Wirecutter - Our favorite Advent calendars

Annam Swanson

I bought this for myself last year and was utterly delighted to open a new, special jam each day. The flavors are often exclusive (some of this year's include Cherry with Hibiscus Flower and Peach with Jasmine, according to the company). Though I did hit jam fatigue around day 14, I bought the calendar this year as a gift for a friend who is a bigger jam lover than I am. This is the gift that keeps on giving, since the adorable 1-ounce jars can be reused to hold beads or other tiny notions all year long.

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—Annemarie Conte, deputy editor

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Last year I bought a Bonne Maman Advent Calendar for myself and one for each of my three siblings. We live over 3,000 miles apart, and having something to share across that distance, during the pandemic, for 24 days straight made some really fun—and delicious—memories. We got to try new flavor combinations—Grapefruit and Dragon Fruit! Apricot and Lavender! Raspberry and Lychee!—and to learn new things about each other’s preferences. Most mornings, I tasted the daily jam with a spoon, while my sibs enjoyed it on toast. Eventually, I made several batches of thumbprint cookies filled with the dredges of each one. At the end of the calendar, we all agreed it was worth it.

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And we have lovely souvenirs, too. The 24 adorably tiny jars are now indispensable. With them we save small amounts of leftover condiments, bring spices on weekend camping trips, display single flower buds on window sills, store leftover paint and sequins, and stock my nieces’ play kitchen. They also make a great gift for friends who prize tiny objects.

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—Annam Swanson, managing editor

Annemarie Conte

I normally spend very little money on skin care. And as a result, my face is starting to feel like a leather bag. So I decided to treat myself this year to Kiehl’s 24 travel-size cleansers, masks, moisturizers, hair care, and serums, which all come in a truly adorable box designed by French artist Marylou Faure. Do I need Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate and Super Multi-Corrective Cream? I have no idea! But I’m excited to find out.

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—Annemarie Conte, deputy editor

Lego

We love this Advent calendar because of Lego. And Star Wars. A porg in a Santa hat? Darth Vader in an ugly sweater? Grogu (Baby Yoda to you non-Mandalorian fans) in a festive onesie? Come on. Gold. It’s fun for kids and an alternative to more sweets. And after a few years, you can make a whole holiday display from them. We’ve been getting one for several years now. It’s become a tradition.

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Pro tip: 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, so you can rebuild—even if the pieces scatter to the ends of the universe. Which, if you have kids, you know they always do.

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—Lauren Dragan, senior staff writer

Lego

For the past few years, our kids have loved using Lego Advent calendars to count down the days to Christmas. They 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 (they’re not allowed to pop open the tab for the day until they’re dressed and their things are packed!).

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We’ve enjoyed a couple years’ worth of Star Wars–themed calendars, but this year we went with the Avengers one. And though we haven’t opened it yet, I’m very excited about the Iron Man minifig wearing an ugly Christmas sweater, and Thanos running away with Santa’s bag of toys. The pretend-play dialogue will write itself! Sometimes the builds can be a little disappointing, but that’s just life. In our experience, Lego is good about pacing the delights—a mini BB-8! tiny X-wings!—over the 24 days so that the overall experience is fun.

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—Marilyn Ong, supervising editor

Lego

This is both my favorite and least favorite Advent calendar. On the one hand, my daughter and I get bite-size Lego builds to do together every day, and I don’t gain any calories. On the other hand, it’s hard to ensure we get a build done every day because … life. So we inevitably get behind and have to play catchup at different points, which can feel like a chore. But as we go, we assemble a little Lego holiday scene that also becomes a play-set throughout the month. Previous iterations had loop pieces included, so you could hang them from a tree. And hopefully that continues with the latest set.

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—Erik Erickson, director of platform engineering

Playmobil

We had this Advent calendar one year when I was growing up, and I loved getting to discover 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. Without a doubt, my favorite pieces were the toy bicycle and the stuffed bear. 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. Every year following, we would bring out the workshop display as part of the Christmas decorations in our living room. I highly recommend this quality Advent calendar!

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—Kelsey Dang, senior researcher

Annemarie Conte

My mother buys my kids the 99¢ Trader Joe’s Milk Chocolate Advent Calendar every year. And while they absolutely love it, let’s just say that I don’t love the quality of the chocolate. And while the 12-piece box of Trader Joe’s Taste Test of Caramels costs more than a buck, last year I bought it for myself and ate one each day (and then kicked myself for not buying a second one and doing it all over again to fill the 24 days). We don’t know if TJ’s is coming out with its mixed chocolate box again this year, but there are plenty of chocolate companies where you could DIY this, like World Market’s 12 Candies of Christmas Holiday Candy Assortment, or a mix from your local chocolate shop. But I might just skip DIY altogether this year because I just discovered that See’s, one of my favorite chocolate companies, has a 2021 Advent Calendar.

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—Annemarie Conte, deputy editor

La Maison du Chocolat

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.

Some of our most beloved teas (from Harney & Sons and Kusmi Tea) and scented-candle makers (including Brooklyn Candle Studio, Keap, and Mala The Brand) sell sampler packs, which lend themselves well to Advent calendars made of cloth or paper. And at many craft stores, you can get an unpainted, pre-assembled wooden Advent calendar, which you can leave bare or decorate at home.

If you like to save your Advent treats for the end of the day, pick up a 24-pack of beer (or your after-work beverage of choice) and make a calendar out of shipping tubes, cardboard, or wood. Or just wrap the bottles individually in festive paper and label them with a date.

If you prefer something sweet, one of our favorite boxes of chocolate (La Maison du Chocolat Coffret Maison Dark) contains 24 pieces—just enough to last you until Christmas, if you 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, make sure to store your choco-fabulous Advent calendar in a cool, dry environment.

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—Sarah Witman, staff writer

Williams-Sonoma

There’s no need to travel to America’s popcorn heartland to get your kernel fix when Indiana’s own Wabash Valley Farms has sourced this box. This Advent calendar contains big, yellow popcorn kernels, as well as glazes, seasonings, and toppers. So you can pop your own tiny bundles of popcorn, either for eating or decorating.

Come for the tiny Shea Butter Hand Cream, stay for the SOS Shine Lustrous Hair Treatment and the Immortelle Overnight Reset Oil-in-Serum. This delightful mix of tester-size beauty items will give you or a loved one a little pampering boost to bring the year to a close. L’Occitane has a large number of brick-and-mortar stores, and it also stocks its products at Nordstrom locations. So you might be able to find one without having to wait for shipping.

The world of caramels is more than just “sea salt.” And to delight your taste buds, McCrea’s Caramels Advent Calendar packs a dozen different flavors behind 24 doors. With flavors ranging from the traditional (vanilla) to the intriguing (black lava sea) to the divisive (anisette), you’ll have plenty of opportunity to try new options. Psst… There’s also a 100-piece Hanukkah gift box ($60) filled with classic vanilla and deep chocolate pieces you might want to check out.

The Indian tea company beloved by Oprah (and us) has an Advent calendar that includes 24 loose-leaf teas, each in individual reusable tins. This ethical, fair-trade line of teas includes flavors such as Ginger Masala, Moringa Tulsi, and Turmeric Chamomile. The company backs its product with a money-back guarantee, so your favorite tea drinker can just sit back and enjoy the sip.