and yellow stripes. The socks fit men’s and women’s adult feet, and there’s a size guide available online to help you make a selection.
Timeframe: 24 days
After opening all the doors to this Advent calendar, your favorite Harry Potter fan will have 24 figurines of the characters to display at home. Each vinyl Funko Pocket Pop stands less than 2 inches tall.
Timeframe: 24 days
Your little scientist can do a hands-on experiment every day with this Advent calendar, which introduces them to concepts related to chemistry, biology and physics. Most materials and tools kids need to do the experiments are included — anything that’s not packed inside the calendar are common household items, according to the brand. Uncommon Goods recommends its Experiment A Day Advent Calendar for kids ages 8 and up.
Timeframe: 24 days
When kids unwrap KiwiCo’s Advent calendar, they first have to assemble a working train complete with an engine, two passenger cars and two cargo cars, as well as a hinged track. Then, they fill the cars with closed envelopes and open one a day leading up to the holidays. Each envelope has festive decorations or mini builds inside. KiwiCo recommends this Advent calendar for kids ages 7 and up.
Timeframe: 12 days
Kids open their new Barbie doll on day one of this Advent calendar — every day after that, they get a new accessory to dress her up in, like shoes and outfits. Barbie’s pets are also packed inside the calendar, as is a child-sized bracelet with two charms.
Timeframe: 24 days
There’s four mini Cars vehicles, a snowman car figure and accessories inside Mattel’s Advent calendar, which kids can play with on their own. But once they open the track pieces hidden behind the doors, they can build a three-story vertical or horizontal playset to create a festive scene.
Timeframe: 24 days
I’m an associate updates editor at NBC Select, where I’ve been covering product categories like home and kitchen, wellness and fitness, and pets for over five years. For this article, I compiled a list of the best Advent calendars of 2024, including highly rated options and those the NBC Select staff tested. Most Advent calendars are from brands we’ve previously covered.
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