IE 11 is not supported. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser.

29 Advent calendars for everyone on your holiday shopping list

Advent calendars aren’t just filled with chocolate anymore. Shop options packed with wine, socks, Legos and more.
Advent calendars let you or your loved ones open mini presents leading up to the holidays, like jars of jam, DIY crafts, beauty products and more.
Advent calendars let you or your loved ones open mini presents leading up to the holidays, like jars of jam, DIY crafts, beauty products and more.Vivian Le / NBC

Traditionally, Advent calendars are designed to count down the days until Christmas. Some of the most 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 you can buy Advent calendars 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 cats and dogs.

Because Advent calendars are so popular around the holidays, we recommend purchasing models you have your eye on as early as possible — they tend to sell out as we get closer to Christmas and Hanukkah. Below, we rounded up a handful of Advent calendars you may want to gift yourself or your loved ones this season.

SKIP AHEAD Chocolate and food Advent calendars | Wine Advent calendars | Coffee and tea Advent calendars | Beauty and skin care Advent calendars | Unique Advent calendars | Dog Advent calendars | Cat Advent calendars

Selected.Our top picks

The best Advent calendars of 2023

To recommend the best Advent calendars, we included options across categories people tend to search for, like chocolate, wine and beauty. We also included some unique Advent calendars filled with products like socks, jam or candles to make sure there’s something for everyone on your shopping list.

Best chocolate and food Advent calendars

Godiva 2023 Holiday Classic Chocolate Advent Calendar

Gift someone or treat yourself to a Belgian chocolate classic with Godiva’s Deluxe Snowglobe Advent calendar, whose rich and decadent flavor profile is bound to impress. This limited edition mix of 24 milk, white and dark chocolate assortments features luxurious favorites, including ganache and praliné hearts, caramel embraces and more.

Bonne Maman 2023 Limited Edition Advent Calendar

A tiny jar of jam or honey is hidden behind each door of this Advent calendar, allowing you to try 24 different flavors throughout the month. Jams include unique varieties like Caramel with Cinnamon, Raspberry Chocolate and Lemon Yuzu, as well as more standard types like strawberry and raspberry.

Vahdam 24 Spices of Christmas Advent Calendar

Vadham’s spices — which the brand sent me to try — are some of my favorites to cook with. They’re fragrant, flavorful and come in beautiful gold tins I like to display in my kitchen. You can gift the chef in your life 24 of the brand’s spices with this Advent calendar. Cinnamon, cloves, onion powder, turmeric, black pepper powder and Himalayan pink sea salt are hidden behind doors, and you can add the spices to your favorite recipes as you open them.

Lakrids By Bülow Gourmet Licorice Advent Calendar

Lakrids by Bülow’s gourmet holiday gift box is perfect for the sweets lover in your life, with a 24-day supply of chocolate-coated licorice candy balls delivered from Denmark to their doorstep. These licorice candies are gluten- and gelatin-free and rolled in rice flour, creating an experience that even those with certain dietary restrictions can enjoy.

Venchi Holiday x Bannecker Prestige Advent Calendar

Venchi’s presence in more than 70 countries worldwide has earned them a prestigious reputation for their expertise in crafting gelato and chocolate. This festive limited edition box includes a 25-day assortment of Venchi's iconic chocolates, a must-have for your loved ones, especially those who enjoy the finer things in life.

Sugarfina Santa’s Candy Shop Tasting Collection 24 Piece Advent Calendar

This box from Sugarfina is a winner for those with a sweet tooth or for when you aren’t sure what kind of chocolate or candy your loved one likes best.  Enjoy a new treat for the 24 days leading up to Christmas with Santa’s Candy Shop Tasting Collection, including sweet and sour fruit gummies, candy cane caramels and the brand’s bestselling chocolate covered cookie dough bites. Plus, if you buy these in bulk to gift and spend $125, you can use code FREEADVENT to get one of these tasty Advent calendars for free.

Best wine Advent calendars

VineBox 12 Nights of Wine

VineBox offers three types of advent calendars, each of which is filled with multiple 100ml mini bottles of wine from regions like Italy, France and Sonoma — you can pour the bottles directly into a glass and sip. The Cozy Collection calendar comes with 12 red wines, the Chill Collection calendar comes with 12 white wines and the 24 Nights of Wine calendar comes with 24 red and white wines. Each calendar also comes with a wine guide to highlight tasting notes and pairing recommendations, as well as virtual tasting videos you can access by scanning the QR code on the package.

In Good Taste 2023 Wine Advent Calendar

Your loved ones can have a wine tasting in the comfort of their home with In Good Taste’s Advent calendar. It’s filled with 24 bottles of reds, whites and rosés, each of which holds 187ml of wine (equivalent to about ¼ of a traditional bottle of wine, according to the brand).  Wine comes from areas around the world like Portugal, California, France and Italy. You can also add a gift note at checkout.

Maker Wine 2023 Wine Advent Calendar

Since this wine comes in cans, there’s no need to pour it into a glass — just crack it open and sip. The Advent calendar includes 12 cans from different women- or minority-owned wineries, and you’ll get a mix of reds, whites, rosés and sparkling varieties. The wines are dry and made with zero grams of sugar, according to the brand. You can add a gift message if you’re shipping the Advent calendar directly to a loved one.

Best coffee and tea Advent calendars

Bean Box 12 Mornings of Coffee Advent Calendar

Wake up to a new type of coffee every morning for 12 days with this Advent calendar from Bean Box. The mini bags hidden inside come with enough beans or grounds to make up to six servings of coffee, and you can brew it with a French press, pour over, drip machine or reusable single-serve pod. Each coffee variety comes from a U.S. roaster and has different tasting notes, like roasted chestnut, gingerbread, figgy pudding and more.

Onyx Coffee Lab 2023 Coffee Advent Calendar

Onyx Coffee Lab’s coffee advent calendar allows you to taste roasts from across the world, like Costa Rica, Mexico, Kenya, Bolivia, Colombia and Burundi. There are 24 bags of whole beans packed inside, and can brew 24 ounces of coffee in total. You’ll receive daily videos that tell you more about the coffee so you can learn about where it comes from, how it’s produced and what flavor notes you might taste.

David’s Tea 24 Trips with Tea Advent Calendar

Not everyone needs a morning cup of joe — some people prefer starting their days with tea. This limited edition Advent calendar from David’s Tea will take you on a taste tour inspired by various regions and their traditions around the world, according to the brand. Enjoy 24 certified organic and vegan loose tea blends you can infuse for two cups of a hot or iced beverage daily. Flavors like Brazilian Maté, Japanese Sencha and Mint Everest are included.

Pukka Herbal Tea Advent Calendar

Pukka’s Advent calendar is filled with 24 tea bags instead of loose tea so you don’t need to use an infuser to brew each one. You’ll find a different flavor hidden behind each door, like earl grey, mint, chamomile, matcha, english breakfast and more. The tea bags are compostable once you’re done using them, according to the brand.

Tea Forte Winter Chalet 12 Days of Cozy Teas Advent Calendar

Tea Forte’s Winter Chalet Advent calendar includes various cozy teas that will make your tea connoisseur giftee steep with joy. The pyramid-shaped box contains an assortment of 12 teas, each of a different blend with both caffeine and caffeine-free options. It also features many bestsellers, including the brand’s award-winning herbal blueberry merlot tea and Moroccan mint tea.

Best beauty and skin care Advent calendars

ChapStick Holiday 12 Day Advent Calendar

ChapStick’s Advent calendar ensures you or your giftee has enough lip balm to prevent chapped skin in the year ahead. The calendar comes with 12 lip balms in flavors like Candy Cane, Sugar Cookie, Classic Cherry and more.

Alo Advent Calendar

Alo’s 24-day Advent calendar is a must for those who value mind-body wellness and discovering new go-to products, or for those days when you want to treat yourself. This Advent calendar is packed with a wide range of products, including lip balm, body lotion, face mist, glow oil and more. Select’s associate reporter Bianca Alvarez especially loves the half-crew socks, sweat-resistant towel, mini shine shampoo and conditioner and 1-year Alo Moves membership — a 2023 Select Wellness Award winner — that complete the box. “The best part in my opinion is that you not only get all these items, but each day comes with a mini motivational activity card to help you and your self-care journey,” Alvarez adds.

Fresh Advent Calendar Skincare Set

Keep the act of gift-giving fun and fresh with this self-care Advent calendar, filled with 24 days of to-go and full-size skin care surprises. Each drawer from this curated assortment features bestselling products across Fresh’s multiple collections, including hydrating lip treatments and face masks, serums, moisturizers and other indulgent products. This set is a great pick for the skin care-obsessed person in your life who may want to try Fresh’s more renowned products, including their highly-rated Soy Ph-balanced Hydrating Face Wash and Rose & Hyaluronic Acid Deep Hydration Moisturizer.


Nudestix 12 Days of Nudestix Advent Calendar

This limited edition 12-day Advent calendar from Nudestix is a makeup lover’s dream, filled with goodies from the brand’s skin care and makeup lines. Alvarez, who was sent this calendar to test,  says she and her family love “how universal and complementary the shades are on each of [their] complexions.” It includes a Citrus-C Mask & Daily Moisturizer and their top-rated Hydra-Peptide Lip Butter, which she loves because it “doesn’t  feel sticky and gives the impression of being a gloss without really being one.” She also adores the creamy Nudies Blush Stick in the shade Hot Fire, and recommends the Metallic Berry Nudes Mini Kit for beginners.

Best unique Advent calendars

Lego Friends Advent Calendar 2023

Give Lego lovers something to build each day leading up to the holiday season with this Advent calendar. Perfect for kids and pet lovers, packs of pieces are hidden behind each door, which you use to create different animals, mini characters, accessories and more. The calendar also comes with a pet playground playmat that you or your giftee can proudly display the festive Legos on.

Through the Window Puzzle Advent Calendar

Uncommon Goods is a great place to find unique gifts, and their puzzle Advent calendar is no exception. Solve a mini puzzle every day, each capturing a different family holiday tradition, with 24 thoughtfully illustrated mini jigsaw puzzles that can all fit together and create a festive scene of a cozy apartment building come Christmas Day. This puzzle could be a fun family or solo activity — possibly a new holiday tradition of your own.

Voluspa 12-Day Candle Advent Calendar

There are 11 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 from Voluspa’s Japonica Collection. You’ll also find a gold-plated wick trimmer inside. Candles give off fragrances like Spiced Pumpkin Latte, Santal Vanilla and White Cypress, and Forbidden Fig. Each one 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.

Williams Sonoma 24 Days of Baking Cookies Holiday Advent Calendar

This Advent calendar from William-Sonoma is one of the best gifts for bakers. You get to open an individually wrapped package for 24 days leading up to the holidays, and each contains cookie baking or decorating supplies. You get 16 cookie cutters like a gingerbread man, Christmas tree, snowflake and stars, as well as biscuit cutters. There’s also a sugar shaker, spatulas, piping bags and icing bottles inside, plus gift bags to pack the cookies in if you want to share them.

MacKenzie-Childs Holiday Farmhouse Advent Calendar

Instead of coming pre-filled, the compartments of MacKenzie-Childs’ Farmhouse Advent Calendar are empty so you can add your loved ones’ favorite treats inside. The numbered boxes face outward to begin with, and after you pull one out each day, you turn the box around so the illustration is on the outside. At the end, a farmhouse image is revealed. The Advent calendar is made from wood so you can reuse it year after year or pass it down through generations.

FabFitFun 12 Days of FabFitFun Advent Calendar

FabFitFun’s Advent calendar is all about self-care. It comes with skin care, beauty products and body care items from brands like Amika, Milk Makeup, Barefoot Dreams and Laniege. Some of the products you’ll find inside include a Lele Sadoughi headband, Marilyn Schiff studs and a Laura Geller makeup palette. You also get a seasonal FabFitFun membership included with your purchase — if you don’t want to pay the $59.99 quarterly fee, be sure to cancel after you receive the Advent calendar.

Waterdrop Advent Calendar

Drinking more water is something many people aim to work on, and it may be your or a loved one’s 2024 New Year’s resolution. Make hydrating more enjoyable with Waterdrop’s Advent calendar, which comes with a variety of the brand’s dissolvable tablets that add sugar-free flavor to water from plant and fruit extracts. There’s also hydration accessories inside the calendar, like a steel cup, reusable ice cubes, a bottle sleeve, a cleaning brush and more.

Best Advent calendars for dogs

Himalayan Dog Chew 24 Joyful Days Dog Advent Calendar

Your dog can get in on the Advent calendar fun with this option from Himalayan Dog Chew. It’s packed with 24 different types of treats in a variety of shapes and flavors. There are peanut butter bears, bacon cubes, chicken bites and cheese puffs, as well as multiple different types of cookies.

Bocce’s Bakery Advent Calendar

Show your furry friend  some TLC with this 12-day Advent calendar from Bocce’s Bakery. This collection features the brand’s top-rated minty brushy sticks for dental health and fresh breath and soft and chewy B-shaped treats that you can also shop in an incredible array of flavors. And these are treats that you can feel good about, because Bocce’s all-natural fruit and vegetable recipes are made with limited ingredients and without any artificial flavors, colors or fillers, according to the brand.

Best Advent calendars for cats

Petco Merry Makings 12-Day Catnip Advent Calendar

Calling all cat owners: this 12-day Advent catnip and cat toy calendar from Petco was made for gifting your furry four-pawed friend this gifting season. They’ll think this is the cat’s meow, and while they don’t understand  why they can’t have it all at once, or with every meal, your cat can look forward to a daily surprise among this variety of catnip pouches, sprays, plush toys and more.

Target Wondershop Twelve Days of Cat Toys

Enchant your cat with this bundle of fun plush and crinkle toys designed with catnip inside that’s safe for cats of all ages and sizes, according to the brand. Your curious cat will love chasing and pouncing their new festive toys and balls that will hopefully distract them from playing with your Christmas tree ornaments this holiday season.

Why trust Select?

Zoe Malin is an associate updates editor at Select who has written gift guides like the best gifts for bakers and the best gifts for brothers. To write this article, she researched types of Advent calendars shoppers typically look for around the holiday season and rounded up options from brands that align with Select’s coverage.

Catch up on Select’s in-depth coverage of personal finance, tech and tools, wellness and more, and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok to stay up to date.