The Best Advent Calendars (2025): We Opened Every Door

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• Best for Chocoholics on a Budget

  

  Photograph: Louryn Strampe

  Godiva

  Holiday Classic Chocolate Advent Calendar

  Kiss that fat-bloomed, powdery chocolate of yesteryear goodbye. Godiva's 24-piece chocolate Advent calendar isn't the most expensive you can buy, but it is frickin' delicious. After having tested it for a few years in a row, I can confirm that this year's is the same as last. And that's not a problem to me! There's a solid mix of white, dark, and milk chocolate distributed throughout the box, and none of the pieces I received were damaged during shipment. You'll get two each of 12 different flavors, including salted caramel, mint, almond marquise, praliné, and more. Each is downright scrumptious.

• Best for Bread Lovers

  

  Photograph: Louryn Strampe

  Bonne Maman

  2025 Advent Calendar

  The box the Bonne Maman Advent calendar arrives in is heavy—the calendar itself weighs over 5 pounds. Unboxing each of the calendar's 24 little boxes, you'll find a mini glass jar of various spreads (the majority of which are fruit, though a few are sinfully delicious caramel). Each of the adorable 1-ounce jars contains a flavor bound to shake up your loved one’s palate. Highlights from my tasting included the silky, creamy goodness of the Milk Caramel with Salted Butter Spread, the fresh and earthy Cherry with Violet Leaves spread, and the Christmasy delight of the Plum and Pear with Star Anise spread. I didn't try a single one that I disliked.

  Bonne Maman is a French brand that doesn’t use any high fructose corn syrup or preservatives, so this calendar is for somebody who enjoys starting their day with all-natural jam on toast or augmenting their afternoon tea with a sweet little treat. I will say that, though they're adorable, the little jars do get to be a bit annoying. People on Reddit have repurposed them for spice mixes and travel-size toiletries, but I usually end up just pitching them in my recycling bin because I find them too small to be truly useful. Also, the bigger box that the smaller boxed jars are housed in doesn't have a way of latching, and trust me when I say you want to make sure it's facing right-side up at all times, lest you be met with a clatter and several tiny packages to put away.

• Best for Tea Lovers

  

  Photograph: Louryn Strampe

  Vahdam India makes a few different Advent calendars (that webpage says 2024, though it is current). This giftable box is my favorite. The packaging is sturdy, stable, and festively decorated. Each of the 24 drawers contains five individually packaged pyramid tea bags apiece, so in total you're getting 120 bags of tea (and it's nice that the box doubles as storage, if you don't have room for all those bags). The tea is perfectly dried and delicious. Steep a bag in 200 milliliters of hot water for two to five minutes (each bag has specific instructions and brewing tips, including whether or not you should include milk, and how to brew if you want it iced), and you'll soon have a wonderful, cozy cup of comfort.

  My favorite so far is the India's Original Chai, which tastes unlike any other chai I've ever had. It's rich, earthy, fragrant, and fantastic. There are other unique flavors I'm eager to try, like Turmeric and Hibiscus Rose, in addition to some more commonly found blends like Chamomile or Earl Grey Citrus. One percent of the company's revenue is donated toward Teach Me, a program that helps educate the children of farmers in India. The products are also climate- and plastic-neutral. And, finally, unlike some other consumable Advent calendars, this one expires in two years—so you have plenty of time to enjoy its contents. If you're a tea enthusiast or your giftee enjoys a warm beverage during the chilly winter months, this is a no-brainer.

• Best for Little Girls

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    Photograph: Louryn Strampe

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    Photograph: Louryn Strampe

  Fisher-Price

  Barbie Little People Advent Calendar

  The Barbie Little People Advent Calendar was an absolute delight to every toddler girl in my circle who saw it. Many “oohs” and “aahs” and squeals of delight were had. The box doubles as a backdrop for the 24 different pieces behind each door. The majority of the prizes are furniture and decor, but there are six different figures, including a puppy, a kitten, three little people, and a holiday Barbie. There's also a little ornament that can go on the kiddo's real-life Christmas tree. Depending on the age of the youngster in question, it may be best to open a few doors at a time so they aren't disappointed by opening up a door and getting a couch or a sign—or maybe bring along some other toys during the opening process so they can put the new prize to use right away.

• Best for Skincare Fanatics

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    Photograph: Louryn Strampe

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    Photograph: Louryn Strampe

  Beekman 1802

  The G.O.A.T. 2025 Advent Calendar

  The Beekman 1802 Advent calendar is, in a word, stunning. The metallic pinstriped box looks like a present, and so does every single individually wrapped item inside. It's like a holiday party in a box. The items inside can be set up to arrange a sort of Christmas village scene, with little carnival-esque details and tons of flashy colors. The treats inside are decadent, including a mix of miniature and full-size beauty products. There are serums, cleansers, lotions, goat milk soaps, lip balms, and a few other surprises I won't spoil (though there's a full list of the inclusions on the product page). I was pleased with everything I tried, and I do think this calendar offers good value for the money. As a certified lotion addict, I especially loved the assortment of hand creams, and I think this box is full of regiftable goodies in case the supply is too much for you to use.

• Best for Beauty Enthusiasts

  

  Photograph: Louryn Strampe

  Sephora Collection

  Premium Makeup & Skincare Advent Calendar Gift Set

  This Sephora advent calendar is packaged in a delightful little tin that I can't wait to reuse. Its contents include several Sephora-branded beauty products, with 16 full-size, four travel-size, and four accessories. The world of beauty Advent calendars is as vast as it is pricey. This is relatively inexpensive, but still offers solid value. Unlike some other “cheap” beauty Advent calendars, you actually get makeup in this one—not just random tools and brushes. (Though there are a few of those, too.) Highlights include eyeshadows, blushes, mini nail polishes, an assortment of lip products, and even a tiny setting spray. I especially think this would be good for a young lady that's just now getting into makeup since it includes enough products for a few different looks—and since it costs the same as one high-end product would. I'm also a big fan of the pom pom scrunchie and keychain, as were my teenage sisters when they saw it.

• Best Sex Toy Advent Calendar

  

  Photograph: Louryn Strampe

  Smile Makers

  7 Vibes of the Week

  A sex toy advent calendar might seem a little…egregious, but this week-long box is filled with surprises worth your while. It includes seven different bestselling vibrators, all of which are waterproof, rechargeable, and very beginner-friendly. Each vibrator offers a different design and use-case scenario. There's a tongue vibrator, a clitoris and labia vibrator, a bullet vibe, a lipstick vibe, a G-spot vibe, a vibrating butt plug, and a jack-of-all-trades general-use vibrator. This box is a great exploratory set for those new to vibrator play, and also a solid way to bolster the nightstand supply at a less-expensive cost. And while many of them are marketed toward erogenous zones like the vagina and the clitoris, most are versatile enough that anyone could derive some pleasure from using them. Every vibrator is designed thoughtfully and playfully, with pretty, approachable colors. They're all easy to use and have a no-frills, no-pressure vibe (sorry) that should be fitting for basically any bedroom. And, yes, they work as intended.

• Best Countdown to Seeing the In-Laws

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    Photograph: Kat Merck

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    Photograph: Kat Merck

  Give Them Beer

  Bourbon Advent Calendar 2025

  As the only female in my household, I appreciate that Give Them Beer always has a huge variety of fun advent calendars geared toward those with more masculine tastes. Pickle-flavored snacks, for example, or moonshine, or even a ManVent calendar with manly things—all carefully curated anew each year with on-trend selections, and they tend to sell out pretty quickly. This year, I tested the brand’s new-to-me Bourbon Advent Calendar. It’s not a money-saver, or necessarily a pick for true connoisseurs, but those with a casual interest will find it’s got a fun mix of staples, artisanal favorites, and finds from smaller, regional distilleries. I won’t spoil the surprises, but there are no repeats. Whether it’s your family’s turn to host the holidays or you’ll be traveling out of town, it’s a funny gift to buy your spouse as a countdown until you leave. Note: Someone 21+ will need to be present to sign for delivery. —Kat Merck