9 Best Advent Calendars (2024), Tested and Reviewed

There’s something undeniably exciting about Advent calendars. To me, they were the first example of a little treat. I’d get done with a hard day of being an 8-year-old and come home to crack open a cardboard door to eat some powdery chocolate. As an adult, spending just a moment every single day with a special little treat or gift can help you stop feeling overwhelmed by all the tree trimming and gift wrapping—enough so you can start enjoying the ride.

Advent calendars are cooler now than they ever were when I was a kid, and the contents aren’t limited to novelty Santa-shaped chocolates anymore. I painstakingly tore into several cardboard doors to get to the bottom of the best Advent calendars. My favorites are below. Even if you start cracking into your calendar after December 1, don’t worry; a lot of Advent calendars are just 12 days. Plus, who needs rules? Just double up on treats if you start late!

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