The 20+ Best Advent Calendars (2024) for Adults & Kids | Reviews by Wirecutter

By Wirecutter Staff

Advent calendars began as a Christian tradition in the 19th century and have grown to be part of secular holiday fun as well. In the weeks leading up to Christmas, they provide a daily delight.

We tested and tasted our way through a bunch of 2024 Advent calendars (somebody had to) and gathered some of our favorites for kids and adults, including an annually anticipated beauty calendar, our favorite Lego versions, a spicy sauce collection, and many more.

Advertisement

Many of our picks are from companies and makers that we have already vetted in their respective categories. Check out The Best Teas We’ve Tasted, The Best Boxed Chocolates, and The Best Lego Sets for Kids for year-round excellence.

This includes 24 unlabeled whiskey nips from the world at large alongside two shapely tasting glasses. There’s also a link to an app that asks sippers to rate the day’s sample before revealing its origins.

Staff writer and bourbon fan Thom Dunn has tried a lot of whiskey Advent calendars in his day, but the Flaviar’s Whiskey Advent Calendar stands out because, “it actually sort of teaches you about whiskey.” Each of the 24 50 mL mystery bottles is numbered but otherwise nondescript. Tasters sip the day’s whiskey, then rate it on a proprietary app that reveals full details. There’s always at least one very pricey whiskey in the batch, and it’s fun looking back to see how you rated it blindly, compared with your ratings for, say, Jim Beam. Beware: It always sells out.

The 12-day Advent contains a dozen 2-ounce jars of condiments, spices, and sauces—some new, some best sellers—all inspired by the flavors of Sichuan.

The 12-day Fly By Jing Winter in Sichuan Advent Calendar is a chance to taste a dozen takes on mala, the signature tingly zip of China’s Sichuan province. There’s best sellers like Sichuan Chili Crisp and Chengdu Crunch and new, never-sold-before products like spice blends and hot sauces. The limited-edition calendar (only 1,500 were made) contains 2-ounce mini jars—perfect for spice to go.

The 24 doors in Bonne Maman’s Advent calendar house classic (four fruits, mixed berry) and exclusive (cherry with pink peppercorn, coffee with caramel) spreads, jams and honeys in darling mini jars.

Why not spread the love? Keep a calendar for yourself, and send another to faraway friends and family, as Wirecutter’s Annam Swanson does. “My siblings and I have something to share across the distance for 24 days straight,” she said. “We get to try new flavor combinations and to learn new things about one another’s preferences.” Annam has made several batches of thumbprint cookies filled with the dredges of each spread. And when the 24 adorably tiny jars are empty, they can be used to save leftover condiments, bring spices on a camping trip, display a single flower bud, store leftover paint and sequins, or stock a play kitchen.

Available in versions with loose-tea or tea bags, Adagio offers novel, yuletide blends for each day leading up to Christmas.

The tea obsessives on our staff have sung the praises of family-owned Adagio Teas’s Silver Needle white tea. And this Advent calendar gives heavy tea drinkers and casual sippers alike a chance to try new holiday flavors, like pomegranate grove and candy cane. The calendar comes in loose-tea and tea-bag versions, and there are clear directions (with brew temp and time) right on the package, so you don’t ruin your cuppa.

24 two-ounce pouches of unique whole bean coffees from a quality Arkansas-based roaster.

The 2024 Advent calendar from Onyx, a hip, high-quality coffee roaster based in Arkansas, eschews the red and green kitschy Christmas vibes of most Advent calendars. Instead, you get an imposing black and gold box that opens it like a dictionary to unfurl a cardboard arc of pockets containing 24 small pouches of whole bean coffee. Each pouch is enough to make two or three pour-overs, or a medium pot of coffee.

Given the price, this is definitely a calendar for coffee fanatics who will appreciate tasting their way through each of the 24 different single-origin coffees, taking note of the nuanced flavors in each.

Behind each paper-flapped door, revelers will find one of twelve flavors of gourmet caramel from the famed Massachusetts confectioner.

The world of caramels involves more than just butter and sugar. To pique the curiosity of your sweet tooth, the McCrea’s Caramels Advent Calendar packs a dozen different flavors of caramel behind 24 doors. The flavors range from the traditional (vanilla) to the intriguing (black lava sea salt) to the divisive (anisette), so you’ll have plenty of opportunity to pick a favorite.

See’s Chocolates are a California institution and the many-drawered annual Advent allows candy-lovers far and wide a chance to sample 24 different treats, including the famed lollipops.

“This 101-year-old company nails delicious nostalgia, especially at the holidays. Though if you’re Californian, I probably don’t need to sell you on the appeal of digging through one of See’s famous assortment boxes for dark chocolate scotchmallows,” said senior staff writer Rachel Wharton. See’s Candies doesn’t use any preservatives in its confections, so you know each bite is going to be fresh and delicious. We love the mix of foil-wrapped solid milk chocolates, filled chocolates, and its famous lollipops, all of which are included in the snowy brick facade setting of this calendar.

These exquisite Advent calendars are designed by a different artist every year. Inside cylindrical boxes are Dandelion chocolate confections reimagined by 25 different chocolatiers.

The Dandelion Chocolate Advent Calendar from this San Francisco–based bean-to-bar chocolate maker is pricey but absolutely stunning. Every year’s calendar looks different—this year’s green and gold design is by Serbian artist Srdjan Vidakovic. Each little cylinder-shaped box nestled inside doubles as an ornament and contains a confection from a different chocolatier from around the country, using Dandelion’s chocolate. The selection ranges from ganaches to caramels to candied citrus and every one is special. “I think it’s worth the price just to sample chocolates from so many great chocolatiers,” said senior editor Marguerite Preston, “but the boxes are also so sturdy and beautiful that you could totally reuse them to make your own Advent calendar in years to come.” And if sharing is just too big an ask, they make a double-portion Advent calendar for two.

This Advent calendar pairs the brand’s best sellers, such as the Ultra Facial Cream and Lip Balm #1, alongside newer launches.

Fashion and beauty Advents are notoriously bad deals (ahem, Chanel 2021). But the Kiehl’s Open For Advent-Ure Gift Set, which purports to be worth double its price when you break it down, feels like a proper haul and is a festive way to try different products. The 24 travel-size cleansers, masks, moisturizers, hair-care items, and serums are varied and special. It comes in a truly adorable box designed by a different artist every year. “I love being able to try a bunch of different products for a single sunk cost,” said deputy editor Annemarie Conte. “There are items I’ll never use again (and have passed on to friends) and ones I’ve continued to purchase at full size.”

A collection of best-selling products packed in a sturdy mini suitcase, including six full-size finds alongside 18 generous minis in a rare beauty Advent bargain.

You’d be hard-pressed to find a better value for a beauty obsessive than the Revolve Beauty 2024 Advent Calendar, which pairs six full-size best-selling products alongside 18 minis, with an estimated value of $539. Highlights include the Benefit Benetint, Charlotte Tilbury Beauty Highlighter Wand, and Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara (one of our favorites from testing), but there’s also skin and hair products, scrunchies, and bath indulgence. It’s all packaged up in a metal-handled suitcase that you could use to store your new loot year-round.

Advertisement

Mini experiments, rocks, and fossils provide the perfect, project-based lead-up to Christmas for budding scientists.

It seems like nearly every kid goes through the collecting rocks, crystals, and fossils stage, and for them, we love the boredom-curing Mega Science Advent Calendar (and award bonus points that it’s not candy, which we’re sure they’ll get plenty of over the season). It contains 13 easy experiments to make snow, grow crystals, and dig for gold plus 11 treasure-worthy rocks and fossils. But before they even get to December 1, they get to open the protective goggles. Safety first! It’s recommended for kids 8 to 12, and it could be fun as a family project.

Four kid-friendly crochet projects for crafting roly-poly animals; instructions are available with a handy QR code.

Our kids gift team loves the easy, beginner-friendly crochet kits from The Woobles and calls them, “virtually idiot-proof.” The Cab-In the Mood for the Holidays Advent Calendar contains four full-size crochet kits, mini projects, a bunch of hooks, plus crochet accessories in cute Christmas-themed boxes tucked into a fold-out case. Each Woobles kit comes with a QR code to access video instructions.

The annual Star Wars assortment changes every year, but always contains 18 mini toys and six Star Wars characters, including Hans Solo and Princess Leia in ugly holiday sweaters.

24 figurines and builds that reference Spider-Man’s New York City playground, hot dog cart included.

The best thing about this year’s Friends Advent is that many of the buildables are interactive, like a snow fort destroying catapult.

You save $12 (36%)

With store pickup

Assemble a traditional holiday scene with Santa and Mrs. Claus minifigures, a sleigh and a tree.

May be out of stock

It’s the holidays at Hogwarts with minifigures of Harry Potter and company, plus Dumbledore, Hedwig, and 16 mini builds.

You save $8 (18%)

Wirecutter’s staff includes many an AFOLs (adult fans of Lego), as well as fans of Lego’s sets for kids. We can quibble about the various merits of individual Minifigures or set-design creativity, but we love the Lego Advent calendars because they offer one mini build a day—for adults and kids alike. “My kids look forward to the tiny builds, and I look forward to them being self-motivated to get ready for school on their own for most of December,” said supervising editor Marilyn Ong. “They’re only allowed to pop open the tab for the day after they’re dressed and their things are packed!” The build instructions are on the back of the little doors. At the end of the season, cut them off and store them in a zip-top baggie with the Lego pieces, so you can rebuild, even if the pieces scatter to the ends of the universe (and, if you have kids, you know they always do).

Dino kids will delight in the detailed and realistic prehistoric mini figurines from the famed German toy maker.

You can count down the days until Christmas with a different miniature toy each day. Schleich (the German toy company that makes the farm animal set we recommend in our guide to the best gifts for 2-year-olds) is known for its realistic, hand-painted figurines. Its dinosaur-themed Advent calendar includes five toy dinos and their food, plus a fully outfitted paleontologist. The farm-world version includes nine farm animals (including a baby goat, a horse, and a calf) and 15 farm accessories.

It doesn’t get more detailed than the 260 pieced Playmobil holiday dollhouse, complete with pointsetta, bubbly, and a light-up tree.

Horse girls and guys will rejoice in this horse-drawn sleigh led by an Andalusian mare.

You save $15 (50%)

Playmobil’s various Advent Calendars are always a hit. The Jumbo Advent Calendar Family Christmas is great for the preschool crowd. Kids in this age group will be thrilled to uncover a tiny new toy each day. “My brother and I would dutifully take turns with who got to open up the paper window every day during December,” said senior researcher Kelsey Dang. “The attention to detail in the accessories is delightful, and the goal of building out a full scene keeps the suspense going throughout the month.” The payoff on Christmas morning is a gift in itself—a tableau of trinkets the kids will love to play with all year long.

If your favorite Advent calendar is sold out for the season, or you can’t find one that fits your fancy, you can always make your own—with a little help.

Customizing and filling a reusable, blank calendar can become a new tradition you’ll look forward to for years to come.

Many craft stores sell unpainted, preassembled wooden Advent calendars that you can decorate yourself.

Finished versions like this pricey train from Anthropologie or this simple graphic drawer-style abound, as do hanging cloth calendars from the traditional to the understated. (We’re also tempted to try a nightly beer or canned cocktail with this $60 Wisconsin-made tree calendar designed to hold cans.)

Once you’ve got your vessel, it’s on to the fun part of filling it. Some of Wirecutter’s most beloved teas from Harney & Sons and Kusmi Tea sell sampler packs as does scented-candle maker Keap so you can pop a few into your calendar pockets. There are also many small gifts in our stocking stuffer guides for kids and adults. Other ideas include mini art supplies, socks, hair accessories, lip balm, seed packets, tinned fish, and soaps. Just make sure you take measurements of the drawers or pockets on your calendar before you start shopping for trinkets.

If you prefer something sweet, one of our favorite boxes of chocolate, Melissa Coppel Bonbons contains 24 colorful pieces—just enough to last until Christmas, if they can wait that long. On the other hand, if you get two boxes of our top pick from Recchiuti Confections, you’ll have eight pieces left over for snacking. Either way, be sure to store your choco-fabulous Advent calendar in a cool, dry environment.

Advertisement

Wirecutter Staff

by Samantha Schoech and Mari Uyehara

Kin and colleagues, kiddos and teens: Here are our favorite picks from our 2024 holiday gift guides, all in one place.

by Ellen Lee and Wirecutter Staff

Many 9-year-olds can take on grown-up activities—like baking and sewing—and use grown-up tools.

by Kelly Glass, Caitlin Giddings, and Wirecutter Staff

Toys that encourage building, puzzling, role-playing, and creating will engage curious 4-year-olds.

by Kelly Glass and Wirecutter Staff

DIY kits, craft activities, and board games make great gifts for 6-year-olds who are ready to tackle projects and follow more-complicated instructions.

Advertisement