On the hunt for non-chocolate advent calendars? You've come to the right place...
Okay, the answer is of course no, we love Cadbury. But then there are days when we wish our advent calendars were a little more of, well, a surprise.
Luckily, we’re not the only ones that feel this way. In recent years more and more alternative advent calendars have sprung up for sale. And, much to our delight, the array of fillers on offer is getting better and better with each festive season. From our favourite beauty product minis and boozy treats, to kids’ toys and seasonal decorations, there really is something for everyone behind those little paper doors.
These are the best non-chocolate advent calendars for 2020
Jump down to see our collections for:
– The best beauty advent calendars
– The best food and drink advent calendars
– The best homeware and craft advent calendar
– The best toy advent calendar
The best beauty advent calendars
- John Lewis Beauty Advent Calendar, £150
- The Body Shop Beauty Advent Calendar, £50
- Harry Potter Advent Calendar, £40
- Amazon Beauty Advent Calendar, £60
- Holland and Barrett 25 Days of Clean Beauty Advent Calendar, £40
- L’Occitane en Provence Luxury Beauty Advent Calendar, £79
- Cath Kidston 24 Day Vegan Beauty Advent Calendar, £40
- Dove Nourishing Secrets Nourishing Ritual 12 Day Calendar, £20
- LookFantastic Advent Calendar, £85
- Macmillan 24 Days Of Beauty Advent Calendar, £42
- Lush Advent Calendar, £185
- Feelunique Beauty Advent Calendar, £89
- Soap & Glory 24 Days to Roam The Foam Advent Calendar, £42
- Hair Accessories Advent Calendar by Meri Meri, £32.95
- ASOS Face + Body 12 Day Calendar, £75
- ASOS Grooming 12 Day Advent Calendar, £35
- Lynx Build Up Africa Countdown Gift Set
- CIATÉ London Mini Mani Month Advent Calendar, £55
- No 7 Beauty Calendar, £45
John Lewis Beauty Advent Calendar
The gorgeously vibrant John Lewis 2020 Beauty Advent Calendar contains a mind-blowing £375 worth of beauty products, but will only cost you £150.The 25-day countdown is a smash-hit among shoppers every year and this time offers eight full-sized products as well as minis from to-die-for brands like Sunday Riley, Neom, Charlotte Tilbury, Disciple, Slip, Elemis, Nars, Lumene, and Clarins.
Priced: £150
View at John Lewis
The Body Shop Beauty Advent Calendar
The Body Shop 2020 Beauty Advent Calendar
The Body Shop’s advent offering leaves skincare and beauty lovers impressed year after year. The high street favourite’s super festive cardboard calendars are jam packed with fantastic products from so many of their iconic ranges. Three sizes are on offer with a variety of price ranges, offering different amounts of pre-Christmas treats.
Priced: £50
View at The Body Shop
L’Occitane en Provence Luxury Beauty Advent Calendar
The L’Occitane en Provence Luxury Beauty Advent Calendar is perfect for those keen to wake up to a lavish little skincare treat every morning in December. The £79 calendar is worth a whopping £98.50 and is filled with 24 of the French brand’s best-selling luxury skincare, fragrance and body-care products – making it the ideal indulgent countdown to Christmas. Dreamy!
Priced: £79
View at L’Occitane en Provence
Harry Potter Advent Calendar
Potterheads rejoice – the Harry Potter advent calendar is finally here! With 24 mini Harry Potter-themed beauty treats including hand creams, bath fizzers and even colour changing lipsticks (!), this is the perfect seasonal treat for Hogwarts fans out there.
Priced: £40
View at Boots
Amazon Beauty Advent Calendar
One of the best value beauty calendars you can buy, Amazon has promised shoppers another great deal for 2020. Available from October 15, but the company has confirmed that the calendar will feature samples of their best-loved beauty brands, including Max Factor, This Works, Nip+Fab and Elemis. We’re getting our pre-orders in now as it’s sure to be a sellout hit!
Priced: £60
View at Amazon
Holland and Barrett 25 Days of Clean Beauty Advent Calendar
Stocked with some of the nation’s favourite beauty products, Holland and Barrett’s calendar is a clean beauty Christmas dream. Features vegan and sustainable brands from companies including Upcircle, Ethique, Weleda and Q+A.
Priced: £40
View at Holland and Barrett
CIATÉ London Mini Mani Month Advent Calendar
There’ll l be no excuse for lackluster nails this Christmas with this jam-packed nail polish advent calendar from CIATÉ London. It features 10 mini polishes, one full size, one topcoat, one mini treatment and one limited edition surprise. The only trouble with this calendar will be choosing a shade wear on the 25th!
Priced: £59
View at Ciate
Dove Nourishing Secrets Nourishing Ritual 12 Day Calendar
Dove has launched a £20 12 day Christmas countdown filled with mini Dove Nourishing Secrets products as well as must-have beauty trinkets. Ideal for a loved one who’s sick of chocolate and is ALWAYS running out of bathroom essentials. One of our top advent calendars!
Priced: £20
Buy today and save £8 with this Amazon Prime Day Deal
LookFantastic Advent Calendar 2020
The LookFantastic Advent Calendar for 2020 is a bargain you will not want to miss. The £85 countdown has a generous 25 doors and is jam packed with a staggering £450 worth of beauty products. Yep, you read that right. This one has sold out for five years in a row, so we recommend snapping it up if you fancy getting your hands on it.
Priced: £85
View at LookFantastic
Macmillan 24 Days Of Beauty Advent Calendar
This charity supporting calendar won’t just bring you serious joy on every December morning, it’ll do good too, with £2 from every one of these going to Macmillan Cancer Support. It’s filled with plenty of your favourite Boots brands including No7 and Soap & Glory plus the likes of Liz Earle, Sleek and Real Techniques.
Priced: £42
View at Boots
Lush Advent Calendar
Honestly, nothing says ‘cosy winter night in’ quite like an evening of Lush pampering. Lush is providing all the goods you’ll need to make every December night a super-chilled and sweet-smelling one with its 2020 advent calendar. It contains 24 bath, shower and body treats with Christmassy classics like the Golden Wonder Bath Bomb, the Candy Cane Bubble Bar and the Snow Fairy Shampoo Bar.
Priced: £185
View at Lush
Feelunique Beauty Advent Calendar
Worth over £250, the Feelunique 2020 Beauty Advent Calendar contains all sorts of thrilling beauty treats. With products from brands like Charlotte Tilbury, Huda Beauty, Nars and Elemis hidden within the 25 day countdown – this is one is sure to delight any beauty lovers. Even more excitingly, one advent calendar contains a golden gift card worth up to £1,000 for both you and a family member or friend to spend at Feelunique. Fingers crossed!
Priced: £85
View at Feelunique
Soap & Glory 24 Days to Roam The Foam Advent Calendar
Soap & Glory’s 2020 advent calendar offering is, in fact, nothing short of glorious. The iconically cute cosmetics brand has put together quite the selection for this 24 day countdown – with all of the best picks from the Soap & Glory bath and body range and the innovative beauty line. Grace your bathroom with pretty pink bottles of potions with ultra-punny names this December as you open little cardboard doors to find the likes of The Scrub Of Your Life Body Buffer, Sexy Mother Pucker Plumping Lip Gloss, A Cream Come True Body Butter and loads more.
Priced: £42
View at Boots
Hair Accessories Advent Calendar by Meri Meri
This adorable assortment of hair accessories offers a cosmetic-free alternative to your usual beauty advent calendar, making it ideal for the little ones to dress up over the holidays.
Priced: £32.95
View at Tether and Float
ASOS Face + Body 12 Day Calendar
The ASOS Face + Body 24 Day Calendar is jam packed with £360 worth of iconic products from the likes of MAC, Elemis, Clinique, Sunday Riley, Emma Hardie , Too Faced and so many more. It’s one of three beauty advent calendars that the online shopping giant has released this year, following the sell-out success of the 2019 ASOS advent calendar.
Priced: £75
View at ASOS
ASOS Face + Body 12 Day Calendar
The ASOS Face + Body 12 Day Calendar is the smaller sibling of the ASOS Face + Body 24 Day Calendar. It’s a more affordable offering with half the products inside – but it’s still just as much of a beauty bargain, costing £35 for over £80 worth of skin, hair and make-up treats. Inside you’ll find little gifts from Nars, Sand & Sky, Dr Paw Paw, The Ordinary, Nip + Fab and more!
Priced: £35
View at ASOS
ASOS Grooming 12 Day Advent Calendar
ASOS has catered for the boys this year, creating the ASOS Grooming 12 Day Advent Calendar for lads keen to keep their appearance in check this Christmas. The £35 countdown contains everything any man needs for shaving, smelling fresh and looking preened to perfection. One of our favourite advent calendars!
Priced: £35
View at ASOS
Lynx Build Up Africa Countdown Gift Set
Credit: Getty
The Lynx Countdown Calendar Africa has 12 individual gift boxes of Lynx products and themed treats to keep any Lynx lover stocked up over the festive season and smelling fresh way into the New Year. Inside you’ll find full sized and mini bottles of Lynx Africa shower gels and sprays, plus a travel toothbrush, a pair of fetching Lynx branded socks, a USB charger and more.
Priced: £20
View at Boots
Cath Kidston 24 Day Vegan Beauty Advent Calendar
While the disappearance of Cath Kidston stores from UK high streets has been an incredibly sad loss – we’re pleased that the British brand’s adorable advent calendars are still available to buy online. This year, they’re making sure December has an abundance of vegan-friendly beauty treats like lip balms, hand creams, bath salts and festive fragrances, all tied up in a box decorated with a gorgeous woodland animal Christmas party scene. Aw! It’s available to buy from October and we can’t wait.
Priced:£40
View at Amazon
No7 Beauty Calendar
With a full 25 days worth of treats, No7’s is one of the more generous advent calendars out there. Last year’s sold out in record time so we recommend getting on this one ASAP!
Price: £45
View at: Boots
Food and Drink Advent Calendars
- BrewDog Craft Beer Advent Calendar, £49.95
- Beer Hawk Beery Christmas Advent Calendar, £85
- Niederegger Marzipan Advent Calendar, £35
- Haribo Advent Calendar, £7.99
- 24 Days of Rum Advent Calendar, £79.95
- Pukka Organic Christmas Calendar, £9.99
- Whittard Hot Chocolate Advent Calendar for Two, £60
- The Newby Advent Calendar, £60
- Jelly Belly Bean Boozled Advent Calendar, £13.99
- Bird & Blend Tea Advent Calendar, £36
- That Boutique-y Gin Company Advent Calendar, £49.95
- Drinks by the Dram’s Premium Gin Advent Calendar, £84.95
- That Boutique-y Whisky Company’s Advent Calendar, 99.95
- Virgin Wines Advent Calendar, £89.99
- Fortnum & Mason Christmas Tea Lovers Advent Calendar, £25
- Joe & Seph’s Gourmet Popcorn Advent Calendar, £25
- Joe & Seph’s Tipsy Gourmet Advent Calendar, £19.50
- The Naked Marshmallow Co Gourmet Advent Calendar, £15
- The Naked Marshmallow Co Boozy Gourmet Advent Calendar, £17.50
- Holland & Barrett Alcohol-free Advent Calendar, £49.99
- Dry Drinker Alcohol Free Beer Advent Calendar, £54.99
- The Protein Ball Co. Advent Calendar, £40
- Walker’s Shortbread Advent Calendar, £14.99
- Ilchester Cheese Advent Calendar, £8
- Vodka Explorer Advent Calendar, £99.95
- The 25 Gins of Christmas Phillip Schofield Advent Calendar, £99.95
- Snaffling Pig Merry Piggin’ Christmas Pork Crackling Advent Calendar, £17.50
- 12 Curries of Christmas Advent Calendar, £29.95
- Prosecco O Clock Advent Calendar countdown, £109.95
- Munchkings Christmas Advent Calendar, £29.95
- Candy Kittens Christmas Advent Calendar Tree, £8
- Honest Brew Craft Beer Advent Calendar, £64.90
- Drinks by the Dram 12 DramTequila & Mezcal Collection, £45
- Wilko 24 Days of Gin-Mas Advent Cocktail Calendar, £10
- 24 Days of Hot Sauce, £10
- Beerwulf Advent Calendar, £61.99
- Popcorn Shed Jingle Bell Pop! Gourmet Popcorn Advent Calendar, £20
- Popcorn Shed Free From Vegan Mini Pop! Popcorn Advent Calendar, £20
- Pact Coffee Advent Calendar, £29.95
- Swizzels Advent Calendar, £5
- 12 LoneWolf Gins of Christmas Advent Calendar, £49.95
- Mariage Frères Noel Glamour Tea Advent Calendar, £44.95
- Livia’s Gluten Free Advent Calendar, £39.99
- Aldi Prosecco and Sparkling Wine Advent Calendar, £59.99
BrewDog Craft Beer Advent Calendar
Scottish craft brewer BrewDog has announced the release of its 2020 craft beer advent calendar – the perfect Christmas gift for the craft beer lover in your life. Inside you’ll find 15 new beers launched this year, six BrewDog online exclusive beers and two very special, calendar-only beers. They’re all perfectly packaged to sample every night throughout December.
Priced: £49.95
View at BrewDog
Beer Hawk Beery Christmas Advent Calendar
The beer-lover in your life is sure to adore this boozy advent calendar. It’s filled with big brands like Mikkeller, Omnipollo, Thornbridge, Camden and Lervig. Each beer behind the 24 doors is completely different in style so it’s the perfect way to discover something new. Plus, it’s got £110 worth of beer inside.
Priced: £85
View at Beer Hawk
Niederegger Marzipan Advent Calendar
Made from 100 per cent Marzipan paste, this decadent advent calendar will satisfy your sweet tooth. Behind each door you’ll find either a dark or milk chocolate praline, croquant with milk chocolate, flambeed marzipan or marzipan.
Priced: £35
View at John Lewis
Haribo Advent Calendar
While you may be over the cliche chocolate advent calendars, you may still have a serious sweet tooth. For those hankering after a sugary sweet behind their advent doors without the repetitive nature of the same old chocolate chunks, the Haribo Advent Calendar is a fantastic option. Inside is all of the favourites we all know and love from Haribo – including Cola Bottles, Maoams, Goldbears and Strawbs. Yum!
Priced: £7.99
View at Amazon
24 Days of Rum Advent Calendar
If you’ve joined the rum bandwagon this delightful advent calendar will be music to your ears. Filled with 24 rums from 24 countries, plus a pair of tasting glasses, there’s never been a better time to become a rum aficionado.
Priced: £79.95
View at The Whisky Exchange
Pukka Organic Christmas Calendar
Whether you open your calendar in the morning or as you’re unwinding for the night, this advent calendar is the perfect way to take a minute to enjoy some you time. It’s filled with a selection of classic Pukka teas from the Night Time and English Breakfast to Ginseng Matcha Green. It’s excellent value and brilliant for a chilly December.
Priced: £9.99
View at Amazon
Whittard Hot Chocolate Advent Calendar for Two
With this advent calendar there’s no need to fight with your partner over who gets the treat of the day as it’s designed for two! There are 12 unique flavours to enjoy from classics like Luxury White and more adventurous flavours like Sticky Toffee Pudding and Peanut Butter. The art deco design will bring a touch of class to whichever room you display it in and is a must for any hot chocolate lover.
Priced: £60
View at Whittard of Chelsea
The Newby Advent Calendar
If luxury British tea is your weakness, this is the advent calendar for you. Inside each of the 24 draws you’ll find four Newby Teas teabag sachets, that’s 96 assorted teabags in total! No two draws are the same so every day promises a delightful surprise.
Priced: £60
View at Newby
Jelly Belly Bean Boozled Advent Calendar
Will you daily treat be naughty or nice? Behind each of the 24 doors is a pack containing flavoured sweets. All flavours are suitable for vegetarians.
Priced: £13.99
View at Amazon
Bird & Blend Tea Advent Calendar
They say they launched the original tea advent calendar back in 2016 and four years on they are still delivering the goods. For 2020 the tea advent calendar is packed with limited edition blends like Fairytale of NY, Snowball and Eggnog, plus returning faves like Gingerbread Chai! There’s 24 vegan-friendly and plastic-free loose-leaf tea bags to help make the countdown to Christmas a peaceful one.
Priced: £36
View at Bird and Blend Tea
That Boutique-y Gin Company Advent Calendar
Back with a new line-up and design, who doesn’t want to countdown Christmas with with 24 30ml, wax-sealed drams of gin?! There’s a mix of flavours including the suitably festive GIN-gle all the way and a chocolate orange gin. Cheers!
Priced: £49.95
View at Master of Malt
Drinks by the Dram’s Premium Gin Advent Calendar
Feeling fancy? Splash out on this premium gin advent calendar and you’ll get to try 24 specially selected gins from some of the world’s best distilleries.
Priced: £84.95
View at Master of Malt
That Boutique-y Whisky Company’s Advent Calendar
Taste drams from all over the world in this charming whisky-filled advent calendar. From bourbons and blends to barrel-finished beauties, this is one for the whisky-lover in your life and is sure to spice up any winter’s evening.
Priced: £99.95
View at Master of Malt
Virgin Wines Advent Calendar
It’s back and better than ever before. For 2020 the Virgin Wines advent calendar comes with a full-size, gold medal-winning bottle of wine worth £19.99 for Christmas Day! Available in mixed, red or white, the advent calendars include 24 mini world-class wines for you to enjoy up to the big day. It has a brand new design and is available to reserve for £10. The calendars official on-sale date is 2 November but be quick, they often sell out!
Priced: £89.99
View at Virgin Wines
Fortnum & Mason Christmas Tea Lovers Advent Calendar
Sip away the chilly mornings leading up to Christmas Day in true Fortnum & Mason style. The luxe food retailer’s cosy and cute countdown contains a selection of festive teas with the likes of Christmas Spiced Green Tea, Gin & Tonic Flavour Green Tea, Rose Pouchong and the famous Royal Blend hiding behind each cardboard door.
Priced: £25
View at Fortnum & Mason
Joe & Seph’s Gourmet Popcorn Advent Calendar
The serial snacker’s dream advent calendar is here in the form of Joe & Seph’s Gourmet Popcorn Advent Calendar. It’s packed full of award-winning gourmet popcorn in a mind-blowing selection of 19 unique flavours including Banoffee Pie, Brandy Butter, Gingerbread, Mint Chocolate, Pumpkin Spice, Speculoos, Salted Caramel and more. Dreamy…
Priced: £25
View at Joe & Seph’s
Joe & Seph’s Tipsy Gourmet Advent Calendar
Brand new for 2020, this tipsy twist on the popular popcorn advent calendar is perfect for the cocktail enthusiast in your life. With a minimum of 5 per cent alcohol in each of the recipes, there are 24 packs of tipple inspired treats. Flavours include Espresso Martini, Gin & Tonic, Prosecco and Caramel Macchiato & Whisky.
Priced: £19.50
View at QVC
The Naked Marshmallow Co Gourmet Advent Calendar
Back for its fourth year, the Gourmet Marshmallow advent calendar is the perfect alternative to a traditional chocolate calendar for those with a sweet tooth. Inside are 25 handmade pieces of marshmallow in a variety of tempting flavours including vanilla bean, choc orange, fizzy watermelon and salted caramel. You can also add a chic toasting kit to compliment your calendar for £3.95.
Priced: £15 (£3.95 extra for the toasting kit add on)
View at NOTHS
The Naked Marshmallow Co Boozy Gourmet Advent Calendar
For the first time ever, the Naked Marshmallow Co has launched a tipsy edition to their range. There are six alternating flavours and we’re sure you can agree they all sound amazing. There’s Raspberry & Prosecco, Peach Bellini, Elderflower & Gin, Violet Gin, Passion Fruit Martini and Pina Colada. As with the classic calendar, you can add a toasting kit at checkout.
Priced: £17. 50 (£3.95 extra for the toasting kit add on)
View at NOTHS
Holland & Barrett Alcohol-free Advent Calendar
Cutting down on your alcohol intake in the run up to Christmas? You don’t have to miss out on the fun of a drinks advent calendar thanks to this brand new offering from Holland & Barrett. There’s booze-free tipples from the likes of Ginish and Rumish as well as alcohol-free sparkling wine and a CBD-infused beer!
Priced: £49.99
View at Holland & Barrett
Dry Drinker Alcohol Free Beer Advent Calendar
Now available to pre-order, the Dry Drinker Advent Calendar contains 12 bottles and 12 cans of low and no beers. There’s also a special glass for you to serve your beverage of this day in. Reserve for £10 and pay the rest on dispatch, from stouts to lively lagers, yule certainly find something you like.
Priced:£54.99
View at Dry Drinker
The Protein Ball Co. Advent Calendar
You can enjoy the build-up to Christmas and stick to your gym regime with one of these protein-packed advent calendars. Perfect for the fitness enthusiast in your life, this advent calendar contains 24 natural, no added sugar, bite-size protein balls in six different flavours. There’s Goji + Coconut, Lemon + Pistachio, Raspberry Brownie, Apple + Blueberry, Peanut Butter and a special flavoured Christmas ball behind the final door. All the treats are vegan too.
Priced: £40
View at Amazon
Walker’s Shortbread Advent Calendar
This limited-edition calendar has been given a new design and is the ideal gift for any Walker’s Shortbread fan. With 24 individually wrapped, bite-size treats, including the Pure Butter Shortbread Fingers, Rounds and Mini Chocolate Chip Shortbread, it will be a sweet countdown to Christmas. It’s available to buy online from 5 October.
Priced: £14.99
View at Walker’s
Ilchester Cheese Advent Calendar
It wouldn’t be Christmas without cheese – so we’re certain that the prospect of a cheese-filled advent calendar is enough to fill any lover of the stuff with sheer festive joy. Ilchester’s Cheese Advent Calendar contains 24 delicious cheeses so that not one day of the Chrimbo season has to be cheese-less.
Priced: £8
View at Dry Drinker
Vodka Explorer Advent Calendar from Drinks by the Dram
Drinks by the Dram’s vodka filled advent offering gives off some serious wintery energy with a box design that looks just as crisp as the boozy treats inside. Inside the arctic inspired package you’ll find a selection of 30ml wax-sealed drams of vodka from some of the world’s top producers. Perfect for expanding your horizons in the world of vodka or just stocking up your tipple collection.
Priced: £99.95
View at Master of Malt
The 25 Gins of Christmas Phillip Schofield Advent Calendar
Phillip Schofield has teamed up with The Craft Gin Club to curate a 25 day countdown filled with a selection of mini bottles of festive gin. This Morning main man Phillip is known for his love of a boozy botanical tipple so we reckon we can trust that he’s curated this collection rather well.
Priced: £99.95
View at The Craft Gin Club
Snaffling Pig Merry Piggin’ Christmas Pork Crackling Advent Calendar
If you love pork scratchings but don’t want the booze, Snaffling Pig have this A3 advent calendar with 24 mini bags of pork crackling available. Each calendar comes with a variety of flavours so you’ll never be bored, plus there’s a gluten free version – bonus!
Priced: £17.50
View at Snaffling Pig
12 Curries of Christmas Advent Calendar
Each door contains a recipe for a Christmas dish, which can be made using the Curry Legend spice blends that come with it! Deliciousness and ideas for Christmas entertaining… what’s not to love?
Priced: £29.95
View at The Spicery
Prosecco O Clock Advent Calendar countdown
This indulgent adult advent calendar is perfect for those who love a glass of fizz. Inside you’ll find bottles of sparkling rosé prosecco, Cava, Brut and much more. It can be refilled time and time again, which makes a great addition to big Christmas parties.
Priced: £109.95
View at Not on the High Street
Prosecco O Clock Advent Countdown Calendar
Tick Tock Its Prosecc O' Clock!
Tick Tock Its Prosecc O' Clock!
Fun, quirky and refillable, this fully working clock is a great gift for all fizz lovers everywhere.
Munchkings Christmas Advent Calendar
For an advent calendar that’ll go down well with those who aren’t big on chocolate, MunchKing’s nutty version is ideal. From smoked paprika-coated nuts to wasabi peanuts, there’s a delicious offering to suit every taste.
Priced: £29.99
View at Amazon
Candy Kittens Christmas Advent Calendar Tree
This one-of-a-kind advent calendar folds out into a 3D tree filled with delicious vegan treats. Flavours include Sour Watermelon, Tropical Mango, Wild Strawberry and Blueberry Bliss.
Priced: £8
Honest Brew Craft Beer Advent Calendar
This is a great boozy calendar with 24 beers from across the UK and Europe. There are 12 exclusive beers which come from some of Honest Brew’s most respected factories.
Priced: £64.90
View at Honest Brew
Drinks by the Dram 12 DramTequila & Mezcal Collection
Tequila is about so much more than shots that make you pull strange faces! This advent calendar is a brilliant way to discover a new favourite agave spirit. From smoky mezcal to classic blanco tequila, this special curation of 12 drams is a great alternative countdown to Christmas.
Priced: £45
Wilko 24 Days of Gin-Mas Advent Cocktail Calendar
At just £10 this is an ideal gift for a loved one or an early gift to yourself for the festive countdown. Behind each of the 24 doors is a gin-based surprise. From mixers, garnishes and glass rim sugars, all you need is some gin!
Priced: £10
24 Days of Hot Sauce
Can you handle the HEAT? This advent calendar will put you to the test with a super hot sauce for every day up to Christmas. If you fancy setting your taste buds on fire this festive season this is the calendar for you. Flavours include Hawaiian Lava, Thai-riffic, Death Valley…
Priced: £10
Beerwulf Advent Calendar
With big brands like Brewdog and Beavertown as well as beers from Belgium, the Netherlands, the US and more, this calendar offers a great selection of beers to countdown to Christmas with. Plus, the fun doesn’t stop when you open the door. There’s lots of activities planned for everyday with a host of online content to accompany. So in addition to getting 24 beers, you’ll also get access to virtual events, tastings and other festive content!
Priced: £61.99
Popcorn Shed Jingle Bell Pop! Gourmet Popcorn Advent Calendar
Let the countdown to Christmas involve a pop that’s not from a bottle! This calendar includes 24 bags of popcorn in six different flavours. There’s salted caramel, Berry-licious, Butterly Nuts, Pop N Choc, Pecan Pie and a Great Taste winning Say Cheese!.
Priced: £20
Popcorn Shed Free From Vegan Mini Pop! Popcorn Advent Calendar
Lower in cals, vegan, gluten and dairy free, this calendar ensures everyone can have a sweet countdown to Christmas. Once again there are 24 bags in six flavours which includes Sea Salted, White Truffle and Toffee – the first vegan toffee popcorn in the UK!
Priced: £20
Pact Coffee Advent Calendar
Behind each of the 25 doors is a unique and exclusive coffee which is compatible with aeropress, filter and cafetiere brewing methods. This is the perfect calendar for any coffee lover who wants to discover a new favourite blend and roast profile. A limited-edition festive tea towel is also included.
Priced: £29.95
Swizzels Advent Calendar
At just £5 this is the perfect advent calendar for anyone who loves Swizzels sweets. Inside there are favourites like Love Hearts, Refreshers and of course, Drumsticks!
Priced: £5
12 LoneWolf Gins of Christmas Advent Calendar
If beer just isn’t your thing, BrewDog’s gin spin-off will surely get your attention. There are eight new flavours and four returning favourites including Gunpowder, Cactus and Lime and Fig and Apricot. We love the design and it’s carbon negative making it a sustainable choice too!
Priced: £49.95
Mariage Frères Noel Glamour Tea Advent Calendar
Decadence and glamour oozes from this advent calendar, which is filled with 24 premium tea blends from France’s oldest teahouse. Expect classics like Earl Grey alongside more fruity offerings and countdown to Christmas in style.
Priced: £44.95
Livia’s Gluten-Free Advent Calendar
Every treat behind the doors of this advent calendar are gluten-free and vegan! You can expect signatures like Livia’s Nuggets and Dunx as well as gooey millionaire squares in a variety of tempting flavours like salted peanut butter and chocolate orange.
Priced: £39.99
Aldi Prosecco and Sparkling Wine Advent Calendar
If for you, Christmas isn’t complete without the sound of a cork popping, this is the calendar for you. It’s new for 2020 and we’re certain it’s going to be popular. There’s a 200ml bottle behind every door with classics such as prosecco alongside an Italian rose and sparkling pinot grigio.
Priced: £59.99
Homeware and craft advent calendars
- Paperchase Stationery Advent Calendar, £40
- A Mindful Advent Calendar Set, £20
- Advent of Change Advent Calendar, £17.50
- Scandi Fabric Play Town Advent Calendar, £98
- Craftvent Advent Calendar, £69
- Gold Modern Craft Advent Calendar Kit, £23.95
- Alison Gardiner Holly and Ivy Advent Candle, £6.95
- Christmas Treehouse Pop and Slot Advent Calendar, £13.99
- Mini Envelope Advent Calendar, £13.99
- 24 Days of Positivity Advent Calendar, £15.95
- Yankee Candle Advent Calendar, £24.99
Paperchase Stationery Advent Calendar
If you prefer fountain pens to fruit and nut, you’ll adore Paperchase’s stationery advent calendar. Filled with notebooks, pens and pencils worth £50, the calendar is the perfect choice for stationery connoisseurs and older children who want to jot down their thoughts.
Priced: £40
View at Paperchase
A Mindful Advent Calendar Set
Fans of mindfulness and pared-down aesthetics needn’t miss out on the joys of advent. This set of 25 beeswax candles are designed to be burned every day in the lead up to Christmas as a reminder to pause and slow down. Sounds good to us!
Priced: £20
View at Modo Creative
Advent of Change Advent Calendar
Want to make a difference this Christmas? Here’s an advent calendar that allows you to donate to 24 charities! For less than £20, you’ll be contributing to worthy causes such as feeding the homeless and protecting endangered animals each day in the run up to the 25th.
Priced: £17.50
View at John Lewis
Scandi Fabric Play Town Advent Calendar
Each pocket on this wall hanging calendar reveals a different element of a cute little Christmassy Copenhagen, which will only be complete once you have opened all 24. A sweet adventure for the whole family!
Priced:£98
View at NOTHS
Craftvent Advent Calendar
Craft-lovers among you will ADORE this craft advent calendar, featuring 24 individual felt kits to creature cute Christmas decorations. Designs include food, drink, animals and much more.
Priced: £69
View at NOTHS
Gold Modern Craft Advent Calendar Kit
If you’re in the mood to craft this Christmas but not quite up to the challenge of stitching your own decorations, this is the advent calendar of you. The kit comes with envelopes, packets and boxes for you to fill with anything you desire – try sweet treats, mini cosmetics or a heartwarming note for your loved ones to open in the run-up to the 25th.
Priced: £23.95
View at NOTHS
Alison Gardiner Holly and Ivy Advent Candle
We love a seasonal candle, and there’s nothing more Christmassy than an advent calendar to countdown to the big day. Set it on the mantelpiece or dining table and burn a little each day to create plenty of Christmas magic.
Priced: £6:95
View at Amazon
Christmas Treehouse Pop and Slot Advent Calendar
Tired of watching re-runs and playing board games to pass the time over Christmas? Round up the family to construct this adorable treehouse advent calendar, which may require a few extra pairs of hands to build!
Priced: £13.99
View at Amazon
Mini Envelope Advent Calendar
Credit: Very
This comes with a stand with feet, a sticker sheet, 24 envelopes and 24 note cards. You can then write on the note cards, and fill each envelope with a personal treat to open every day in the run-up to Christmas!
Priced: £13.99
View at: Very
24 Days Of Positivity Advent Calendar
Credit: Not on the High Street
This motivational advent calendar has positive quotes behind each window, to help keep you feeling happy and positive throughout the festive season. Themes include gratitude, motivation, knowledge, kindness and wellness.
Priced: £15.95
View at: Not on the High Street
Yankee Candle Advent Calendar
The one we’ve been waiting for! This 24-day advent calendar contains one votive candle and 24 tea-light style candles in a range of festive fragrances. Includes: Candlelit Cabin, Christmas Magic, Evergreen Mist, Snowflake Cookie, Cinnamon Stick and Red Apple Wreath.
Priced: £24.99
View at: Boots
The best toy advent calendars
- Disney Princess Advent Calendar, £9.99
- Sugar Plum Fairy Advent Calendar, £28
- Mr Men Little Miss Storybook Advent Calendar, £14.24
- Trolls Advent Calendar, £25.
- Happyland Advent Calendar, £23.99
- Peppa Pig Advent Calendar, £20
- Harrods Boxes Advent Calendar, £49
- Thomas and Friends Advent Calendar, £24.99
- Paw Patrol Advent Calendar, £20
- Hatchimals Advent Calendar, £29.89
- Playmobil Advent Calendar, £19.99
- Harry Potter Pop! Advent Calendar, £49.99
- Jigsaw Puzzle Advent Calendar, £19.99
- Play-Doh Advent Calendar, £17.02
- Hama Advent Calendar, £17
Disney Princess Advent Calendar
Credit: Studio
This calendar is filled with stationery activity pieces from your child’s favourite Disney princesses, featuring the likes of Cinderella, Belle, Snow White and Aurora. This sweet calendar is sure to keep them entertained in the countdown to Christmas!
Priced: £9.99
View at: Studio
Sugar Plum Fairy Advent Calendar
Credit: Paperchase
Containing £40 worth of Paperchase products, this Sugar Plum fairy themed advent calendar has hair accessories, pens & pencils, sticky notes, erasers and so much more. It’s the perfect gift for the ballet and stationary fan, and we’re sure they’ll be excited to open each door!
Priced”: £28
View at: Paperchase
Mr. Men Little Miss Storybook Advent Calendar
Credit: Amazon
Perfect for Mr. Men lovers, this alternative advent calendar features 24 individual stories in the countdown to Christmas. Each day you can reveal a special storybook to read alone or with a parent. It makes for a great bedtime story!
Priced: £14.24
View at: Amazon
Trolls advent calendar
Credit: Amazon
Inspired by the hit Dreamworks film, this Trolls advent calendar is filled with 24 dolls and is sure to keep your children occupied as they wait to open their presents on Christmas Day! They make a lovely keepsake for their doll collection too.
Priced: £25.22
View at: Amazon
Happyland Advent Calendar
Credit: ELC
Filled with 24 fun festive toys, this Happyland advent calendar features a Santa Claus, a Penguin, a Christmas tree, a Mrs Claus, a teddy bear and a Christmas pudding, and many other festive figures to help your child get into the Christmas spirit.
Priced: £23.99
View at: ELC
Peppa Pig Advent Calendar
Everyone’s favourite cartoon pig gets a seasonal makeover with this adorable advent calendar. The little ones can countdown to the 25th with Christmas versions of Peppa, George and their friends, not to mention yuletide touches including a toy Christmas tree!
Priced: £20
View at Argos
Advent Calendars: Peppa Pig
Peppa Pig Advent Calendar from Argos
Peppa Pig Advent Calendar from Argos
Countdown to Christmas with Peppa Pig! Behind each door of the Peppa Pig advent calendar is a surprise toy! There are 24 pieces to collect in total including Peppa, George and their friends, and even Santa! There's also a host of Christmas accessories, including a Christmas Tree! For ages 3 years and over. Styles may vary.
Harrods Boxes Advent Calendar
Stacked boxes form the shape of a stylish Christmas tree, and contain various toys and treats for little kids.
£49 at Harrods
Thomas and Friends Advent Calendar
Little Thomas the Tank Engine fans will love this one. Each door contains 24 Thomas mini figurines, all with their own special design!
£24.99 at Amazon
Paw Patrol Advent Calendar
Does your little one love Paw Patrol? Then they’ll adore this advent calendar! Behind each of the 24 doors is an exciting little figure for the kids to play with. In fact, they’ll find six main Paw Patrol characters plus mini sleds and figures which are a brilliant stimulant for imaginative play.
£20 from Asda
Hatchimals Advent Calendar
This is sure to be on lots of children’s wish lists, as the Hatchimals-craze shows no signs of slowing down! The advent calendar is packed with exclusive characters and nests for your little one’s to discover – there are over 50 surprises to discover in total.
£29.89 from Amazon
Playmobil Advent Calendar
Kids have 24 doors to open in this fun calendar, which includes gadgets, car pieces and the evil Dr. Drone to defeat! Featuring 117 pieces, this advent calendar will keep the little ones entertained over the festive period.
£19.99 from Ocado
Harry Potter Pop! Vinyl Advent Calendar
£49.99 from Zavvi
Following their 2018 sell-out version, Funko Pop! are back with another Harry Potter advent calendar that’s sure to be a hit with kids. Behind every door is a miniature version of one of your favourite witches, wizards or magical creatures.
Gibsons 12 Days of Christmas Jigsaw Puzzle Advent Calendar
This advent calendar from puzzle makers Gibsons is the perfect little treat to keep you busy. Behind each door is an 80-piece jigsaw and the 12 puzzles eventually create one gorgeous Christmas scene.
£19.99 from Jigsaw Puzzles Direct
Play-Doh Advent Calendar
If you know a little one who loves Play-Doh, then why not let them get creative with a surprise behind each of this advent calendars 24 secret doors? Set includes five Play-Doh cans plus two Sparkle cans for some Christmas dazzle.
£17.03 from Amazon
Hama Advent Calendar
The popular craft toy now offers a complete advent set, with all of the beads to create a different design for each day leading up to Christmas!
£17 from Amazon
The best advent calendars for kids with toys
Which of the alternative advent calendars will you be trying to get your hands on?