The holidays are fast approaching, and there’s nothing quite like the thrill of counting down the days, especially when an advent calendar is involved.
In recent years, advent calendars have become the must-have holiday item to give and to get, with more and more lifestyle brands jumping on the bandwagon and launching their own limited-edition 3D boxes housing delightful surprises. But the real charm is that there are so many to choose from, to cater to whatever your or your recipients’ interests are. Have an avid baker on your list? Got a skincare enthusiast in your midst? A tween who would love their first beauty kit? There’s an advent calendar for all of the above.
Whether you’re treating yourself or browsing for someone special on your list, make sure you order yours early to leave plenty of time for that festive kickoff come December 1. Here are 13 irresistible advent calendars to help kickstart your holiday shopping.
For the cozy homebody
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Beautiful mini candles to last you the year? Absolutely. Light your way through the holidays with this fragrant countdown from Voluspa. The calendar features 12 of its best-selling fragrances, each housed in beautiful embossed coloured glass jars that can be repurposed for your knick-knacks.
For the essential-oil enthusiast
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Featuring 12 of Saje’s best-sellers, including a few from the newest collection and some calendar exclusives, this advent calendar is designed to nourish the mind and body of the recipient. Each product would also makes a perfect stocking stuffer, just saying.
For the keen baker
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If you’ve got a baker on your list, this festively decorated advent calendar filled with two dozen surprises will help them bake up a storm this holiday season. From cookie cutters to spatulas, piping bags to decorating tips, they’ll have all the tools they need to make a Santa sack worth of cookies. You’ll almost certainly get to taste the results.
For the chocolate lover
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This isn’t the chocolate advent calendar we all got when we were kids. It features 24 of Toronto chocolatier Chocolat de Kat’s most beloved bonbons, including fan-favourites like the Blueberry Muffin and the Cinnamon Pretzel Praline, so it’s a hot commodity every year. It’s also a lovely festive object to display, decorated with an enchanted forest scene by Toronto artist Sheida Shekarian.
For the Sephora tween
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For the VIB member (or wannabe), there’s no excitement like a box stacked with Sephora faves. The twenty-four treats inside take care of everything from head to toe, including mascaras, manicure essentials, festive lip colours, foot masks and much more.
For the coffee drinker
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Brighten up their mornings with this year’s travel-inspired advent calendar from Nespresso. With 24 coffee flavours behind the doors—including limited-edition pods co-created with Michelin-star chef Jean Imbert—they’ll discover new faves as they count down. We also hear there’s a very special gift on the 24th.
For the sweet tooth
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Candy lovers will delight in counting down to the holidays with this yummy advent calendar from Montreal-based confectionary brand, Squish. Sweet gummy surprises for each of the 24 days leading up to Christmas include fan faves like Cola Bottles and Ice Cubes as well as plenty of vegan gummies like Vegan Champagne Bears and Vegan Sour Peach Hearts.
For the White Elephant gift exchange
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If you’re looking for a steal-worthy gift for the White Elephant gift exchange, this reasonably-priced collection of bath treats from Quo Beauty is sure to impress. From bubbles to bath fizzies, this advent calendar offers a daily blissful moment of self-care.
For the candle connoisseur
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This luxurious calendar includes Diptyque’s most coveted products like Baies and Roses candles as well along with gorgeous body care and home scents to ensure every corner of your life is filled with delightful aromas. This year, the calendar is modelled after a sewing box, dreamed up by British contemporary artist Lucy Sparrow. We won’t be surprised if you/they decide to open all 25 doors at once.
For the matcha person
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Know someone who’s constantly showing off their latest strawberry matcha latte on Instagram? This collection of green tea has their name on it. Packed with all-time best-sellers along with fresh, new flavours, this is matcha heaven.
For the fragrance aficionado
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A joyful gift for any fan of Jo Malone London’s iconic fragrances, this elegant advent calendar includes 12 classic colognes, bath and body miniatures and travel candles, each individually wrapped in a decorative ornament box that could be repurposed to decorate the tree or on your holiday tablescape.
For the luxury beauty lover
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Guerlain’s limited-edition, beehive-inspired holiday calendar features full-sized favourites like Rouge G Le Strassé lipstick, as well as travel-friendly sizes of the Abeille Royale Honey Treatment and fragrances from the L’Art & La Matièr collection.
For the glamazon
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Luxe French beauty brand Sisley’s advent calendar is once again gloriously OTT. Filled with 25 best-selling skincare, hair care and body products, including Supremÿa At Night lotion and cream, Volumising Spray Texture and Phyto Rouge Shine Lipstick, this is a head-to-toe self-care routine. The box itself is a collectible item designed by British artist Fee Greening.
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