Advent Calendars for Adults, Kids and Pets, and When to Buy Them
By the Giftruly editorsUpdated 25 hand-picked ideas
An advent calendar is the only Christmas present with a deadline before Christmas. It has to be in someone's hands by December 1, which means buying it in November, when most people haven't even started their Christmas list. Leave it too late and the good ones are gone, or the calendar turns up with three doors already overdue.
It's worth the planning: a calendar is twenty-four small gifts instead of one, and a daily reason to think of whoever gave it. Once a chocolate-only treat for children, calendars now hold coffee, tea, puzzles, tools, earrings, skincare and dog biscuits, and the ones below are grouped by who they suit, ending with the kind you fill yourself. Not sure which suits your person? Tell the gift finder what they do every day and it will point you somewhere sensible.
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Where to start
When to buy, and why November matters
Most advent calendars have 24 doors, one for each day from December 1 to Christmas Eve; a few have a 25th for Christmas Day, and some 12-day versions cover only the final stretch. Stores start stocking them as early as September, and the popular ones (LEGO, Pokémon, well-known beauty brands) often sell out in November. A good rule is to buy by mid-November and have it in hand, or at the recipient's door, by about November 25. That leaves a margin for slow deliveries.
If you're mailing a calendar to someone else, add the shipping time on top, and remember that heavy calendars full of jars travel slowly. If you're making your own, block out a weekend in late November to shop for and wrap 24 small things; it always takes longer than expected.
A door for the morning coffee or evening tea
The calendars adults enjoy most attach to something they already do every day: the first coffee, the evening tea, the moment the house goes quiet. The door becomes part of the routine, and the routine gets a little better for twenty-four days.
- 1
Coffee Advent Calendar
~$45
Check the format before you buy: pods only work in the matching machine, while drip bags need nothing but a kettle and a mug. Behind each door is a different coffee, so the first cup of every December morning becomes a small tasting, and the coffee drinker may find a new favorite to buy in January.
- 2
Loose Leaf Tea Advent Calendar
~$40
Evenings in December get a new pot of tea each night, often a mix of black, green, herbal and spiced winter blends. It's the gentlest kind of calendar, and a good one for a mother, an aunt or a friend who winds down with a cup. If they don't own an infuser, add one, or choose a calendar that uses pyramid bags.
- 3
Hot Chocolate Advent Calendar
~$30
One mug after dinner, shared out among the household, is how a family uses this: a different mix or cocoa bomb each day, from classic milk to mint or salted caramel. It suits almost any age, which makes it a strong choice for grandparents or for a home with older kids.
- 4
Candle Advent Calendar
~$40
Avoid it for anyone sensitive to fragrance, or a home where a cat walks along every shelf. Otherwise, twenty-four scented tealights or small votives, one to light each evening, make a calm countdown for someone who already loves candles, and nothing is left to store in January.
Kids counting down to Christmas
For children, the calendar is the countdown itself, and the door matters more than what's behind it. The best ones give them something to do, read or build, not only something to eat. Check the age range on the box, especially for small parts.
- 5~$40
LEGO Advent Calendar
Several themes come out each year, from LEGO City to Star Wars, so ask which one they collect. A mini build or minifigure each day.
LEGO Fansfun - 6~$40
Pokemon Advent Calendar
Contents change every year, so read the box: some hold small figures, others trading cards. A sure hit with a Pokémon fan.
GamersAnime Fansfun - 7~$30
Hot Wheels Advent Calendar
Twenty-four mornings, twenty-four little cars. Younger car fans will still be racing them across the kitchen floor at Easter.
Car Loversfun - 8~$25
Charm Bracelet Advent Calendar
By Christmas the beads and charms add up to a bracelet she made herself, which she'll want to wear on the 25th.
Jewelry LoversArtists & Craftersfun - 9~$25
Storybook Advent Calendar
Unwrapped and read at bedtime, one small Christmas book a night. Best for children young enough to be read to.
Book Loverscozy - 10~$30
Science Advent Calendar for Kids
Keep an adult nearby for the messier days. Each door is a small experiment, from growing crystals to color changes.
Science Nerdsfun - 11~$20
Chocolate Advent Calendar
Cheap, traditional and in every supermarket: a good add-on for each child in the house alongside a bigger calendar.
Chocolate Loversfun
Hobbies, puzzles and pampering
Hobby calendars suit people who are otherwise hard to buy for, because each door is something they'll actually use. They cost more than food calendars, so think of them as a main gift that arrives in installments.
- 12
Jigsaw Puzzle Advent Calendar
~$35
Clear a corner of a table for December. Each day's numbered bag of pieces adds to a single picture that nobody sees until Christmas Eve, which is the whole fun for a puzzler who usually studies the box lid first.
- 13
Escape Room Advent Calendar
~$28
Two or more people solving it together get the most out of it: each door holds a riddle that builds toward one mystery by Christmas Eve. Good for a couple, a pair of friends or a family with teenagers. Most can be played only once, so it suits people who enjoy the solving more than keeping the object.
- 14
Tool Advent Calendar
~$60
Compare what's inside before buying, since the good ones are full of bits, sockets and screwdrivers rather than stickers and keychains. Several tool brands make them, and by Christmas the doors add up to a complete small kit. It's the calendar for a handy father-in-law who would never choose a chocolate one.
- 15
Fishing Lure Advent Calendar
~$40
Ask someone who fishes with them whether they fish fresh or salt water; calendars are usually made for one or the other. Lures, jigs and small tackle behind each door keep an angler thinking about the first trip of spring all through December.
- 16
Jewelry Advent Calendar
~$40
Expect fashion jewelry rather than fine metals at this price, and check that the earrings suit pierced ears if that's what they wear. Rings, studs, necklaces and bracelets appear one door at a time, a good match for a teenager or a friend who changes their earrings daily.
- 17
Beauty Advent Calendar with Skincare Minis
~$90
Read the published contents list before you pay, because these are among the most expensive calendars and quality varies widely. Travel-size skincare, makeup and bath products let someone try new brands without buying full sizes, and the best-known ones sell out early.
Pantry and bar cart
Beer, wine and spirits calendars are popular, but they can't be shipped like ordinary goods and Amazon US doesn't sell them; look for them at liquor stores, warehouse clubs and some supermarkets from October, and buy early. The calendars below can be ordered anywhere and suit adults who like food and drink.
18.Jam Advent Calendar ~$45
Breakfast gets a new flavor each morning, and the small jars are handy for picnics and lunchboxes for months afterward.
19.Hot Sauce Advent Calendar ~$45
The bottles usually get hotter as Christmas approaches, so the last week is a dare. A fridge-door full for a spice fan.
20.Cocktail Infusion Advent Calendar ~$45
Dried fruit, botanicals and spices to infuse a spirit or garnish a drink. The alcohol isn't included, so it ships anywhere.
The dog and the cat
Pet calendars are cheap, cheerful and secretly for the humans, who enjoy the ritual as much as the animal does. They make a good extra gift for a friend whose dog or cat comes up in every conversation.
- 21~$15
Dog Advent Calendar
Keep the box out of reach; dogs can smell what's inside. Check the treats against any allergies first.
Dog Loversfun - 22~$12
Cat Advent Calendar
Within a few days the cat learns the routine and starts reminding everyone at breakfast. Treats, sometimes a toy.
Cat Loversfun
Make your own advent calendar
A calendar you fill yourself is the most personal kind. In Germany and Austria, where advent calendars have a long tradition, plenty of people make one every year for a partner or friend. You choose every door, so it can be built around one person: their favorite sweets, short notes, a photo for each year you've known them, a coupon for a walk together, tiny things for their hobby.
Plan it like a menu. Mix cheap and slightly special things, put the best ones on weekends and Christmas Eve, and make some doors about time rather than things. Budget roughly $2 to $5 a day; the frame is the only real expense, and the wooden kind gets reused every year.
- Our favorite23
Reusable Wooden Advent Calendar
~$45
Measure the drawers before you shop for fillings; some fit little more than a chocolate and a folded note. A wooden house, tree or cabinet with 24 numbered drawers becomes part of a family's December decorations, and children remember opening the same little drawers year after year.
- 24
Fill-Your-Own Felt Advent Calendar
~$22
Hung low on a wall, its pockets are within reach of small children, who can find each day's surprise themselves. A fabric calendar is light, folds flat for storage and holds slightly bigger items than most wooden drawers, so small toys and socks fit.
- 25
Advent Calendar Boxes to Fill
~$14
String the boxes on a ribbon, pile them in a basket or line them up on a shelf. Twenty-four kraft-paper boxes or bags with number stickers are the cheapest way to build a one-off calendar for a single person, filled with their favorite candy, a tea bag, a note or a photo.
Shop this guide by price
Under $25
$25–$50
Advent calendar buying tips
Read the contents list before buying an expensive calendar; brands usually publish what's behind every door.
Match the calendar to a daily habit (coffee, tea, a bath, a puzzle) and it will get opened every single morning.
For a child, check the age range and whether the theme is the one they collect this year.
Mailing it? Ship it in a plain outer box, so nobody peeks at the doors before December.
Advent calendar questions
When should I buy an advent calendar?
In the first half of November, so it's ready before the first door on December 1. Popular calendars, including LEGO, Pokémon and beauty ones, often sell out before the end of the month.
When do you start an advent calendar?
Most calendars start on December 1 and have 24 doors, ending on Christmas Eve. Some have a 25th door for Christmas Day, and a few cover only the last 12 days before Christmas.
What are good advent calendars for adults?
Ones tied to a daily habit, like coffee, loose-leaf tea, hot chocolate or candles. Jigsaw, escape-room, tool, fishing and jewelry calendars suit people who are otherwise hard to buy for. Beer and wine calendars are sold in liquor stores and warehouse clubs rather than online.
What do you put in a homemade advent calendar?
A mix of small treats and personal touches: favorite sweets, tea bags, short notes, photos, coupons for time together and tiny hobby items. A few dollars a day keeps it affordable.