14 Unique Advent Calendars to Put You in the Holiday Spirit

Getting into the Christmas spirit can be as much fun as the actual holiday itself. The Advent season—the four weeks before Christmas—has a long and winding history. Beginning in the 4th century CE, Advent was a time to prepare converted Christians for baptism. However, the Advent we know today as a fun way to count down the 24 days until Christmas is still relatively young, having emerged in the mid-19th century. Back then, people just used a calendar full of pictures, Bible verses, or chocolates to mark the days until December 25. Today, the countdowns are a lot more festive.

Now, Advent calendars conceal everything from chocolate to Harry Potter figurines to ornaments from your favorite Christmas movies to decorate mini Christmas trees. You’ve still got time to find the perfect one, so take a break from plain old chocolate and check out some of our favorite—and totally unique—Advent calendars.

They’re not Bertie Bots, but the jelly beans you’ll find in this Harry Potter-themed Advent calendar will be tasty all the same. Even better, each of the 24 doors featured in this box offer a morsel of fun trivia, designed to make any kid who wishes they were at Hogwarts feel a little closer to the Sorting Hat.

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The holiday season is bustling with magic as it is—snowy landscapes, tasty baked treats, and enough good mirth and cheer to go around for your loved ones and neighbors. But with this Advent calendar from National Geographic, you can make it literal. Kids will learn 15 classic magic tricks, plus get prompted to do nine science experiments too. From making snow appear and disappear to creating a water ball and more, the fun lasts for days with this cute box.

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What to get for the Disney lover who has everything? This box of mini figures from classic Disney flicks and TV shows should do the trick. It contains 24 tiny toys from Marvel, Pixar, Star Wars, and other well-known Disney properties, plus four never-before-seen minis that you can’t get anywhere else.

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Start each day of Advent with a new shortbread cookie from the Walker’s Advent calendar. This assortment of snacks features everything from salted caramel squares to shortbread rounds, hearts, and more taken from traditional Scottish recipes.

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The holiday season just doesn’t feel complete without watching all of your favorite Christmas movies. If Elf is on your list, this Advent calendar will make you want to sing like Buddy. Behind each window is a new figurine from the movie, so over the 24 days, you’ll be able to collect them all.

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Before chocolates, toys, and other fun goodies made their way into our modern-day Advent calendars, a picture often served as each day’s surprise. This Haute Decor calendar harkens back to that tradition by featuring fun facts behind each window on the map that highlights a holiday tradition in that region of the world. You’ll even get to learn how they spend the holidays in outer space.

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For those with a curious mind, The Purple Cow helps you explore the sciences this holiday season with 24 engaging experiments to try. From chemistry to magnetism to biology, both children and adults will get the opportunity to learn something new each day.

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Few things are cozier than curling up with a cup of hot tea by the fire while snow falls softly outside. This 24-pack of teas from Palais des Thés can help make this fantasy a reality. You’ll get all kinds of flavors, too, from French Garden to Tahitian Rooibos and Darjeeling Margaret’s Hope, so each cuppa is more than just a taste sensation—it’ll be a sweet surprise, too.

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So no one told you 2023 was going to be this way. Well, let’s try to make the most of this year with a holiday Advent calendar based on the iconic ‘90s sitcom Friends. Collect ornaments, booklets, and more to keep you entertained all season long.

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With the cold winter months upon us, you can give yourself or the kiddos a sweet little pick-me-up with this 24-day Advent calendar. It’s inspired by Hello Kitty and her playful friends, including My Melody, Kuromi, and Keroppi. In addition to four toys, there are plenty of fruity gummies in this box to go around.

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Who says the holiday season is only for humans? DreamBone wants your pupster get in on all the festive fun with an Advent calendar filled with dog chews (all of them rawhide-free). Each day, your pooch will get to enjoy chicken-flavored chews in the shapes of candy canes, bones, and more.

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Some folks prefer to go a different route when it comes to Advent calendars, and pop culture- or food-themed options just don’t register. But if you or someone you love is really into sparkly crystals and stones, this lovely selection could feel like the gift that keeps on giving. Inside, you’ll find 24 stones and crystals, including selenite and fluorite wands and more.

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Funko Pop! Advent calendars are extremely popular over the holidays, and serious collectors tend to know which figurines are coming their way. This one, inspired by the hit flick Five Nights at Freddy’s, is no exception. The box includes 24 Funko Pocket Pops! toys based on some of your favorite animatronic characters from the movie—except they’re dressed in their finest holiday swag.

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Whether they love Star Wars or they’re just an avid LEGO collector, recipients of this 2023 Advent calendar will be wowed. The box reveals daily collectible surprises so they can build their own holiday scene. There are plenty of toys in this to go around, too: a tiny Ewok and Emperor Palpatine, mini vehicles like The Mandalorian’s N-1 Starfighter, an Imperial Star Destroyer, and more. The kids won’t have to be in a galaxy far, far away to feel like they just stumbled into one anyway.

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A version of this article was originally published in 2020 and has been updated for 2023.