Not so many years ago, a typical advent calendar was a basic cardboard box containing some chocolates or other candies behind little daily windows. Today, advent calendars have evolved into creatively designed collections that dispense items ranging from pet toys to soaps, fishing equipment to art supplies. They make for festive decor, and appeal to our love of ritual, surprise, and small things.
Of course, if you’re gifting an advent calendar, you’ll want to give it early, in time for your recipients to count down the days to Christmas or a special milestone. Here are some countdown calendars that cater to different interests, promising daily doses of joy.
### For Pet People
Because they’ve been (mostly) good boys and girls this year, consider a daily treat calendar for the household’s pets.
– **Petco** offers Merry Makings’ feline calendar, featuring 12 days of catnip goodies and toys behind the doors of a cute cottage. There’s also a dog version, with biscuits, chewies, and small plush toys. Prices range from $25 to $30.
– **Bocce’s Bakery**, a New York-based dog-snack maker, has a 12-day calendar containing their signature wheat-, corn-, and soy-free treats, made with ingredients like peanut butter, banana, and chickpeas. Priced at $14.
– A cat calendar at **Trader Joe’s** includes freeze-dried sweet potato and salmon treats, while their dog version focuses on freeze-dried chicken. Both are available for $7.99.
### For Gardeners and Makers
What nature lover wouldn’t enjoy a pretty calendar filled with different kinds of flower seeds?
– **Terrain** offers a box of seven seed bombs, each packaged in a decorative ornament featuring bees, butterflies, bunnies, and birds. Hang them on your tree until planting season, then watch as chamomile, clovers, coriander, marigold, and other pollinator-friendly wildflowers brighten your garden or pots come spring. The set costs $48.
– Needlecraft artist Amanda Watson from Bend, Oregon, created a calendar you can stitch yourself—one new design each day from December 1 through Christmas. It’s an embroidery project suitable even for beginners, and the finished artwork can be framed or turned into a tote or pillow. Available for $45.
– For crafty kids, Mondo Llama’s **25 Days of Christmas Crafts** calendar includes all the sticks, foam and felt pieces, mini markers, googly eyes, and more needed to create a bunch of cute holiday crafts. Priced at $30.
– Uncommon Goods’ **Craft Project calendar** provides slots to hold your finished buildings, so you can assemble a colorful village to display throughout the holidays. The kit includes paint markers, watercolors, glittery gel pens, and more. It’s available for $95.
### Indoor and Outdoor Fun
– Kids aged 8 and up will have a great time with the **Experiment a Day Science Advent Calendar** from Thames & Kosmos, a science education-focused toys and games company. Supplies are included for chemistry, biology, and physics experiments. Available at Uncommon Goods for $40.
– Also from Thames & Kosmos is an advent calendar version of its escape-room board game series. **Exit: The Game** involves an intergalactic race, with each day offering a clue to progress toward the end. Priced at $49.95.
– For fishing fans, **Colitt** offers a calendar containing 24 reusable lures, packaged in a calendar box featuring a fierce denizen of the deep on the cover. The calendar costs $54.99.
– **The Purple Cow’s 24 Family Games** calendar includes brainteasers, dice, as well as outdoor and nostalgic activities for the whole family to enjoy. Priced at $40.
– And for fans of the musical “Wicked,” there’s Centric Beauty’s “Wicked”-themed advent calendar, filled with sparkly, shimmery balms, powders, and stick-ons for lips, eyes, and nails. Available for $16.49.
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For more AP gift guides and holiday coverage, visit and stay tuned for the latest festive ideas and inspirations.
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