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Oct 14, 2024

The 63 best Advent calendars for the 2024 holiday season | CNN Underscored

Reader favorite: Bonne Maman 2024 Limited-Edition Advent Calendar For the wine lover: WSJ Wine Advent Calendar For kids and adults alike: Lego Friends Advent Calendar For the puzzle lover: Galison

Reader favorite: Bonne Maman 2024 Limited-Edition Advent Calendar

For the wine lover: WSJ Wine Advent Calendar

For kids and adults alike: Lego Friends Advent Calendar

For the puzzle lover: Galison Michael Storrings 12 Days of Christmas Advent Puzzle Calendar

For the beauty obsessed: Beekman 1802 There's No Place Like Home Advent Calendar

A cherished Christmas tradition, Advent calendars add to the excitement and anticipation of the holiday season. Whether you opt for a 12- or 24-day calendar, opening up different numbered doors, flaps or drawers in the days leading up to Christmas helps build anticipation, no matter your age. Over the years, those treats have evolved to include everything from chocolates to tiny pots of jam to beauty products galore.

These days, there’s an Advent calendar for every person on your Christmas list: the traditionalist, the coffee enthusiast, your pets and, of course, lots of options for kids. Even though the choices seem endless, Advent calendars sell out fast, so make sure to get the one you want well ahead of the yuletide season.

We rounded up the best Advent calendars to buy right now, and ordering soon means you’ll have your calendar with plenty of time to spare before Dec. 1. Save the stress for gift shopping and snag your Advent calendar early this year!

Wrapped in festive foils and packaged in a cardboard Christmas village, Madelaine's Swiss-made milk chocolates are a treat for sweet tooths.

Santa’s gift train takes front and center in this year’s Bonne Maman calendar. It features 24 mini spreads and new flavors reminiscent of the season, like caramel with coffee, as well as sweet and citrusy options like apricot and orange blossom, plus guava, raspberry and rose. This one sells out often, so we recommend snagging yours ASAP.

The garden theme goes beyond the packaging for this decadent chocolate Advent calendar. Floral tones are found throughout the treats, like a raspberry rose bite, a honey lavender flavor and more.

Enjoy six different varieties of Walker's sweets in the brand's Advent calendar this year. You'll snack on salted caramel squares, chocolate chip variations and, of course, Walker's classic shortbread cookies.

Open up the windows of this calendar to reveal the brand’s famous peppermint bark in all sorts of holiday shapes, from snowmen to toy soldiers. It makes a great gift for anyone with a sweet tooth.

Each drawer in this sweet calendar is filled with four pieces of candy, so there’s plenty to share (or keep it all to yourself, like our home and gifts editor Amina Lake Abdelrahman has been doing). Enjoy gummy candies like Sparkling Stars and Holiday Hearts plus classic chocolate treats like peppermint bark cookies and red apple caramels.

Godiva packed this year's Advent calendar with 24 different dark, milk and white chocolates to enjoy each day in the lead up to Christmas.

From Santa gummies to marshmallow trees, this adorably festive box from Dylan's Candy Bar holds 24 holiday sweets. With a colorful design, fun tree shape and unbeatable price, this Advent calendar is full of joyful and delicious surprises.

Dandelion Chocolate’s calendar has chocolates and sweets from 15 different states — and a Canadian province! Each treat is totally unique, ranging from ganache to candied citrus to spiced caramel. We love that you can even order the calendar “for two” and get two of each sweet to share.

Skip the grocery store hot chocolate in favor of this luxurious Advent calendar that comes with 24 single-serve sachets of fancy hot chocolate. "Sipping chocolate is one of my favorite ways to enjoy the cold months in Europe, but with this Advent calendar, I can do that minus the pricey plane ticket," Michelle Rae Uy, Underscored's testing and updates writer, says. "I love sampling the fall and winter flavors like Pumpkin Spice and Peppermint Bark, but I also can’t get enough of the Salted Caramel and Clementine."

One of the sleekest options we’ve seen, Harry & David’s Advent calendar is stocked with dark chocolate truffles, white chocolate candy cane truffles and more. The best part is this calendar is designed to last. You can refill the 25 drawers next year with new treats and enjoy it all over again.

Heilemann Confiserie’s gourmet chocolates are crafted in a charming Alpine village just outside Munich. The elegant box holds 24 milk chocolate figures, including St. Nick, snowman, train, angel, bicycle, teddy bear, hippo and penguin shapes.

Heat up the holidays with a dozen hot sauces! This fiery collection features a 1.75-ounce hot sauce hidden behind each door, ranging from sweet (Pineapple Papaya BBQ) to wildly spicy (Habanero Evil).

Cozy up by the fire, put on your favorite holiday movie and enjoy a bowl of freshly popped popcorn from this Advent calendar. It comes with both kernels and seasonings (think white cheddar, buttery jalapeño and more) for the ultimate snacking experience.

Obsessed with chili crisp? Us too. That's why we're eyeing Fly By Jing's Advent calendar this year, which is filled with 12 mini jars of its spicy sauces, including brand-new flavors.

Desserts like vanilla shortbread cookies and milk chocolate peppermint truffles await inside the drawers of this pre-stuffed wood Advent calendar. If you love the idea of an Advent calendar that can be kept for years but fret you’ll run out of energy to actually fill it, this option is a win-win. Plus, the winter scene is backlit, giving it an extra-homey look.

Stocked with 24 mini bottles of wines from Italy, South Africa, Argentina and more, In Good Taste’s editor-loved calendar is ideal for the at-home sommelier. Varieties range from a light sauvignon blanc to a dark and adventurous Italian Montepulciano.

Read our review

Rachel Quigley, Underscored's managing editor, tested this wine Advent calendar out for our team. "I love the festive box the calendar comes in, as it really puts you in the holiday spirit," she says. "Each mini bottle is a generous serving of wine (187 milliliters) and offers an array of dry whites, rich and fruity reds, even a rosé and prosecco. What I love most is that no wine is repeated, so there is such a diverse variety that I've been able to expand my list of favorites due to trying grapes I would never normally go for."

Bourbon lovers will get right into the holiday spirit with Woodford Reserve’s Advent calendar. Even though it doesn’t actually come with spirits, it’s filled with the essentials you need to craft creative cocktails, including individual portions of artisanal mixers and barrel-aged bitters from the mixology experts at Woodford Reserve.

Related article The 29 best gifts for wine lovers in 2024, according to experts

Hoppy holidays is right! This calendar features beers from small breweries around the US and includes tasting notes, so you know exactly what you’re drinking. You’ll also have access to interactive beer tastings through exclusive livestreams if you’re looking to take it to the next level. (Don't forget to check out the rest of our favorite gifts for beer lovers.)

Everybody gets a new pair of socks with Happy Socks’ Advent calendar stuffed with 24 pairs of the brand’s signature colorful footwear.

The only thing better than an Advent calendar filled with jewelry is an Advent calendar filled with personalized jewelry! Abbott Lyon's Advent calendar is filled with pieces designed to layer and mix and match, and can be customized with the initial and birthstones of your choice.

Related article 11 Underscored editors share the jewelry pieces they wear on repeat

ChapStick lovers rejoice! ChapStick’s 12 Days Holiday Advent Calendar features seasonal favorites like Sugar Cookie and Candy Cane as well as old standards like Classic Strawberry and Classic Original.

Totally revamp your makeup routine with this worthwhile Advent calendar. A great gift for the beauty lover in your life, it stocks both mini and full-sized products. Here's a sneak peek of what's inside: hair accessories, lip liners, a travel mirror and more.

Enjoy 12 days of sweet-smelling lip balms. This Burt's Bees Advent calendar gifts the brand's famous beeswax-based formulas. Think special seasonal flavors, like Cranberry Spritz, Shortbread Cookie, Mint Cocoa, Vanilla Bean and more.

Treat them to 24 days of sumptuous French skin care products with L'Occitane's classic Advent calendar, which features sample-size lotions, fragrance and hair care products.

Bath bombs are great, but shower steamers are much more practical. (Who has time to sit in the tub these days?) This gift box from Uncommon Goods comes with 24 shower steamers in holiday-inspired scents, thanks to essential oils like peppermint, fir tree, rosemary and clove.

There are 27 products in this 24-day calendar (hello, bonus items!), including six full-sized picks. Products range from skin care to hair care to makeup, and the calendar comes in a super cute suitcase-style box.

Get some new goodies for your beauty bag and a new storage container for all your faves! The mini grocery cart it comes in is very cute, not to mention convenient. You’ll find a range of Benefit products in here, from mascaras and brow products to highlighters and setting sprays.

For a luxurious beauty experience, this 12-day Advent calendar from La Mer introduces you to the brand with a full cleansing and skin care routine. It even comes with a couple lippies for a well-rounded routine.

Related article 19 beauty splurges that are totally worth their price, according to experts

Jam-packed with over $1,600 worth of beauty products, the Liberty London Advent calendar is a true standout. It comes with 28 products, including full- and travel-size creams, serums, perfumes and more.

You're in luck: 24 hair care, skin care, bath and body items await behind the doors of this colorful and winter-themed Advent calendar. It's packed with everything from small lotions to face wash (for less than $100!).

Some of the doors of this beauty Advent calendar hold more than one find. It actually has 40 different products inside, including 19 full-sized products. It's filled with goodies from top brands you know and love like 111Skin, Summer Fridays and more.

The Beekman 1802 calendar not only comes with fun beauty products to try, there's also a keepsake holiday storybook inside to add to the countdown fun. There are 16 full-sized products as part of the 24 days of gifts to open.

With finds ranging from lip glosses to eye pencils and makeup sponges, you'll be ready for a full night of glam. There are some mini products and some full-sized options for a good mix of options.

We got hands-on with this Advent calendar from Dermalogica, and it's packed with goodies for the skin care obsessed. Three full-sized products, four travel-sized products and 17 trial-sized products let you experiment with a wide range of options from the brand's lineup. It's a reasonably sized box to keep out during the holiday season — if you're patient enough to open one box a day.

Open the drawers of this Advent calendar first thing in the morning and enjoy one of the unique loose-leaf teas inside. Flavors like sweet cinnamon, chamomile mint citrus, Tulsi ginger and more await your morning routine throughout the holidays.

Flip open 24 cards to reveal an assortment of both classic and signature tea bags. An Amazon bestseller, the tea Advent calendar has rave reviews, including from one shopper who wrote: "This was one of the most exciting treats I had ordered for myself in a long time."

If you find you need that extra pep in your step during the busy holiday season, this K-Cup Advent calendar will keep you buzzing right up until Christmas morning! The star topper can be personalized and the tree-shaped wooden calendar frame can be reused year after year — just fill it with your favorite K-Cups.

Herbal blends, classic green teas and other spiced flavors fill this tea advent calendar. You'll get two bags of the twelve different blends to enjoy and start your morning right. If you have allergies you'll want to note this tea blend calendar contains peanuts and gluten.

This treat-filled Advent calendar includes an assortment of Himalayan Dog Chew’s bestselling products in holiday flavors like pumpkin and sweet potato.

Little dogs have big needs, including treats that are safe for their smaller systems to handle. SmartBones created this Advent calendar filled with easy-to-digest chicken treats in holiday shapes like candy canes.

Treat Fluffy and Fido to a selection of locally sourced, all-natural, human-grade, handmade dog treats, including 12 dog bones, eight dog truffles and four dog macarons.

Related article The 14 best dog Advent calendars your furry friend will love

Puzzles are a classic winter activity, so ensure you have one on deck for each night leading up to the holidays with this Advent calendar. For each of the 12 days of Christmas, there's an 80-piece puzzle depicting the holiday season in places all over the world.

Needlework lovers will adore this activity-based Advent calendar that guides them through a new design to stitch every day from the first of December to the 25th. The easy-to-follow instructions are welcoming to newbies, and with 12 different stitches, it also offers experienced needlers a chance to learn new techniques.

Papier's calendar has a plethora of office supplies you didn't know you needed. A stamp set, notebook, frame, highlighters and more can be unwrapped and added to your WFH setup.

Add a spark to the holiday season with Voluspa’s candle Advent calendar that features 2.5-ounce votives in 12 signature Japonica Collection fragrances.

You’ll have to fill the drawers in this whimsical, statement piece of an Advent calendar, but you can reuse it year after year and seamlessly integrate it into your holiday decor. The LED light embellishments will have the train twinkling under your tree.

For the puzzle and magazine enthusiast, this Advent calendar comes with 24 mini holiday-themed puzzles to piece together. Each finished puzzle depicts a different "The New Yorker" cover you won't want to take apart.

Is it the most expensive Advent calendar on our list? Yes. But, you'll be able to hang Swarovski's gorgeous crystal ornaments on your tree each year after you've opened it. The ornaments follow a wintery theme and come with ribbons to hang them with.

This personalized Advent calendar countdown stocking can be reused year after year to create a wonderful family holiday tradition. The 24 individual pockets can be filled with candy, treats and trinkets.

Recommended for ages 6 and up, the Lego Friends calendar comes with 272 pieces to build characters, pets, toys and more. It’s fun for the whole family while you get into the holiday spirit.

Read our review

Children can put their scientific caps when unwrapping this Nat Geo calendar. It's filled with gemstones so little geologists in training can identify rocks and collect them in the included storage pouch. Curious minds can keep the fun rolling with this on-sale science experiment Advent calendar.

Anyone who loves the magical franchise will get a kick out of this Lego set. Deck the Great Hall with Hogwarts house memorabilia and holiday feasts.

If your kid is crazy for science, this Crazy Scientist Advent Calendar is the perfect way to delight them. The calendar is filled with 25 experiment boxes and a guidebook that provides instructions on how to perform each experiment.

Play-Doh's Advent calendar takes the interactive nature of countdown calendars up a notch. It features two tear-off playmats with snowman and gingerbread scenes that can be filled in with each day's can of Play-Doh.

Kids who celebrate Hanukkah can get in on the countdown fun with this set of eight 48-piece mini puzzles, one for each night of the holiday. Designed for ages 4 and up, each puzzle in the set depicts dogs lighting a menorah, making latkes (yum!) and more.

Get ready to say, “Hi, Barbie!” every day leading up to Christmas! Safe for ages 3 through 7, this Barbie Advent calendar comes with its own 12-inch doll, clothes and accessories.

If you’re looking for an Advent calendar for a younger Barbie lover, Fisher-Price’s Little People Barbie Advent Calendar is safe for ages 18 months to 5 years.

Rather than opening a bunch of trinkets that will get overshadowed by gifts, Mickey & Friends’ calendar opens up to reveal the famous mouse’s favorite traditions with his friends. You’ll find recipes for cookies, a 3D tree to add ornaments and memories to and more.

Little hands love Hot Wheels cars, and this Advent calendar adds some holiday magic to their usual toys. There are 24 doors to open, and the calendar comes with eight Hot Wheels and 16 winter-themed accessories, like a tree to clip on the roof!

Lego Advent calendars are classic family fun, and your little one will love putting this one together. Designed for ages 5 and up, this calendar includes a Mrs. Claus figure, a Santa figure and more.

You can give your kids this task-oriented calendar and they'll end up with a full train set to play with. The 12-day calendar includes everything to build a track, train cars and even an electronic motor. The Advent calendar is recommended for ages 7 and up.

Read our review

Read our review