September has just arrived and temperatures are still pretty high, but searches for Advent calendars are already increasing each week, according to Google Trends. Believe it or not, there are only 80 days until the first day of Advent (which is when you would start to open your calendars).
That can only mean one thing: The holiday season is right around the corner! (Or, if you’re like us, it’s already begun.) Soon, it’ll be time to stock up on matching pajamas, secure the perfect gifts for everyone in your family, hunker down with hot cocoa and reveal all of the goodies that await in your Advent calendars.
Advent calendars have exploded in popularity over the past few years, and now there are so many on the shelves that it can be overwhelming! To help make things easier for you, we’ve compiled a comprehensive list of the best Advent calendars across styles, budgets and ages (including a few that have the Shop TODAY seal of approval). Plus, lifestyle expert Meredith Sinclair stopped by Jenna & Friends to highlight some of her favorite advent calendars for everyone on your list.
For the puzzle obsessed$24.99$26.99
Advent calendars available for pre-order
This isn’t your typical Advent calendars. Built for the little bookworm in your life, this one is in the form of a book where you reveal a new chapter each day. It’ll keep kids on the edge of their seats as they try to figure out the mysterious happenings around Elliot’s family’s reindeer farm.
You can pre-order now before it’s completely available on September 29. And if you want to get the rest of the family involved in the book-style Advent calendar fun, there are also romance and thriller versions.
Their hearts might grow three sizes when they open their way through this Grinch-themed holiday countdown calendar. Awaiting behind every door are a variety of treats that Whovillians can’t get enough of — twisty caramels and gummy rings and stars, to start.
This Advent calendar will ship when it’s available as the weather starts to cool down.
Perfect for Dad or the DIY-er in your life, this Advent calendar from Craftsman is filled with various tools and even a carrying case to store them all in! They will begin shipping on October 1.
Pickle lovers, rejoice! This Advent calendar is loaded with 12 days of pickle-themed goodies including snacks, sweets, seasonings and sauces. If pickles aren’t your thing, you can also find bacon-, jerky- and hot sauce-themed calendars on the site.
The brand says it will ship in late October.
This Advent calendar brings a playful twist to everyone’s favorite holiday movies. Each day, indulge in a bite inspired by the classics like “The Polar Express,” “Miracle on 34th Street,” and “It’s a Wonderful Life.”
The brand says it will ship in mid-November.
Several Shop TODAY editors are fans of Fly by Jing and are especially excited for this 24-day iteration of their ever popular 12-day Advent calendar. This one is loaded with not just the brand’s most popular spices, it also includes never-launched-before holiday blends, beloved spices that have been discontinued and even some homegoods. They will ship by the end of October.
In Good Taste’s wine-filled Advent calendar sells out every year and for good reason. It’s filled with 24 mini bottles in a variety of whites, reds and rosés, each perfectly portioned for a single serving at just over 6 ounces. As someone who’s really started paying attention to the wine I’m drinking and where it’s from in the past year, I’m personally very excited about this one! It will start shipping in October.
Each box — adorned with a lyric from “The 12 Days of Christmas” carol displayed — contains a different sweet treat, from popcorn to chocolate-covered cherries, truffles and more. Shipping will begin on October 26.
This year, Harry & David is taking their Advent calendar game to the next level with 12 days of Christmas wine. Each day holds a full 750 ml bottle of wine, varying from crisp Chardonnays to lively rosés. It’s perfect for the seemingly endless hosting that happens throughout the holidays or for the person who just wants to expand their wine palate.
It will start shipping on September 28.
Some Advent calendars are so beautiful, the treat is just getting to look at it every day. This is one of those Advent calendars. This gorgeous structure made of handpainted wood has little refillable boxes that line the bottom of this picturesque Aspen village that you can put your family’s favorite treats in year after year.
Best beauty Advent calendars
Inside of this budget-friendly beauty Advent calendar, you’ll find a small pack of makeup-removing wipes, a hydrogel sheet mask, a mini cleansing mask, a hand cream, a lip sleeping mask, a water gel cream and a pack of pimple patches.
Elizabeth Arden is a brand that transcends generations. This year, for the first time ever, they’re getting into the Advent calendar game! Inside, you’ll find their signature capsule serums (including their brand new Advanced Gold Ceramide Capsules Daily Youth Restoring Serum), mascara, moisturizer and more.
Give (yourself or someone else) the gift of the perfect blowout with this Advent calendar that comes with nearly everything you need to get there. It comes with travel-sized versions of six of the brand’s bestsellers, including the Triple Sec 3-in-1 finishing spray and Detox dry shampoo.
You know Advent calendar season has truly begun when Charlotte Tilbury drops hers! A surprise awaits inside each drawer, ranging from beauty tools and makeup bags to full-sized versions of your favorite products!
Best food and drink Advent calendars
Spruce up your morning coffee with this 12-day surprise set of pods from Keurig. It’s the perfect way to experiment with new and different flavors, without having to commit to an entire box of it.
Whether they like pairing shortbread with their morning tea or evening scotch or just like to savor it solo, Walker’s Shortbread’s classic countdown will please any kind of cookie lover. While its approach is traditional by today’s Advent calendar standards (the biggest surprise is the shortbread shape behind each door), you’ll feel good knowing each day will be a guaranteed treat.
“If you’re a shortbread fan, you know that Walker’s is pretty much the best you can get on the market,” says Bender. “I, like many, grew up with the perfectly buttery, slightly crumbly cookie, so eating through this Advent calendar is like taking a 24-day trip down memory lane for me.”
For the avid tea drinker in your life, you can’t go wrong with one of Tea Forte’s beloved Advent calendars. Several editors are fans of the brand’s blends. The winter chai is a personal favorite of mine that you’ll find behind one of these doors!
If you want to try something new with your morning cup of joe, opt for this general Advent calendar from Keurig. It contains pods from several brands, including Lavazza, La Colombe, Caribou Coffee, Cinnabon, McCafe, The Original Donut Shop and more.
If you like to experiment with new recipes in the kitchen, this Advent calendar is perfect for you. Inside each of the 12 boxes is a recipe card and the spice samples you need to make it, all stored inside a keepsake tin that you can use to hold the rest of your most coveted recipes.
Bonne Maman’s Advent calendar is beloved by our editors every year. It’s filled with 24 mini jars of jams in various flavors such as caramel with salted butter, strawberry with Madagascar vanilla and raspberry with dark chocolate.
“I was first introduced to the Gearharts Chocolate team at Fancy Food Show earlier this year, where they provided me with a taste of their incredibly bright blueberry milk chocolate bar. That mouthful left me wanting more and they surely delivered with their special assortment lingering in their Advent calendar!” says deputy managing editor Jess Bender. “I’ve had several writers and editors of the team take samples as they visit my office and it’s only been raves across the board, from the rich gold and evergreen packaging with classic nods to the holidays to the irresistible bites hiding behind each day. While I won’t spoil what’s inside, there’s several confections that’ll surprise and delight (like this dark chocolate earl grey treat that’ll please every kind of tea obsessive).”
Who doesn’t love “The Nutcracker” at the holidays? Compartes has designed an Advent calendar that displays the festive motif and is filled with fun flavors such as sugar plum, chestnut praline, black forest gateau and poached pear.
Dandelion Chocolate always puts out gorgeous Advent calendars and this year is no different. It’ll be a perfect centerpiece for any holiday get together or just something pretty for you to look at and enjoy each day.
Best puzzle Advent calendars
This Advent calendar contains 12 mini puzzles (42 pieces each) that all join together in the end to create one large 500-piece puzzle! The mini jigsaws are so fun to put together with the family or build solo as you sip your morning coffee or unwind before bed, Brach says. The larger image depicts what the brand describes as a “cozy and merry living room scene.”
Take your paint-by-numbers hobby to a new level with this Advent calendar. Included is 24 days worth of holiday-themed outlines to fill in, from a Christmas tree to ornaments, gifts and more.
This puzzle calendar contains a dozen 80-piece mini-puzzles. Each puzzle is 5-by-7 inches when completed (so you can do it on your coffee table) and shows how a different country around the world celebrates Christmas. These are so fun to do with the family or solo — it took one of our editors under an hour to complete.
For the person who’s always got their head in a book, a reading-themed gift is probably your best bet. Luckily, this Advent calendar is designed just for them. Inside the pocket for each day, they’ll uncover fun (and practical) knick knacks such as magnetic bookmarks, stickers, ornaments and more.
“I’m gifting my mom one of this brand’s puzzles this year, but thought their Advent calendar looked pretty cool, too!” says associate editor Lauren Witonsky. “Each day, you’ll get to complete a mini puzzle (that eventually becomes one large puzzle to be put together on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day). Plus, these aren’t your average puzzle pieces! They have ‘whimsical’ shapes included to make it even more challenging.”
Best Advent calendars for kids, babies and teens
In each box, you’ll find the supplies needed to create a new little craft everyday. It’s perfect for kids who like to get creative or for adults who want something fun-yet-simple to help them wind down after work. Either way, it’s something the whole family will enjoy.
From a holiday ham to a holiday lights, each ornament in this Advent calendar includes a set of googly eyes and a witty comment.
The kids will love kicking off the holidays with this Lego Advent calendar filled with seasonal mini builds, a variety of characters and a built-in playmat that will serve as the backdrop for playtime.
If they’re all about experimenting...well, everywhere, they’ll love this Advent calendar that has 24 days’ worth of fun. Each day, they’ll try (and learn) something new!
Brach says this is a great creative gift for kids, grandkids and more to kickstart the holiday season and keep them entertained all month long. Each day for 25 days, you’ll find a mini kit with instructions and felt stickers to put together a new craft. The felt backs are adhesive, so no glue is required and there’s no mess! Plus, the completed crafts double as soft, kid-friendly ornaments, so you can put them on the tree together each day.
Each day of this 12-day calendar contains a little mechanical toy that little ones can build, with kid-tested instructions so they’re easy to follow. Hang them up as decorations in your house or use them as ornaments for the tree, Brach suggests.
“Each toy moves and does something different, and your child will be building skills while they’re making these toys,” Brach says. “If you’ve got a little engineer at home, this calendar is perfect for them!”
More Advent calendars to shop
Don’t be a cottonheaded ninnymuggins and miss the opportunity to gift your favorite elf with this Advent calendar, which gives them the chance to be surprised with 25 accessories based off the movie.
Meat and vegetable treats, oh my! Your furry friend will think every day is a holiday with the treats included within this Advent calendar from DreamBone.
This Advent calendar was a huge hit with my pup last year and I’m looking forward to getting her one for this year again! Inside, you’ll find 16 dog treats and eight plush toys. There were so many that we shared with some of the other dogs we knew around the neighborhood so everyone got in on the fun!
Fans of Dungeons and Dragons can ring in the season with this holiday dice set that’s designed to add a little winter whimsy to your next DnD match. I have gifted one of these to my husband in year’s past and he looked forward to revealing what was waiting for him each day.
Papier’s 24 Day Advent calendar is always a hit and this year, they’ve come out with a 12-day option! If you love cute stationery, you’ll want to stop here. Each day, you’ll reveal adorable (and practical) surprises such as thank you cards, mini notebooks, paper clips and sticky tabs, among other things.
Meet the experts
Our team features a range of qualified experts and contributors in our broadcast segments to reveal the latest in trends, remarkable sale events and all things shopping across a variety of categories. Products were independently chosen by members of the Shop TODAY team along with Adrianna Brach.
- Adrianna Brach is the editorial director at Shop TODAY, with over a decade of experience as an editor covering beauty, fashion and shopping.
- Meredith Sinclair is a lifestyle expert and frequent contributor on TODAY.
- Shop TODAY is a team of shopping editors and writers who spend hours every day finding the best new products, tried-and-true favorites and more that are worth shopping, according to our high standards.
How we chose the best Advent calendars
The Shop TODAY editors and writers search the internet to find the best Advent calendars to jumpstart your countdown to the holidays. We comb through customer reviews and even use our own personal experiences to make shopping easier for our readers.
As an editorial team, we independently create content and determine coverage based on research, reporting and what we think TODAY.com readers would like to read about. The goal of our content is to provide a service and inform readers who are on the hunt for the latest products to help make their life better. Items are sold by retailer, not TODAY. Pricing and availability are accurate as of publish time.
Don’t forget to check out Shop TODAY’s other gift guides to find the best Advent calendar for every person in your life, including kids, beauty lovers and more.
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