The 14 Best Advent Calendars for Adults of 2022

Count down the days with chocolate, ChapStick, candles, and more

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4 of the top advent calendars for adults

Uncommon Goods / Walmart / Williams Sonoma

Counting down to Christmas is one of the most fun parts of the season. With the right advent calendar, you’ll be able to enjoy treats, gifts, and beverages all through December. After all, we can't let the kids have all the fun. From luxury candles and Bob Ross activity prompts to tasty treats from Sugarfina, there is something for everyone on this list. The hardest part is deciding on just one.

Check out the best advent calendars for adults below.

Best Overall

Sugarfina 24 Tastes of Christmas Advent Calendar

Sugarfina 24 Tastes of Christmas Advent Calendar

Sugarfina

Who It's Good For
  • Candy lovers and families who need to share an advent calendar

Who It's Not Good For
  • People without a sweet tooth

Enjoy tasty treats from trendy confectionaire Sugarfina in this 24 day advent calendar. It features some of the store’s most popular sweets, including dark chocolate, white chocolate, cookies, gummy candies, and hard candies. Each of the drawers has four treats, so if you need to share the advent calendar, each person can get their own taste. (Or you can save them all for yourself and really indulge in the holiday cheer.)

Prices vary by retailer, so shop around before buying this pricey candy calendar. There are plenty of deals and specials that can cut the cost. And with those savings, you can stock up on some of your other favorite Sugarfina treats. You might even find a new candy that you love among the drawers of this advent calendar.

Price at time of publish: $34.99

Dimensions: 13 x 13 x 2.1 inches | Days: 24 | Filled with: Candy

Best Budget

Cadbury Dairy Milk Advent Calendar

Cadbury Dairy Milk Advent Calendar

Amazon

Who It's Good For
  • Milk chocolate lovers and families who need multiple advent calendars

Who It's Not Good For
  • People who don't like chocolate

If you need multiple advent calendars for a family of kids who are more grinch than generous during the holidays, this budget-friendly advent calendar can be purchased in bulk so that everyone gets a tasty treat each day. It features Cadbury’s creamy milk chocolate in bite-sized holiday shapes.

Some people noted that the packaging came a bit dinged, and their chocolates had shifted. If you plan to give it as a gift, you may want to have a backup plan in case it arrives damaged. Since it ships from the UK, the advent calendar does have to travel quite far to make it to your holiday home.

Price at time of publish: $8.99

Dimensions: 12.8 x 9.88 x 0.59 inches | Days: 24 | Filled with: Chocolate

Best Chocolate

Godiva Chocolatier Gourmet Chocolate Advent Calendar

Godiva Chocolatier Gourmet Chocolate Advent Calendar

Amazon

Who It's Good For
  • Chocolate lovers and people who appreciate variety

Who It's Not Good For
  • Anyone trying to cut back on sweets

This is one of our favorite advent calendars due to the delicious chocolate and variety of styles. Godiva comes out with a new advent calendar every year, and each has its own twist on the Christmas tradition while also being reliably tasty. It counts down through all 24 days of December until it gets to Christmas.

There are three styles, but we are partial to the blue advent calendar sampler because it includes some of Godiva’s most popular chocolates. There are milk chocolates, dark chocolates, truffles, and cherry cordials. None of them are holiday-themed, but the Christmas spirit comes through in the outer calendar illustrations.

Price at time of publish: $29.95

Dimensions: 10.63 x 10.47 x 1.54 inches | Days: 24 | Filled with: Assorted chocolates

Best Wine Calendar

Total Wine Most Wonderful Wine Advent Calendar 2022

Most Wonderful Wine Advent Calendar

Total Wine

Who It's Good For
  • People with general wine knowledge that love to entertain

Who It's Not Good For
  • Anyone who's picky about their wine selection

You can count on the holidays to bring out the wine and spirits. This advent calendar is perfect for people who want their daily glass without having to open an entire bottle. You can share but the individual bottles are best for single servings. To include more people in the countdown to Christmas, why not get multiple advent calendars and make it a party?

The wines included feature whites and reds from around the world. The experts behind the calendar selected some great wines, although people with really discerning palettes or expert wine education would probably prefer to select their own bottles. For most of us, however, this is a top quality wine calendar that includes everyday wine as well as some more select and unusual wines to try.

Price at time of publish: $49.99

Dimensions: 187 mL bottles | Days: 24 | Filled with: Wine

Best with Tea

Palais Des Thés 24 Days of Tea Advent Calendar

Palais Des Thaes 24 Days of Tea Advent Calendar

Amazon

Who It's Good For
  • Eco-minded individuals who like a variety of teas

Who It's Not Good For
  • People who prefer a single type of tea

If you like tea, this is a wonderful collection of high-quality teas that will make your holidays warm and cozy. The calendar includes 24 different teas, including some that are single-estate teas. There are also blended flavored teas and herbal infusions. Palais des Thés works directly with growers to ensure that every single one of their teas is ethically sourced and grown in a way that honors the plant and the people cultivating it.

With so much variety, it’s not the best option if you have strong preferences for the type of tea that you enjoy. There is a mix of caffeinated and herbal infusions that don’t have any caffeine, so you may be able to enjoy some as your morning pick-me-up as you get ready for a day of holiday adventures and others in the evening by the light of the Christmas tree.

Price at time of publish: $28.80

Dimensions: 10 x 1.5 x 14.5 inches | Days: 24 | Filled with: Tea sachets

Best Novelty

Insight Kids Home Alone Aaaaaaadvent Calendar

Home Alone Aaaaaaadvent Calendar

Walmart

Who It's Good For
  • '90s kids and those who want an interactive calendar

Who It's Not Good For
  • Anyone looking for a treat to enjoy each day

Enjoy the Christmas classic Home Alone with this Aaaaaaadvent calendar featuring pop-up scenes from the movie. Start with the included pop-up Christmas tree and add a Home Alone-themed ornament each day of the month until Christmas. If you’re a Millenial who wants to share Home Alone with your own kids, this advent calendar will get them excited to see Kevin McAllister’s tricks and traps during a family movie night.

There aren’t any candies, goodies, or other treats to enjoy in this advent calendar. Instead, you get to create a holiday keepsake and memories as you relive your favorite moments from the movie. The calendar comes in book format and also includes a bonus booklet that tells the Home Alone story. If you have young children who are more interested in chocolates and treats than quality family time, you might want to supplement with a chocolate calendar as well.

Price at time of publish: $18.63

Dimensions: 2.60 x 12.70 x 1.00 inches | Days: 24 | Filled with: Pop-up tree and ornaments

Best with Wisdom

Williams-Sonoma Dolly Parton Advent Calendar

Holly Dolly Advent Calendar

Williams Sonoma

Who It's Good For
  • Dolly lovers and chocolate lovers

Who It's Not Good For
  • Anyone looking to restrict their sugar intake

Need some sparkle and cheer from the queen this holiday season? Enjoy this Holly Dolly advent calendar featuring the one and only Dolly Parton. Each of the 24 days has a Dolly-themed chocolate or candy that is sure to brighten your spirits. You’ll also get to spend the month looking at Parton’s encouraging smile. She’s personally picked out the treats behind each window, so it’s almost like you're celebrating with the legend herself.

We don’t get it if you’re not a Dolly Parton fan, but if country music isn’t your thing, the charm of this advent calendar may miss the mark for you. Then again, the wisdom of Dolly Parton might be just what you need. The calendar may not the best option for people trying to limit their sugar intake. But if you want a break from your 9-5 to get inspired, this calendar is for you.

Price at time of publish: $14.99

Dimensions: 11 x 12 x 1 inches | Days: 24 | Filled with: Candies

Best Painting

Bob Ross Advent Calendar

Bob Ross Advent Calendar

Amazon

Who It's Good For
  • Painters and wannabe painters

Who It's Not Good For
  • Crafters and foodies

You can adorn your holidays with happy little trees thanks to the Bob Ross advent calendar. The calendar has bits of wisdom, ornaments that you can hang on your tree, and audio clips of the iconic painter himself. If you find his voice soothing (and who doesn’t?), it will be the perfect addition to a peaceful and tranquil holiday season.

There are a few activities in this advent calendar but don’t expect a painting prompt every day. Most of the doors open to reveal a Bob Ross-ism or meditation rather than a painting activity. But if you want to live like Bob Ross during December, this is a great place to start.

Price at time of publish: $26.99

Dimensions: 10.05 x 1.45 x 12.05 inches | Days: 24 | Filled with: Various ornaments, sayings, and activities

Best Coffee

Keurig 24 Days of Cheer Advent Calendar

Keurig 24 Cups of Cheer Advent Calendar
Who It's Good For
  • Coffee lovers who drink at least one cup a day

Who It's Not Good For
  • Coffee machines other than Keurig

Brew your daily cup of joe in a Keurig with an advent calendar full of single cup pods. Each day reveals a new brew. There are flavored coffees, lattes, traditional coffee, and even some hot cocoa pods. They’re packed in a fold-out book with a Christmas scene on the front, and each day, you can open a door to reveal a new pod.

You will need a Keurig for this advent calendar since the pods aren’t compatible with drip coffee makers, espresso machines, or any other brand of single-serve coffee maker. If you drink more than one cup a day, you’ll need extra pods on hand as well since these are not refillable.

Price at time of publish: $12.49

Dimensions: 12.05 x 7.76 x 3.82  inches | Days: 24 | Filled with: Coffee pods

Best Candle

DesignUndone Candle Advent Calendar

DesignUndone Candle Advent Calendar

Etsy

Who It's Good For
  • People who enjoy the smells of the holiday season

Who It's Not Good For
  • Those who prefer to stick to a signature scent

Enjoy luxury candles every night in December with this advent calendar. Each candle is four ounces and comes hand-poured in a glass tumbler. The labels evoke just the right notes of classic luxury, and the fragrances are higher-end as well. Unfortunately, the price tag proves it. But since the fragrance blends, soy candles, and packaging are handmade by a Texas artisan, we think it's justified.

There are 12 different fragrances in the 2022 advent calendar. If you find one that you love during the month, you can purchase them in 10.5-ounce sizes or other 4-ounce replacements. The advent calendar ones have the date printed on the outside of the box, so you know which one to open and when.

Price at time of publish: $180

Dimensions: 4 oz. candles | Days: 24 | Filled with: Candles

Best Music

Uncommon Goods Holiday Scratch Off Advent Calendar Playlist

Uncommon Goods Holiday Scratch Off Advent Calendar Playlist

Uncommon Goods

Who It's Good For
  • Carolers who are tired of the same old tunes and anyone who wants to dance

Who It's Not Good For
  • People who prefer vinyl

If you want to spend your December rockin’ around the Christmas tree, this playlist advent calendar is sure to get you grooving. Each day, you scratch off the cover to reveal a song. Then download it digitally to your curated holiday playlist. It features new artists singing Christmas classics so you can enjoy something new rather than listening to the same songs each year.

Each digital download can be accessed by scanning a QR code. It’s pretty user-friendly and works with a variety of devices, but it’s best to have a smartphone camera for the easiest access. If you are a purist who wants all of their music on vinyl, the digital download may not appeal to you. There is also a Let’s Get Lit playlist calendar to count down the eight days of Hanukkah.

Price at time of publish: $14.99

Dimensions: 12.25 x 12.25 x 0.01  inches | Days: 24 | Filled with: Music downloads

Best for Bookworms

Hingsten & Olsen Short Story Advent Calendar

Hingsten & Olsen Short Story Advent Calendar

Hingsten & Olsen

Who It's Good For
  • Readers, writers, and aspiring readers and writers

Who It's Not Good For
  • Foodies who want a sweet treat

Sit down and enjoy a story each night during December as you get ready for Christmas. These aren’t holiday-themed stories, but they are some of the best short stories from today’s writers. Publisher Hingston & Olsen has been putting out short story collections as advent calendars since 2015. They also have experience curating and editing collections of sci-fi, celebrity profiles, and other types of journalism and literature. Plus, their graphic design team is something worth celebrating, too. On top of that, you can bundle this calendar with the kids’ version, which features a box of individual-bound kids’ stories to count down the holidays.

Price at time of publish: $65

Dimensions: 4.5 x 7.75 x 3 inches | Days: 24 | Filled with: Individually-bound short stories

Best for Early Risers

Bonne Maman 12 Days of Christmas Spread

Bonne Maman 12 Days of Christmas Spread

Amazon

Who It's Good For
  • Breakfast enthusiasts and those who wake up early and want a present

Who It's Not Good For
  • Those who don't love jam and honey

If you are up at the crack of dawn, you can enjoy a countdown calendar that pairs perfectly with your morning toast. Bonne Maman has a 12 Days of Christmas set that includes limited-edition flavors made for the holidays. Some of them are seasonal, such as orange with cinnamon, while others are just special releases for the holidays, such as raspberry and rose. There is even a jar of honey included. (Some of these flavors aren’t even available other than in this set.)

Bonne Maman makes fantastic jams, but you don’t need to limit them to just breakfast. They also make great additions to cakes and cookies during the holidays. Each jar is only 1 ounce, so you may want to get two calendars if you have multiple jam lovers in your home or plan to use the jams and honey for dishes other than just toast.

Price at time of publish: $29.94

Dimensions: 1 oz. jars | Days: 24 | Filled with: Jam and honey

Best for People Who Don't Like Gifts

ChapStick 12 Days of ChapStick Advent Calendar

12 Days of Chapstick Advent Calendar

Amazon

Who It's Good For
  • The person who has everything

Who It's Not Good For
  • People who want a special treat

Even Ebeneezer Scrooge can’t say "bah humbug" when given an advent calendar as useful as the 12 Days of ChapStick. With winter weather wreaking havoc on your lips and skin, these ChapSticks come in handy to keep your lips moisturized and healthy. There are holiday flavors, such as sugar cookie and candy cane, but you can hide those if needed. The classics are also in there.

The gift might underwhelm someone who is used to the finer things in life and wants some luxury in their holidays. ChapSticks are useful but not exactly a once-in-a-year treat. But for those that say they don’t want presents but secretly like to celebrate, this advent calendar is a perfect choice.

Price at time of publish: $14.99

Dimensions: 0.94 x 11.25 x 9.75 inches | Days: 12 | Filled with: ChapStick

How to Pick the Right Advent Calendar

Interests

Each advent calendar caters to specific interests. Some are pretty universal during the holidays, such as sweets, candies, and chocolates. These treat-filled calendars are widely available, while those focused on more niche interests, such as Bob Ross meditations or short stories, may be harder to find. But if you can locate them, they are often made by artisans and fellow enthusiasts, which makes them that much more special. If you're searching for an advent calendar for someone who refuses to associate with both chocolate and niche interests, then you can't go wrong with the 12 Days of ChapStick Advent Calendar.

Number of Items

Most advent calendars are 12 or 24 days long, with a few options falling in between. If you want to countdown all through December, make sure to find an advent calendar that has 24 days of gifts or treats. An alternative is to get two 12-day calendars, but you will need to factor in the price. Our top pick, the Sugarfina Advent Calendar, features 24 days of surprises with four treats in each drawer.

Price

Basic advent calendars are available for around $10 and are a great way to celebrate the holidays without spending your entire budget before you even start your Christmas shopping. If you want to go big, luxury calendars are available for $200, $300, or even $450. These often feature full-sized high-end products with exquisite details.

Frequently Asked Questions
  • What’s a good beauty advent calendar?

    Some brands make advent calendars full of their own products. Beauty stores, such as Sephora, also put out advent calendars that have a variety of brands and uses. Most beauty advent calendars feature best sellers and fan favorites, which is a great way to try something new.

  • What do you put in an advent calendar?

    If you decide on a refillable advent calendar, you can use it year after year. You will need to restock with small treats or goodies. Candies and chocolates are very popular because they are small enough to fit in most calendars and can be customized to suit your tastes and preferences.

  • What are the different types of advent calendars?

    Advent calendars can be grouped by theme. Many have food, drinks, or edible treats, including sweets, chocolates, wine, beer, and other things that people like to eat and drink. Activity advent calendars are also fun to bring the joy of the holidays into to your day-to-day routine. Home and self-care advent calendars feature beauty products, candles, or other decor to make you and your home feel festive.

Take Our Word for It

Katie Melynn is a freelance writer focusing on home and lifestyle content. To compile this list, Katie looked for advent calendars that would appeal to beauty lovers, people with a sweet tooth, and even those who don't intend to celebrate the season at all. With plenty of options to choose from, she compiled a list of the top calendars to make the magic of Christmas last all through December.

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