The Best Advent Calendars of 2025

This Advent calendar is packed full of flavors. The first item I tried—the Lemon Blaze Chickpeas—was spicy, savory, and intense, but other snack mix flavors behind the 24 doors range from beer cheese and honey barbecue to buttery caramel and maple crunch. In fact, this calendar was borderline problematic, as my penchant for grazing kept overriding my willpower. There wasn't a single snack in this box that I disliked, and I know because I would have happily eaten all of it had I not begged my family members to take it away from me. I can safely recommend it to anyone—especially if you've got helpers around. There are no repeat flavors, and each 1-ounce bag ranges from 120 to 170 calories; Not every mix contains nuts, but the snacks are not technically allergen-free since they're made on the same equipment.

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.

This Advent calendar from Red Bull has been difficult to find in stock since it was released, though it's available online (at a marked-up price) and might be in local stores near you. But it's delightful. You'll get 24 cans of the energy drink that gives you wings, in 11 flavors (including the Fuji Apple and Ginger Winter Edition, which I loved). Could you simply just go get yourself 24 cans of Red Bull? Yeah, absolutely. But this still makes for a fun and versatile gift.

This Advent calendar is a great buy for the Pokémon card enthusiast (or so I have been told by my circle of such friends). It includes 25 different surprises. You’ll get eight foil cards with a festive stamp, six booster packs, seven three-card fun packs, and coins and sticker sheets. Online reviews run the expected gamut: Some people are happy with their great pulls, and some people are upset that the item is not returnable. But if you’re addicted to the pack-open shuffle, or you have a youngster who's in it for the love of the game, this might be exactly up your Advent alley.

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.

The Hot Wheels 2025 Holiday Advent Calendar is made for car-loving kids like mine. It only comes with 10 vehicles, but if they’ve already got a collection of their own, you really don’t need more than 10 cars. It also comes with 24 holiday accessories, and while some of them are just decor, the ones that really interact with the cars were my son’s favorite part. He especially loves the reindeer and harness that can pull a car around (listening to him pretend-play with that and try to make reindeer hoof noises is the cutest thing I’ve ever heard), and the sleigh that a car can sit in. The box’s lid doubles as a little track, which is cute. —Nena Farrell

I love a good wooden ornament, especially as a parent to both a troublesome cat and a wily 3-year-old. There are no more delicate ornaments allowed in my house, and this Advent calendar from Brass Monkey is a perfect option for someone looking for wooden ornaments that still add some extra fun to them. Each one is painted for a different ornament design (plus a classic holiday jello) and the big numbers on the box are fun to go through with a younger kiddo learning to read their numbers. There are 12 ornaments to enjoy. Even though the numbers count down ("11 days left"), I’d probably open this box the first 12 days of December so that you can enjoy the ornaments all month long. —Nena Farrell

We all know Andy Warhol for his pop art, but did you know that, during his commercial-designer days in the 1950s, he made many a Christmas-themed card and illustration for clients, including Tiffany & Co.? Twelve of them are represented as little 80-piece puzzles in this Advent calendar—ornaments, fancy ladies’ shoes, and my personal favorite, a perturbed-looking cat wearing a holly wreath. Which puzzle is located behind which door is a mystery, but once you dump out the pieces, it’s relatively easy to guess based on color with the included key. Each finished puzzle measures 5 x 7 inches and might take an experienced puzzler about 15 minutes—just enough time to finish their morning coffee. Note that the puzzles come in non-resealable plastic bags, so you may want to have some sandwich bags on hand for storage. —Kat Merck

As someone who also does her manis and pedis at home, I’m very familiar with Beetles' presence in the DIY nail space. If you know someone who is just beginning their nail art journey, or does it as a hobby, then this Advent calendar lines up quite nicely with that. It comes complete with a mini LED lamp, gel polishes galore, nail stickers, nail art brushes, a clipper set, and false nails, as well as holiday-themed accessories (a mini Christmas tree is front and center within the box), all wrapped in gold glittered packaging. While the packaging is absolutely gorgeous, I could have done without some of the tchotchkes. That being said, if the recipient is operating in a dorm or apartment or could use these trinkets in addition to all the tools you’d need to set up a nail station, it could absolutely work. Now, to perfect my mini Santa hat French tip set. —Julia Forbes

You’ll need to be a FabFitFun member to get this price, though you can sign up now and buy it before canceling your membership. This 12-day calendar is a tad expensive, but the company makes one of our favorite beauty subscription boxes, and its Advent calendar is a favorite as well. The calendar is full of festive, cozy scents and products—many of which are full-size. Standouts for me included some ultra-fuzzy Unhide socks, a cinnamon-vanilla body lotion from Korres, a lipstick from Hourglass, and a moisturizer from Dr. Jart. The lipstick and moisturizer sell for $38 and $39, respectively, so you are definitely getting your money’s worth if you’re OK with signing up for a membership first. And I liked the festive packaging too!

This Advent calendar is perfect for your friend who's always restocking Lush products—or is frequently taking bubble baths. In addition to a huge array of bubble bars and bath bombs, it also includes body care products like lip scrubs, lotions, soaps, and shower gels. Ten of the 25 items are Advent calendar exclusives, and most are full-size. (A full list of inclusions is available on the product page.)

The packaging is gorgeous and reusable, with locking latches on top, metal handles, and a drawer at the bottom. My Advent calendar did have a damaged bath bomb, which made everything inside dusty (though amazing-smelling). Such is the price we pay for handmade goods! It wasn't a big deal to me, but maybe it'd be best to open the box in a garage rather than on your dining room table—just in case. I've been immensely enjoying the Sticky Dates body wash and finding excuses to take bubble baths with a dizzying assortment of color-changing, fizzy bubble makers.

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 option 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 who'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.