18 Advent Calendars That Go Beyond The Standard Chocolates

Kasia Mikolajczak
close up on an advent calendar
Unsplash | Elena Mozhvilo

Now that Halloween is behind us — guess what time of the year starts? The Christmas holiday season, of course. I've already seen people get their King of Christmas trees delivered. Oh, my goodness.

As a child, I grew up Catholic, and one of the things my parents always got me was an advent calendar. Was the case in your household too? But guess what? Advent calendars have evolved since I was a kid, and I had no idea how many cool concepts were out there, so take a look at these. I think you'll like them.

Growing up I had the usual chocolate advent calendar.

advent calendar
Unsplash | Nick Fewings

But I had no idea that there are other neat ways to enjoy this festive tradition. As it turns out, now companies are making very cool advent calendars. They're more like collectors' items than anything.

That's right.

girl playing with Lego Harry Potter-themed advent calendar
Amazon | Amazon

So, let me show you what I'm talking about here. Behold, Harry Potter fans! Now you have something else you can get obsessed about, haha. Check out this LEGO Harry Potter 2022 advent calendar version. Isn't it amazing or what?

Wow!

Barbie-inspired advent calendar
Amazon | Amazon

When I was little, all I wanted was a Barbie. I actually had to wait a while to get one. So when I did, I was incredibly happy and grateful. I can tell you right now that I would have loved this Barbie-inspired advent calendar. I think it's every little girl's dream.

On the other hand, my nephew was always obsessed with Pokémon.

Pokémon advent calendar
Amazon | Amazon

Pikachu was my favorite, haha. If only this advent calendar was available when my nephew was still a kid. I would have totally gotten one for him. Aww, isn't this super cute, huh? I love it.

Now let's look at something for the adults.

coffee advent calendar
Amazon | Amazon

Who here can't go on without their morning cup of java? Aha! I hear this loud and clear, haha. So what do you get someone who's got it all? Why not be clever and buy them this "Coffee Junkie" advent calendar? What a great idea, right?

Speaking of adults here's another awesome idea.

candle set advent calendar
Sephora | Sephora

How about a candle-set advent calendar? OMG, what? I had no idea something like this even existed. This is awesome, no? But just so you know, this one will set you back a little bit. It's about $99 at Sephora. Ouch!

Speaking of Sephora, they have something else that's pretty cool.

makeup and skincare advent calendar from Sephora
Sephora | Sephora

If you don't want to shell out about a hundred bucks they have a cheaper version of an advent calendar. This version is only $33 and it offers two surprises per day for six days, including makeup, bath, and skincare items.

There's more for makeup lovers.

beauty advent calendar from Pretty Little Thing
Pretty Little Thing | Pretty Little Thing

You can treat one to a really pretty beauty advent calendar from Pretty Little Thing. I bet any lady in your life will love this sweet idea. The goodies you get in this one are worth about $165 and you only pay about $70 for that. That's a pretty good deal, huh?

Here's an idea for somebody who's into crystals.

crystals advent calendar
Amazon | Amazon

Yes, you heard me right. Now there's an advent calendar that helps you learn and identify every rock, gem, and mineral in your collection. Oh, wow!

This 2022 version contains 24 ores of different colors and shapes. And get this, this puzzle maze provides hours of fun while competing for who can solve more problems.

Now, how about your furry friends?

dog sitting next to a Christmas tree looking at the wall with treats advent calendar
Amazon | Amazon

Shouldn't they get in on this fun advent calendar action too? Heck, yes! You can treat fido to an all-natural 100% high-quality meat. Holy moly!

This particular one I found on Amazon was produced in Germany without the use of indigestible plant-based carbohydrates such as corn, wheat, or soy.

Let's go back to kids for a second.

Jurassic World Dominion Holiday Advent Calendar
Amazon | Amazon

Wouldn't your little one love an advent calendar full of dinosaurs? I think so. This is something our little nephew would absolutely adore. Hmm, now that I think of it, I should alert his parents about this one.

Is your kid into cars?

MicroMachines advent calendar
Amazon | Amazon

You're in luck then and I have found the perfect advent calendar for your little one. This one features 14 mini vehicles and 11 accessories. The 2" Micro Machines figure toy collection includes cars, a plane, trucks, and more! The figures are inspired by real vehicles in a mini version! Nice!

Who here is a Marvel fan?

kids playing with toys from the LEGO Marvel Studios’ Guardians of The Galaxy 2022 Advent Calendar
Amazon | Amazon

That's me, haha! So when I saw this LEGO Marvel Studios’ Guardians of the Galaxy-inspired advent calendar I knew I was onto something. Get this — the set comes with all the iconic characters like Star-Lord, Rocket, Groot, and Mantis mini-figures and more to combine with mini-builds and accessories.

Now back to more adult stuff.

tea advent calendar
Amazon | Amazon

Do you have any avid tea drinkers friends? Aha! I knew I found something special for you, haha. This one is made by Vahdam, and I can tell you their teas are top-notch. Even Oprah recommends this brand, so you can't really go wrong, huh?

Who here likes teaching toys?

The Purple Cow Crazy Scientist Advent Calendar 2022
Amazon | Amazon

Then I have something really cool for you. This "The Purple Cow Crazy Scientist Advent Calendar" is both interactive and intriguing. It includes 24 exciting scientific experiments in this countdown to Christmas advent calendar. A different experiment is hidden in each box, keeping our young science enthusiasts engaged for hours.

How about those kids who are into magic?

kid playing magic tricks
Amazon | Amazon

I've got you covered, too, hehe. When you open up the big box, you reveal 24 smaller boxes, one for each day before Christmas. Each one contains one unforgettable magic trick. The countdown to Christmas is going to be SOOOO much FUN this year, huh?

What about puzzles?

puzzle advent calendar
Amazon | Amazon

They, too, offer hours of fun. Am I right? So something tells me your family will enjoy this "Hidden Games - Professor Charlie's world tour," the puzzle game for the whole family. Each day you can follow Prof. Charlie's train by solving a puzzle that will lead you to uncover why he has disappeared.

And last but definitely not least.

LEGO Star Wars-inspired advent calendar
Amazon | Amazon

I present to you the LEGO Star Wars 2022 Advent Calendar. Woo hoo! This fun set includes 8 Star Wars characters – C-3PO and R2-D2 in festive outfits, Darth Vader in a summer outfit, plus Luke Skywalker, a Clone Trooper Commander, Snowtrooper, Battle Droid, and a Gonk Droid. It's such a great idea for ages six and up.

So, what do you think of these advent calendar ideas?

Beverly Goldberg from The Goldbergs saying "Oh, it's gonna be so much fun."
Giphy | ABC Network

Things have definitely changed since I was a kid. I had no idea there were so many cool options out there now. And these days, you can even treat an adult to some advent calendar fun. I really love this concept.

Why should kids have all the fun, huh? Which one of these do you like the most?