Treat yourself or a loved one this Christmas with 25 of the best Advent calendars for 2025
Christmas season is almost upon us, meaning that Advent calendars are lining the shelves already! You need to think fast to get your hands on the best of the season, as many sell out before winter’s even begun.
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We’ve tried and tested calendars in eight different categories to give you the pick of this year’s crop. Whether you like to garden, entertain or taste something delicious, there’s something for everyone... there's even something for your furry friends too!
Beauty Advent calendars
1. Baylis & Harding The Fuzzy Duck 24 days of beauty Advent calendar
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Our score - 8/10
This beauty Advent calendar makes a great first impression - the illustrated packaging looks really substantial and suitably festive. Behind each door is a decent‑sized bath-and-body mini, and the mix of flavours is tantalising: sweet, spicy, wintry scents that release their aromas deliciously in the shower.
The bath bombs wrapped in gold foil add a little touch are super-luxurious, and the heavenly Cranberry-scented ducks are a generous size. This is ideal for a daily micro‑pampering ritual, especially when layering gel, scrub and body butter.
On opening we found some of the doors a bit tough, which led to the box being torn a little. Overall, for a beauty calendar, this represents excellent value for money.
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2. Jurlique Christmas Advent calendar
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Our score - 8/10
Open the lid of this beautifully illustrated box and you're immediately struck by the elegant colour scheme, the dark red, green, and orange, it feels festive yet sophisticated.
Inside are 24 numbered boxes, each with a quote about their Australian Jurlique farm, it’s dedication to biodynamic farming and pure ingredients. Within each box is a miniature skin or body product to try and a great way to discover their range and a full-sized Rare Rose Face Oil.
The products feel premium, all smelled beautifully natural. We especially liked the signature Jurlique rose smell, it’s quite strong at first, but it soon becomes more subtle.
Thoughtful, sustainable, and high quality, this Advent calendar makes a perfect gift or a treat for yourself, and the box is so lovely you'll definitely want to reuse it once you're done!
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3. Perfume and fragrance Advent calendar
Available from Arran.com (£85)
Our score - 9/10
This calendar has a total of 25 doors, offering a selection of beauty and fragrance gifts. This would be a great Advent calendar for mums, couples to share, or anyone interested in self-care. It's also got a super-stylish design and colour scheme, with some of the numbers written in words as well as numericals.
The doors can sometimes be tricky to open as the products are so tightly packed in – a couple of the gifts do come in glass packaging though so this is understandable. Opening the doors was an enjoyable experience as everything smelt amazing and there was a huge variety of products – eight different types, plus different ranges too.
The total value of the contents (£185) is double the price of the calendar, making it excellent value for money!
Order your Perfume and fragrance Advent calendar from Arran.com
Chocolate Advent calendars
4. The Grand Advent calendar by Hotel Chocolat
Available from Hotel Chocolat (£80)
Our score - 9/10
This is not your average chocolate Advent calendar, it’s the Hotel Chocolat Grand Advent calendar and it really does live up to its name!
The large beautifully designed box opens like a book to reveal 24 big doors, each with a festive saying and a generous chocolate inspired treat. From bags of little chocolates, crackers, chunky slabs, hot choc sachets and even little bottles of different flavoured chocolate cream.
Every day feels exciting and different, with Christmas flavours and shapes that really taste as good as they look, perfect for sharing… if you want to! A great way to count down to Christmas!
Order The Grand Advent calendar from Hotel Chocolat
5. Montezumas Organic milk chocolate Advent calendar
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Our score - 6/10
This milk chocolate Advent calendar from Montezuma allows you to try their ethical, organic and responsibly sourced cocoa chocolate every day in the run up to Christmas. The chocolate itself is very nice: smooth, creamy and with a good ‘bite’.
But there are a few downsides to this Advent calendar. All 25 of the little chocolates are exactly the same, so there’s no variety or excitement behind the doors, plus the box material feels fragile and tears quite easily. At £18 for comparatively small pieces – albeit organic – that all conform to the same taste, shape and design, it feels rather pricey.
It’s a decent package but lacks the sense of anticipation and wonder that makes an Advent calendar feel genuinely special. Perhaps one for those who really like their top quality choccies.
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6. The Advent calendar for two by Hotel Chocolat
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Our score - 10/10
This Advent calendar is such a cute idea for two people to share. Behind each of the 24 doors is 2 chocolate truffles of the same flavour, one for you and one for whoever you are sharing with.
Across the whole calendar is 8 different flavour possibilities including pralines, caramels, orange, vanilla and raspberry. The flavours are great and will appeal to most people’s tastes.
A great option for chocolate lovers and at a really decent price considering you get a total of 48 tasty chocolates.
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Garden Advent calendars
7. Luxury 24 day Christmas Advent calendar for gardeners
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Our score - 8/10
This beautifully presented Advent calendar comes with a length of baker’s twine and little wooden pegs so you can hang up the 24 illustrated envelopes ready to be opened. Each envelope contains a surprise packet of seeds along with planting and care instructions.
The seeds are a mix of flowers, vegetables such as radish and beetroot and kitchen herbs, many of which could be grown in pots. There’s also a grow-your-own Christmas tree – though not in time to decorate this year!
A nice touch is that the envelopes are unsealed so you can add a note or an extra little gift if you like. This would be a lovely present for a newbie gardener or an older child who’d enjoy starting their own patch.
The price works out as around £2 per seed packet, which is very reasonable. Add to this the lovely illustrations and luxury packaging and this feels like good value for money.
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8. Heirloom seed Advent calendar by She Grows Veg
Available from SheGrowsVeg.com (£70)
Our score - 9/10
Open up the cute, Christmas-themed cotton bag, and you’ll find 25 vibrant envelopes full of promise. The punky designs, the bold colours and trending stripes made this calendar feel really special. It’s a bit awkward to find the right envelope, as you have to search through the bag each day – but this does mean it feels like a treasure hunt.
The calendar includes a mix of fruit, veg, herbs and flowers, with no duplicates. It’s full of unusual varieties and unexpected surprises (some had us laughing) but it’s worth knowing that you’ll need a greenhouse or polytunnel to get the best of out of some of the more specialist seeds.
They’re wrapped in foil-lined packets, so the seed will keep fresh, and each one gives you all the info you need to grow the seeds, and there are YouTube videos available, too.
Get your Heirloom seed Advent calendar from SheGrowsVeg.com
9. Garden flower seed Advent calendar
Available from SomethingPrettyPlants.com (£34.50)
Our score - 8/10
This fully-recyclable Advent calendar includes 24 packets of seeds – You can choose to receive flower or vegetable seeds, or a mix of both. The large doors are really easy to open, but the packets are stuck in so they can be a bit fiddly to get out. There were no duplicate seeds, some species are repeated but they’re different types.
Overall, they’re bright, easy-to-grow annuals which are great for any keen gardener. The seeds are wrapped in paper packets, rather than foil, so they all need to be sown the following year for best chance of germination.
There are roughly 30 seeds in each packet, but larger types like sunflowers and sweetpeas come in packs of 20 seeds. Each packet is printed with all the specifics you need to get growing. It’s a fun way to give your garden a boost and an inspiring advent calendar for both budding and experienced gardeners.
Find your Garden flower seed Advent calendar at SomethingPrettyPlants.com
Food & drink Advent calendars
10. The 12 Days of Tracklements Advent calendar gift pack
Available from Tracklements.co.uk (£25.25)
Our score - 8/10
If you love condiments, you'll absolutely lovedthe 12 Days of Tracklements Advent calendar!
The box itself is sturdy as well as being recyclable, it’s beautifully designed with quirky linocut characters. Each window opens easily to reveal a little jar, along with a quote about the company. The variety is fantastic, from ketchups, chutneys, mustards, jam, relish and even mayonnaise. All handmade in Wiltshire using simple, honest ingredients.
The jars may be small, but the flavours are great and tasted homemade. With its gluten-free, vegetarian and some vegan options and strong eco-credentials, this is an environmentally friendly and delicious gift.
Order The 12 Days of Tracklements Advent calendar gift pack at Tracklements.co.uk
11. Mixed wine Advent calendar
Available from Laithwaites.co.uk (£89.99)
Our score - 7/10
This calendar includes 23 mini bottles of wine, one full size bottle of prosecco for Christmas eve celebrations, and a sparkling wine stopper as a bonus gift.
The specific contents are listed online so you can review before you purchase. We reviewed the mixed box, which implies a selection of red, white and rosé, but were disappointed that only one rosé was included. There were then 10 whites and 12 reds to sample.
This calendar is great for wine-lovers who are looking for a new favourite wine or those new to wine. The design is gorgeous with the winter scene, but this makes it quite tricky to find some of the numbers. Once you found them though, they were easy to open, and the wine slid out easily.
Overall, wine aficionado's might find the contents slightly disappointing, with the one rosé, no Malbec and only one Merlot too. But there was plenty of Sauvignon Blanc which is a popular white wine, and it is nice to be introduced to new varieties. We think it's great value for money, especially as they don’t have to be drunk straightaway.
Find this Mixed wine Advent calendar at Laithwaites.co.uk
12. Cocktail Advent calendar
Available from MOTHdrinks.com (£79)
Our score - 8/10
This calendar is massive! Filled with 24 bar-strength cocktails, this will really get you in Christmas spirit.
The box itself has festive black and white pattern with a fold-out design, which feels fun and exciting to open each day. In this calendar, there’s nine different cocktails, so you will get some twice (and even three times) – this isn’t the end of the world, especially if you find a new favourite, but it was slightly annoying to get the same two drinks on day 1 and 2.
The drinks are sometimes different sizes too, but this is due to the strength and type of drink. The cans were a bit tricky to get out of the doors, which delayed the experience of trying a new cocktail! In terms of value, it is priced better than buying the tins individually in the supermarket and is only slightly more expensive than buying a 24-pack of one variety of cocktails, but you get the benefit of trying more of a selection. Perfect for those who enjoy a party during the festive season!
Enjoy a tipple with this Cocktail Advent calendar from MOTHdrinks.com
Candle Advent calendars
13. Limited edition scented tealight Advent calendar
Available from GreatHouseFarmStores.co.uk (£64)
Our score - 8/10
This Advent calendar has a simple, but lovely design and includes 24 tealights, perfect for the run up to Christmas. They are all beautifully fragranced, with each candle being a different scent, meaning you can try out a whole range before choosing a bigger candle for the New Year. I
In terms of the calendar itself, the doors easy to open but the tealights were a bit tricky to get out – the metal sides bent slightly when I tried to pull them out. To solve this, we turned it upside down and pushed it from the bottom instead. Each tealight had its name on the bottom, so you know what’s been burning. It's a lovely calendar and ideal for cosy December evenings – plus as they’re only small, you can definitely use one per day.
The calendar costs the same per tealight as the company’s other gift boxes, so you are getting a good price. The quality is great, and the scents are very aromatic for small candles. Ideal for any home lover who wants to sit back with a hot drink, a blanket, a Christmas movie and enjoy a beautiful candle alongside.
Get your Limited edition scented tealight Advent calendar from GreatHouseFarmStores.co.uk
14. Yankee Candle 24 days of fragrance wreath Advent calendar
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Our score - 7/10
The first thing that will strike you about this Advent calendar, is how good it smells. Packaged into a beautifully illustrated box, behind each of the 24 doors is a tealight, in one of eight winter scents. Upon burning, and probably due to the small size, some scents do give off more of an aroma than others.
A good Advent calendar for candle lovers and not too expensive for what you get. It would be better with a larger variety of scents and less repeats, as this becomes slightly less exciting after day 8, and sometimes it is hard to get the tealight out of the tightly fitting box!
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15. St Eval Tealight Advent calendar
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Our score - 9/10
The scene on the front of this candle calendar, depicting the Cornish coast with mermaids, whales and a castle, is gorgeous, and the smell is wonderful!
Unlike most other Advent calendars, the first door of the 24 is the largest, this is because this tealight calendar includes a tealight holder, meaning you can use your candles straight away without finding or buying one.
The doors were easy to open, thanks to the helpful serration and semi-circle push out opening and the name and description of each fragrance is on the inside, which is super helpful if you enjoy the scent and want to buy more. Also, each tealight has a helpful cardboard lip so you can grab them out without squishing them.
These are slightly more expensive per candle than buying the nine packs available on their website, but these don’t include the holder or the variety of 24 different scents you get with the calendar, so still a good choice as a gift or if you like variety. it's an ideal Advent calendar for those in need of some cosy nights in and who want to discover their new favourite fragrance.
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Hot drink Advent calendars
16. Yogi Tea Christmas Advent calendar
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Our score - 9/10
This Advent calendar comes in a box, then you pull it out to reveal the fold-out design. It’s folded into four sections and stands up, displaying a beautiful wintery scene. It has 24 doors with a different organic teabag behind each door – the range is huge from chai to matcha, plus herbal and spiced infusions, including their delicious Christmas tea.
The doors are easy to open with a serration down the middle, then you open it like a book to get the bag out easily. This slightly different design made it much easier to open and the doors didn’t rip at all.
Each bag has brewing instructions too, which was very useful when trying a new brew. It's great value for money with each bag coming in at 44p, but there aren’t any ‘standard’ blends, which some people may not like, but if you enjoy trying new flavours then this one is definitely for you.
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17. Your Wellness Advent calendar by English Tea Shop
Available from etsteas.store (£16.99)
Our score - 6/10
This pretty Advent calendar is filled with 25 varieties of organic loose-leaf tea, so you can make yourself a relaxing brew in the run up to Christmas.
Most of the teas are fruit and herbal blends, such as Happy Me – a warming mix of lemongrass, apple and orange spiced with ginger, cardamom and cinnamon, but there are also rooibos, green, black and white tea blends. This is a ‘seasonal spice’ collection, and we found the teas to be very aromatic and flavourful herbal blends, but they might not be to everyone’s taste.
It would be nice if the tea bags were recyclable rather than net bags and, as they are glued into the windows a couple of them split when I was removing them (delicate handling required). There’s also not much of a surprise element as the list of teas printed inside the box is in the order you open them in.
That said, it's still a varied and affordable advent calendar that a herbal tea-loving friend would receive gratefully!
Find Your Wellness Advent calendar at etsteas.store
18. Mariages Frères Noël lucky Advent calendar
Available from MariagesFreres.com (£49)
Our score - 9/10
This Advent calendar has the most beautiful design in a bright pink hue with a lovely bow detail on opening. The fold-out front then shows you the 25 doors, each with a unique, gourmet tea inside.
The variety was huge with teas we’d never heard of before, so every day it was exciting to see what was inside. This is ideal for those who already love tea but want to find some new varieties.
In terms of value, it costs around £2 per tea bag, which is a lot, but still much cheaper than going out to buy a tea and perfect if you are experimenting with new flavours without the commitment of buying a whole box. Also, the teabags themselves are of high quality, and each label had brewing instructions, which was very useful. A special treat for any tea lovers.
Get your Noël lucky Advent calendar at MariagesFreres.com
19. Bird & Blend Tea Co. Matcha tea Advent calendar
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Our score - 10/10
Packaged in a pretty pink and matcha green box, this Advent calendar promised many delights and did not disappoint!
Pop open the windows and discover 24 tempting matcha tea flavours behind them. The matcha is packaged in cute little tins (which could be saved and repurposed or recycled) and it's a great opportunity to try so many different flavours – plus each tin makes two cups.
Cinnamon Bun, Toasted Marshmallow and Carrot Cake were our particular favourites, but they were all delicious. At £55 this isn’t cheap but it’s excellent value for money when you consider that ordering 48 matcha lattes in a café would cost over £190.
If someone special in your life loves matcha, we would absolutely recommend you gift them this calendar – especially if you get to have the second cup of each flavour!
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20. English Tea Shop organic luxury Advent calendar tea chest
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Our score - 8/10
This Advent calendar is a delight from the start. The presentation is gorgeous - a cracker‑style chest that really builds excitement each day. Inside are 25 silky fully compostable pyramid tea bags, each housed in a triangular wedge box with an easy-open pull tab.
The organic tea range is broad and Adventurous: robust English Breakfast, spicy chai, delicate vanilla Earl Grey, fruity blends and floral herbals. Each comes with a handy recommended brewing time, but not whether to add milk.
It feels good value for money, and it’s genuinely fun to reveal a new flavour each day. One caveat: this is ideal for tea lovers who enjoy variety. If you prefer nothing more than a solid builder’s, you might not love every flavour.
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21. Bird & Blend Tea Co. tea Advent calendar 2025
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Our score - 10/10
Perfect for tea lovers, this stylish box opens out to reveal 24 small, numbered cubes and the promise of 48 cups of tea – each box contains two luxury teabags, so you could sip and share, or drink them all yourself! There's a mix of classic and festive flavours, plus expert tips for preparing the perfect brew.
There’s plenty more added value too, with QR codes to scan for daily festive content, a beanie knitting pattern, and a free gift, plus a gingerbread decoration to cut out and keep.
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Entertainment Advent calendars
22. Christmas movie Advent calendar by Making Meadows
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Our score - 9/10
A small box filled with 24 cards, this is an Advent calendar with a difference! Each beautifully illustrated card suggests a festive film to watch in the build up to Christmas, with a brief synopsis, the year of release, and running time. It’s a calendar for the whole family to enjoy, as are the films themselves, (although some do have a slightly higher age rating), from heartwarming classics to modern must-watches.
The box and cards are fully recyclable, but there's absolutely no reason you can't hold onto it and bring out each year! It would also make a fun stocking filler or secret Santa gift, too.
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23. Magna-Tiles MicroMags Advent calendar
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Our score - 9/10
This Advent calendar hides different pieces of a festive train set behind 24 doors, including a conductor and Father Christmas. The sturdy box is printed with a magical scene, and its front folds down to reveal a train track.
Suitable for ages three and up, we tested it with a three-year-old and a seven-year-old. Both were excited about each door and found them simple to open, though some tiles were tricky to remove without adult help, while some others had fallen loose.
The first few toys are well chosen, so play begins before the train is complete – by 5th December you already have a full carriage. Perfect for children who enjoy building toys, trains, or magnets, this calendar offers daily excitement and imaginative fun. The kids’ verdict: ‘Amazing!’ and ‘Really exciting.’
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24. Meri Meri x Liberty Advent village
Available from MollyMeg.com (£27)
Our score - 7/10
This reusable kit includes a range of buildings to make a charming Advent village, including Christmas trees and a golden church with a proper bell. The assembly instructions are brief, but they’re very simple to follow. Four of the boxes come pre-made so you can refer to these while you make the other 20.
This Advent calendar is a real treat for Liberty lovers and older children. The paper is sturdy, but you need to be careful if you want to reuse the boxes next year.
It feels pricey for a calendar without any gifts, but the attention to detail is gorgeous. The gold foil touches feel high quality and each of the shops has a tiny 3D awning. When it’s all set out, it makes a brilliant decoration which can be styled to fit any space.
Order your Meri Meri x Liberty Advent village at MollyMeg.com
25. Ravensburger Christmas Around the World jigsaw puzzle Advent calendar
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Our score - 9/10
This Advent calendar is great fun for all the family. Inside are 24 boxes containing 54 pieces to create a scene from somewhere in the world, which is great value for money. If you enjoy jigsaws and/or travelling, this is the calendar for you. It’s exciting to spot places you have been, or plan to visit. Each box shows the destination, and a reference picture.
The puzzles are fairly simple to complete, and the perfect daily task on the approach to Christmas. It’s satisfying to connect all 24 into one huge puzzle. We’ve knocked off one point because we think it would be even better without the white borders, or if all puzzles joined into one composition.
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Don’t forget your puppy at Christmas!
Pointer Christmas Countdown Dog Advent calendar
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Our score - 8/10
Our tester pup was paw-sitively thrilled from the moment this box appeared. While it had no noticeable odour to us, its scent got her tail a-wagging!
Each of the 24 doors opens easily to reveal a bone-shaped biscuit. There are two flavours, carob and cheese, both wolfed down with equal excitement. The box is a bit flimsy – our dog accidentally knocked through a couple of the doors when clumsily offering a paw!
The treats are a generous size – around 7cm – making them a fetching daily reward, though this does also make them a little tricky to remove. With no artificial additives, they seem to be excellent quality treats, though the vague ingredients list might rule it out for sensitive tummies. Still, for most hounds, it’s a fun way to join the howl-iday countdown. Bone-appétit!
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Let the Christmas countdown begin
Don't wait until you're opening day 24 of your Advent calendar, make sure you've ticked off these items on your Christmas checklist this year!
