As unbelievable as it may sound, we are less than four months away from 2025. And while you may not be quite ready to put up your Christmas tree and start shopping for your “Nice” list, that hasn’t stopped brands from sneakily unveiling holiday drops earlier than ever (i.e. early September, well ahead of Halloween). But fret not, because we’ve got a little something up our premature holiday-gifting sleeves — well, technically, 21 little somethings that are made up of 12 to 24 little somethings… We’ll cut to the chase: It’s advent calendars.
As it turns out, advent calendars aren’t just fun; many of these jam-packed sets can actually be a great value if you divide the contents into stocking stuffers for friends, or if you’re looking to try a variety of products from a specific beauty brand. They are also the kind of self-care gift that sparks so much joy, with a lil’ surprise waiting for you every day for the month of December. And while historically, advent calendars were usually a series of nativity images given daily leading up to Christmas, nowadays there’s an advent calendar for just about anything: coffee, Legos, skincare, nail polish, wine…we could go on.
So why wait? Go ahead and start treating yourself and your loved ones with this year’s most unique advent calendars. Oh, and be sure to bookmark this page if you’re interested in checking out more oddly specific options as they continue to drop — we’ll be keeping tabs.
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If you seem to go through (or let’s be honest, misplace) lip balms faster than your wallet can keep up, this ChapStick advent calendar is for you. Behind the doors, you’ll discover 12 tubes of the iconic lip balm, in flavors like Candy Cane, Sugar Cookie, and Strawberry, among other delicious options.
ChapStick 12 Days of Holiday Advent Calendar Lip Balm Gift Set, $, available at Amazon
Papier is known for its high-quality, beautifully-designed stationery and paper goods, and the brand’s advent calendar is truly a showstopper. Notebooks, pads, paper clips, pens, envelopes, notecards, and much more are encased in a keepsake box for the old-fashioned word nerd in your life.
Papier 24 Doors of Desk Delights, $, available at Papier
The STEM baddie on your list will love this totally unique advent calendar, which features 24 buildable circuit boards to code a variety of old-school games, including code cracker, wire maze, roulette, and more.
Uncommon Goods Retro Games Coding Advent Calendar, $, available at Uncommon Goods
Before Squishmallows, there was Build-A-Bear. The iconic store was a kid’s dream, literally: you build your dream teddy bear, outfits and all, and bring it home with you in a house-shaped box. This sweet advent calendar brings a sliver of that magic with six mini plush teddies and 19 (!) clothes and accessories to personalize your lil’ furry friend.
Build-A-Bear Merry Mission Advent Calendar, $, available at Build-A-Bear
Channel your inner sommelier with this elegant assortment of 24 mini bottles. The box whisks you around the world’s most renowned wine regions — we’re talking Italy, Spain, South Africa, Argentina, Australia, and California — across a variety of red, white, rosé, and sparkling varietals.
In Good Taste 2024 Wine Advent Calendar, $, available at In Good Taste
If you or your chosen giftee is more into whisky than wine, try Flaviar’s highly giftable set of 24 drams, which range from classic bourbon, rye, and scotch to rare Irish, Japanese, and Australian imports, plus two collector’s item glasses.
Flaviar Whiskey Advent Calendar 2024, $, available at Flaviar
FabFitFun is known for its seasonal subscription boxes, but this festive advent calendar might be the brand’s best box yet. Featuring a mix of beauty products, jewelry, and more from brands like Fenty Beauty, Tower28, and Adina Eden. (The only catch? You have to be a member to take advantage of the deal.)
FabFitFun Advent Calendar 2024, $, available at FabFitFun
Not a coffee person? Enjoy a steaming cup of tea (or 24) with Paris-based tea brand Palais des Thés’ advent calendar. Featuring 24 sachets of loose-leaf teas (including a limited-edition holiday blend), this ultimate variety pack is a tea lover’s dream.
Palais des Thes 24 Days of Tea Advent Calendar, $, available at Neiman Marcus
This luxury pleasure chest is filled with 24 days’ worth of gratifying products from Lovehoney’s collab with Womanizer. Think: feather ticklers, satin blindfolds, bejeweled plugs, and more.
Lovehoney X Womanizer Couple’s Sex Toy Advent Calendar 2024, $, available at Lovehoney
Who doesn’t love a candle — or 12? This Voluspa advent calendar stars longtime favorites from the Japonica collection, alongside seasonally apropos scents like Spiced Pumpkin Latte and White Cypress.
Voluspa 12 Day Candle Advent Calendar, $, available at Voluspa
Calling all #booktok girlies. This advent calendar is full of literary-inspired knick-knacks like bookmarks and page clips, pencils, sticky notes, patches, and more to express your love for the written word.
Uncommon Goods The Book Lover’s Advent Calendar, $, available at Uncommon Goods
Spoil your pup this season with 12 days of human-grade treats encased in a festive box (that they won’t care about, but you will!). We are sold just from looking at the adorable product photos.
Bocce’s Bakery 12 Day Advent Calendar for Dogs, $, available at Amazon
Are you ready for this jelly? If you have a thing for tiny jars of French preserves, upgrade your breakfast game with this Bonne Maman advent calendar, which has consistently sold out year after year.
Bonne Maman 2024 Limited Edition Advent Calendar, $, available at Amazon
Look, we know beauty advent calendars are hardly “unique,” but we promise that this one is something special. This treasure trove from British beauty retailer Cult Beauty contains bestsellers from the most coveted names in the beauty biz, worth a total of over $1,200. Expect goodies (including 19 full sizes) from brands like Gisou, Tower 28, Charlotte Tilbury, among many others.
Cult Beauty Advent Calendar 2024, $, available at Cult Beauty
Ensure a prosperous 2024 by warding away this year’s bad juju with 24 days of assorted crystals to keep in every room. This set contains a variety of gorgeous gems from Brazil, India, Argentina, and Madagascar. Your crystal-obsessed bestie will love it.
Shop Free People
Free People Crystal Advent Calendar, $, available at Free People
Calling all coffee snobs: Behind the 24 drawers of this elegantly presented advent calendar, you’ll find a countdown of artisanal whole-bean brews to ensure your buzziest holiday season yet.
Shop Food52
Onyx Coffee Lab Coffee Advent Calendar, $, available at Food52
Retailing at $1,300, this special edition advent calendar is by far the most expensive item on our list. However, this is a very special year for hardcore Disney fans — 2023 marks the 100th anniversary of The Walt Disney Company — so this magical collection of crystal ornaments, necklaces, and stickers inspired by your Disney faves is a bonafide collector’s item.
Shop Swarovski
Swarovski Disney100 Advent Calendar 2023, $, available at Swarovski
We’re not totally sure what The Upside Down has to do with advent calendars, but if you have a Stranger Things fanatic in your life, this countdown calendar — which includes coasters, keychains, socks, and other ’80s memorabilia with a playful nod to the show — will make them squeal with joy.
Cinereplicas Stranger Things Advent Calendar, $, available at Amazon
A nail polish advent calendar — what more could anyone ask for? Make this season your most well-manicured yet with this set of sized-down nail tools and eight mini bottles, plus scrunchies, hand treatments, and more. Perfect for your at-home mani night.
Shop Olive & June
Olive & June 25 Days Of Mani Magic Advent Calendar, $, available at Olive & June
This advent cal of Lego minis of iconic characters and trinkets from the Harry Potter universe is sure to warm the heart of its recipient — yes, even if they’re a Slytherin.
LEGO Harry Potter 2024 Advent Calendar, $, available at Amazon
Whatever the occasion, say it with jerky. Whether you identify as male or not, this advent calendar of dried meat is sure to delight the beef jerky enthusiast in your life.
Shop Man Crates
Man Crates Jerky Advent Calendar, $, available at Man Crates
For a truly wild unboxing experience, this festive box of 24 holiday-themed socks is basically the “ugly Christmas sweater” of advent calendars.
Shop Happy Socks
Happy Socks Advent Calender Socks Gift Set, $, available at Happy Socks
Got a sweet tooth? This mouth-watering gift box is filled to the brim with fancy dark, milk, and white chocolates — garnished with caramel and almonds — for a daily dose of decadence.
Shop Amazon
Godiva 2023 Advent Calendar, $, available at Amazon
This chic assortment of 18ct gold-plated vermeil earrings, bracelets, necklaces, and more is the ultimate present for jewelry snobs. (Also, while $511 may seem steep, think of it as $42 per designer piece.)
Missoma Gold Jewelry Advent Calendar, $, available at Missoma
Whether you split it up as high-brow stocking stuffers or gift the whole monty to your resident puzzle guru, the New Yorker‘s advent calendar is among the most dazzling ways to count down the month of December. (Bonus points if you throw in a gift card to their local craft store so they can frame their finished product.)
The New Yorker Puzzle Advent Calendar, $, available at Anthropologie
If you can’t get enough of adorably smol tchotchkes, this itty-bitty crochet calendar on Etsy is a guaranteed hit.
1dogwoof Crochet Pattern Bundle: Amigurumi Advent Calendar, $, available at Etsy
Usher in 2023 the mindful way with Alo’s limited-edition advent calendar stocked with affirmations, beauty products, an annual Alo Moves subscription, and a $25 Alo gift card.
Alo Advent Calendar, $, available at Alo
Canadian brand David’s Tea has reprised its bestselling advent calendar this year with 24 festive blends sure to delight any tea snob. (Plus, there’s even a matcha-themed one for all the green tea lovers out there.)
DavidsTea 24 Days of Tea Advent Calendar, $, available at DavidsTea
The Kiehl’s advent calendar is always one of the most hotly anticipated items of the gifting season, and they’ve done it again with this year’s storybook-like calendar inspired. In addition to having excellent packaging from artist Marylou Faure, it’s also a great way to nab $245 worth of skincare for just $99.
Kiehl’s Limited Edition Holiday Advent Calendar, $, available at Kiehl’s
If you’re not spending Noël from the twinkling lights of Paris, this delectable advent calendar packed with bonbons, candies, nougats, chocolates, jam, and more is the next best thing to round-trip airfare to France.
Ladurée Ladurée Advent Calendar, $, available at Food52
We haven’t forgotten the felines of R29! Make December the best month ever by (fancy) feasting on 24 days of limited-edition holiday recipes of juicy wet food.
Fancy Feast Gourmet Wet Cat Food & Savory Cravings Advent Calendar, $, available at Chewy
For a festive brew, make every morning Christmas morning with this array of flavored K-cups.
Keurig Cups of Cheer Advent Calendar K-Cup® Pods 24-Count, $, available at Bed Bath & Beyond
This luxe candy calendar is a major upgrade from the cardboard chocolate ones of your youth. Celebrate the Festival of Lights with this kosher-certified assortment of delectable cookies, caramels, and more.
Sugarfina Eight Nights of Hanukkah Advent Calendar, $, available at Food52
Could it *be* any more festive? We think not. For Friends superfans, we love this keepsake-filled advent calendar with mini notepads, erasers, magnets, and more featuring nods to the show’s most iconic holiday episodes.
Urban Outfitters Friends Advent Calendar, $, available at Urban Outfitters
The cheeky grandma from the Frank’s Hot Sauce commercial said it best: “I put that sh*t on everything!” Bring the heat this holiday season with a hot sauce advent calendar, stocked with 12 mini bottles. (We have our eyes on Caroline Reaper and Mango Mild.)
World Market 12 Days Of Hot Sauce Advent Calendar, $, available at World Market
Whimsical enamel pins are an easy way to trick out any denim jacket or backpack. This adorable 12-day advent calendar features not only festive designs (mini Santa and reindeer), but pins you’ll want to sport year-round, too: Butterfly, a cactus, and….a lobster?
Meri Meri Enamel Pin Advent Calendar, $, available at Target
Whatever it is, say it with pasta. In addition to getting a good laugh, experimenting with twelve unique shapes means your giftee will never get bored with home cooking.
World Market Vecchio Pastificio di Gragnano 12 Days of Pasta Gift Box, $, available at World Market
For the gamer in your life, this retro-inspired Super Mario advent calendar will basically feel like getting an IRL floating Super Star. From tiny figurines to cute accessories, this is a prezzie sure to delight.
Nintendo Super Mario Advent Calendar, $, available at Amazon
This illustrated advent calendar — reminiscent of a much simpler time — features a month of festive designs from iconic American artist Norman Rockwell.
Norman Rockwell Pop-Up Advent Calendar, $, available at The Met Store
Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?
The Best Beauty Advent Calendars Are Already Here
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The Best Fall Sneaker Trends: Leopard & Wedges
This article was originally published on refinery29.com.
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