Advent-turous Gift Guide: Unexpected Christmas Calendars You Can Still Crack Open Right Now
If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Rolling Stone may receive an affiliate commission.
Tis the season to be merry, and to gift yourself a daily dose of positivity. Research published in the journal Nature Neuroscience linked enhanced happiness and other positive emotions with new, diverse experiences, and found that this connection is related to a greater correlation of brain activity in the hippocampus and the striatum (a.k.a. the brain zones associated with the processing of novelty and reward).
More from Rolling Stone
The Best Stocking Stuffers to Gift This Year, From Pint-Sized Speakers to Long-Lasting Earbuds
The So So Glos Enlisted a Pogue to Beat the Hell Out of Christmas
It's a Wonderful Lifetime: Here's How to Stream Lifetime Christmas Movies Online
“Our results suggest that people feel happier when they have more variety in their daily routines, go to novel places, and have a wider array of experiences,” explains New York University assistant psychology professor Catherine Hartley, who co-authored the paper. “These results suggest a reciprocal link between novel and diverse experiences and our subjective sense of well-being.”
But how to go from bah humbug to fab la la la when you find your holiday routine starts to get extra stressful, and the logistical nightmare of gathering friends and family, traveling, and figuring out the perfect gift for everyone on your list? Two words: Advent calendars.
No, our brains haven’t turned to figgy pudding. Hear us out. The authors have noted, “Even small changes that introduce greater variability into the physical or mental routine may yield similar beneficial effects.”
Small changes could include a daily surprise. Having a door to open every day before Christmas or Hanukkah gives you something to look forward to after a long winter’s nap, and not knowing what’s behind them certainly qualifies as introducing greater variability. Sometimes, as is the case with LEGO’s offerings, Lovehoney’s lingerie loot, or the holiday baking countdown from Uncommon Goods, the present opening is just the beginning of what festivities your night now has in store.
And we’re not talking about those flimsy cardboard numbers filled with cheap chocolate. These days, the best advent calendars are out there for every personality, hobby, interest, budget, and relationship type, from musical playlists and luxury fragrance collections to crates full of cocktails and collectible toys. And if anyone gives you grief for splurging on any of the following top advent calendars we’ve assembled, tell ’em you’re simply following the self-care science to a wonderful life.
For Aspiring DJs
Get the holiday party started with this advent-style playlist of 25 Tannenbaum tunes from Sound Sentiments. Each day reveals a QR code for one festive classic that can be played on any device, all reimagined and performed by incredible up and coming singer-songwriters. Shaped like a vinyl record, it’ll also be music to eco-friendly and pro-economy ears to find out that it’s made in the USA of 50 percent recycled materials.
25 Days Advent Calendar Playlist
For Sufferers of Over-Sanitized Skin
The hectic holiday season, while a necessary evil, is taking its toll on everybody (emphasis on body!) Wage war on dry skin, cracked lips, tired eyes, and maskne with an elegant advent calendar from Molton Brown. Designed to evoke Molton Brown’s original salon doors, it contains 24 unisex goodies—think hand creams, body oils, bath salts, Vitamin Lipsaver, anti-fatigue eye gel, and perfume—to indulge all your nooks and crannies in nine scents, including Coastal Cypress & Sea Fennel, Muddled Plum, and Orange & Bergamot.
Molton Brown Advent Calendar
Beekman 1802’s awesome advent offering tends to sell out before Thanksgiving, but for now, these adorable urbanites-turned-goat farmers/Sharon Springs shopkeepers won’t leave customers high and dry-skinned. Their Time Capsule advent calendar this year has a real, hand-blown hourglass with Goatie inside as you enjoy the most magical countdown to Christmas. They include their best-selling skincare superstars like Buttermilk Cleanser, Bloom Cream, Milk Mud, and Dewy Eyed Serum (all wrapped in daily affirmations to remind you to be kind this season).
Beekman 1802 Advent Calendar
For Meat Lovers
This protein-packed exclusive from Man Crates will help any carnivore power through the holiday home stretch. Be warned: this isn’t your grandpa’s boring beef jerky either. Sure, there are basics like teriyaki, black pepper, and garlic among the 25 packs of jerky bits. But there are also root beer habanero, General Tso, sesame ginger, Thai satay, birch beer, and whiskey maple flavors in the mix.
Man Crates Jerky Advent Calendar
For Anyone Who Needs a Stiff Drink
Know someone who needs a little liquid courage to go caroling, make their move under the mistletoe, or meet their partner’s family for the first time? Get them a bevy of adult beverages packaged conveniently for daily drinking. These also work for anyone who just wants to toast the end of this year.
Come on get hoppy with the 12 Beers of Christmas box from City Brew Tours with suds sourced from craft breweries across the country, detailed tasting notes, and surprise swag. The Hanukkah version fuels eight crazy nights.
City Brew Tours 12 Beers Of Christmas
If they’d rather wet their whistle with whiskey, Flavier has curated an adventurous advent calendar that would make Jules Cerne smile. Their “The Depths of Whiskey” tasting box set is the follow up to last year’s sold out case, and has 24 secret premium spirit samples from the “seven seas of Whiskey”, with an award-winning Glencairn tasting glass, and access to exclusive on-demand tasting videos.
Flavier 2022 Whiskey Advent Calendar
Dancing ladies, leaping lords, milking maids, pipers, or drummers would all be thrilled if their true love gave to them Vintage Wine Estates’ 12-bottle California wine calendar featuring crisp Chardonnay, sweet Moscato, bold Cabernet Sauvignon, and more.
Wine Holiday Advent Calendar
For Fragrance Fanatics
Freshen up with help from the fragrance industry’s finest — the height of olfactory luxury is the limited-edition Fragrance Vault Collection advent calendar from Ariana Gande. Its design is record player-inspired, for a keepsake gift box including 12 perfumes from past limited editions and an exclusive advanced preview of Ari’s newest duo collection, and scents like Sweet Like Candy Limited Edition Red and Cloud 2.0 Intense.
Ari Fragrance Vault Collection Advent Calendar
Another scent-sational reminder to treat yourself this season is the Acqua di Parma option in the golden yellow hat box. The hard-to-procure Italian circular box opens to reveal precious illustrations and is packed with petite presents pulled from the company’s beloved lines like Colonia, Blu Mediterraneo, Le Nobili, and Signature of the Sun.
Acqua di Parma Advent Calendar
For Friends Devotees
If your love for the hit sitcom is only overshadowed by its star-studded reunion special, run don’t walk to order the officially-licensed Friends Advent Calendar box. It has brand-new unique keepsakes and trinkets ranging from fun paper ornaments, to classic Friends-inspired recipe cards (the head turkey is not incuded). Set out Central Perk coasters for your holiday party, put a miniature yellow frame over your front door’s peephole, or stay cozy while re-watching all 10 seasons for the umpteenth time.
Friends: The Official Advent Calendar
For Brick Masters
If you build it, Christmas will come. Of LEGO’s four toy-a-day offerings this year, two draw from the pop culture pantheon and are sure to entertain brick players of all ages. The 12th iteration of the future collector’s item, the 268-piece LEGO Gardians of the Galaxy advent calendar based on the GOTG Holiday Special currently streaming on Disney+. It has six mini figures, including Groot tangled up as a Christmas tree, and mini-builds like a drone, the Guardians’ spaceship, a snowman in Thanos’ armor, and more.
LEGO Guardians of the Galaxy Advent Calendar
For Sockophiles
Remember as a kid hating when Jolly Old St. Nick would bring you a fresh pair of socks? Well, this advent calendars lets you indulge in the true pleasure of slipping into some new socks daily daily. First, you’ll need them for any cozy holiday movie marathon, and this box gives you 24 pairs — enough for movie nights throughout the season.
Behind each door lies a festive mix of designs from “All I Want For Christmas” socks (Mariah Carey not included), and “Jumbo Snowmen” to show off your holiday spirit to whoever you pass on the street (or just in your own home).
Holiday Socks Advent Calendar
For Seasonal Bakers
Welcome cookie season with the help of this interactive advent calendar, which, like Joe Biden, was made in Pennsylvania. Each day’s compartment holds a specialty ingredient like crushed peppermint, candied orange peel, and holiday nonpareils, a kitchen tool, or a recipe card. By Christmas, you’ll have six kinds of swappable cookies in your repertoire. (Warning: it doesn’t include standard baking necessities like all-purpose flour or eggs. But you probably already stocked up in preparation for the long winter anyways.)
Holiday Cookie Advent Calendar
For Foodies
If eating is your reason for the season, there are calendars to satisfy just about every craving. Uncommon Goods’ 12 Days of Hot Sauce Advent Calendar will spice up any pepper popper’s palette. Each chamber contains a 1.75-ounce bottle of slow-simmered condiments with hot names like Habanero Evil, Son of Zombie, and Psycho Curry. The heat level on each is extreme across the board, so you won’t get a break no matter which day of the month you pile the sauce on.
Hot Sauce Advent Calendar
Everyone’s been doing their fair share of binge-watching lately, so you can level up screen-time snacks with a daily dose of Wabash Valley Farms’ gourmet popcorn in fun flavors, recipe cards, seasonings, and popcorn kernels to pop yourself.
Popcorn Advent Calendar
For The Sweet Tooth
A worthy last indulgence before you make a New Year’s resolution to cut out sugar entirely, Sugarfina’s candy-filled calendar tempts with 24 different types of treats (96 pieces in total) including limited-run seasonal faves like Santas Donuts, Holiday Presents, and Merry Berries as well as brand cornerstones like Island Pineapples, Ice Cream Cones, Apple Frogs, and Peach Hearts. Sadly, this mouthwatering menagerie is family-friendly so it doesn’t include any of the spiked snacks like Champagne Bears or the Aviation American Gin Gimlet Gummies the high-end confectioner built its reputation on.
Sugarfina Advent Calendar
To ring in the Happy Dollydays, William Sonoma has created a Dolly Parton advent calendar featuring colorful, individually wrapped candies. Some of the country legend’s favorites include chocolates, caramels, gummies and mints. Each night once the sweet snack is pulled from its compartment, let the window reveal the festive “Holly Dolly” wreath and you’ll ensure you won’t have a “Hard Candy Christmas”.
Dolly Parton Advent Calendar
For Big Crystal Energy
If there was ever a year to start seriously practicing self-care and spiritual wellness, it’s 2022 and Smudge’s 10-day calendar can help add magic, meditation, and mojo to the lives of anyone who needs them. It’s drawers are bursting with simple rituals and the aura-rebalancing, stress-relieving, cosmic-cleaning tools like an all-new lineup of crystals and a set of portable mantra cards to give you a power boost wherever you are. It will pair nicely with the man bun and beard you’ve grown over the year.
Magical Self-Care Advent Calendar
For Someone On The Naughty List
It’s hard to know who benefits most from this sexy set—the giver or the receiver. One thing’s for sure though, one look at what’s behind closed drawers in Lovehoney X We-Vibe Sweet Seduction set and it won’t be visions of sugarplums dancing in either’s head. All they’ll want for Christmas is you when you slip out these velvet-colored toys.
Lovehoney Sex Toy Kit
For Kids At Heart
Identity theft might be a crime, but that hasn’t stopped Funko’s The Office calendar from bringing our favorite characters’ miniature likenesses to your home. The brand’s other two 2022 collections, Marvel, Star Wars, and Disney, have also found healthy followings. Maybe the prospect of welcoming 24 big-headed Pocket Pop! vinyl figures into their homes is comforting. Who can resist those big black eyes?
Funko The Office Advent Calendar
Funko Marvel Advent Calendar
Funko Star Wars Advent Calendar
For Four-legged Friends
Let Fido in on the festive fun with Bosco and Roxy’s Dog Days of Christmas Advent Treat calendar. The canine cooks combine applesauce and crushed peanuts to create treats your precious pup will find paws-itively delicious.
Dog Days of Christmas Advent Calendar
Best of Rolling Stone
Click here to see more up-to-date holiday deals!
