Advent calendars 2024: Tis the season to countdown the holidays

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Yes, it’s advent calendar time — a time to have some fun by indulging in a countdown to the holidays and taking advantage of some pretty great collections from your favourite brands.

Every year, there is some buzz around one company or another releasing something great or providing the equivalent of a lump of coal behind those doors. In 2021, Chanel was on everyone’s TikTok for having basic samples in an advent calendar that cost more than $1,000. This year, Lindt is taking the prize for garnering attention for its supersized chocolate advent calendar — but it’s not all positive. Those who can get their hands on it say the price tag isn’t worth what’s inside. 

As always, there are an abundance of options in the beauty world, and self-care has become a big category too. But where things can get fun is finding some offbeat or niche calendars that are sure to impress even the grinchiest of grinches.

With so many to choose from, we’ve whittled down a few that we’ve tested and others that we recommend that are sure to appeal to different demographics. These calendars come in a variety of packs ranging from 12 to 25 days of surprises.

Shoppers Drug Mart has really expanded its options when it comes to advent calendars. We were fortunate enough to get a sneak peek of three different ones on offer this year and here’s how they fare.

The staple in the collection is the 25 Days of Beauty Surprises. This year’s theme is very Canadiana in terms of design, and like last year the box has a light up feature. In addition, once you’ve opened all of the doors the box is perfect to reuse to house a special gift for someone.

Valued at more than $550, the calendar contains trusted and loved brands such as Estee Lauder, Bobbi Brown and Biotherm. There is a nice mix of makeup vs skincare but on the latter the products are very small — sample sizes really. Some of the doors contain two products in one, which delighted the Gen Z teens in my house, but the overall selection and brands skew a bit older so ideally for older millennials.

Some standouts:

This small but mighty box has real value. Chock full of skincare and beauty brands, this 15-day calendar packs a punch. With a value of $175, this calendar contains generous sizes of products from about-face, Bondi Sands, Revolution, Quo, Jason Wu Beauty and more.

Unlike the 25 Days of Beauty Surprises, the products are practically full size. The Jason Wu blush is a full compact with three colours. There is a full set of Quo lashes, and generous portions of body wash and more. There is a theme here too on self-care and eco-consciousness that everyone can appreciate. 

This calendar is clearly for those who enjoy baths (maybe not the extent of Meredith Marks on Real Housewives of Salt Lake City) and want to indulge in some at-home spa treatments.

The calendar is very pink in hue and contains everything you would need to create a nice bath, soothe and replenish your skin, all while looking very cute in some key pink accessories. 

Other notable mentions: 

When it comes to advent calendars for kids, you can never go wrong with their favourite toys and characters to keep things fun.

New this year for LEGO is the welcome edition of Spider-Man — a full set dedicated to the lore of Peter Parker and his nemeses. The set also includes some faces from across the Spider Verse, like Miles Morales and Gwen Stacy. What’s great about these sets is that each door contains a LEGO piece to assemble every day. Just follow the directions on the door to see if it’s a character, a spaceship or an accessory.

LEGO fans old and young will love the uniqueness of some of the pieces that are customized for the holidays. Great for collecting. And the box itself doubles as a backdrop to set the perfect holiday scene to play with all these new pieces. 

What’s not to love about squishy things? A fascinating toy for kids but also a stress reliever for adults, Needoh is a popular choice with a few different sets to choose from on Amazon.

Educational advent calendars can be a big hit with parents and kids alike. This calendar contains a gem a day from Dec. 1 – 24 that includes agate, green aventurine, hematite, sodalite, turquenite, tiger’s eye, and more. The final day is a crystal hidden in a brick to dig out. It also includes a magnifying glass and a pouch to store the pieces. (Pro tip: it’s worth buying a storage container case with individual dividers to collect and display these small items.)

Fidget toys are still having a moment, and there are so many options to choose from but this one from HANLAYYDS is an Amazon bestseller. The calendar includes pop bubbles, squeeze toys, stretchy straws, a spinner, puzzle cube and more. Best of all, these toys are relatively quiet when played with and can keep kids entertained for hours.

Teens can be a tricky bunch to shop for. However, that doesn’t mean there aren’t plenty of great advent calendars that are sure to impress even the toughest critics.

There are a few really nice jewelry collections for teens that appeal to all sorts of aesthetics. In some cases, each door is a new item and, in others, each door provides a new piece, like a charm, to complete a bracelet.

Here are some standouts:

Can you believe it’s been more than a year since the Eras Tour started? That means there have been almost two Christmases to shop and buy all things Taylor Swift. So naturally, as the tour comes to a close with its final shows in Toronto and Vancouver, TS advent calendars are all the rage. Better get them fast. They are almost as hot at the concert tickets.

Nothing says I love you to a teen more than clothing. Well, that’s actually probably furthest from the truth in some cases, but when the clothes are adorned with their fave teams then it’s a homerun. Gertex has partnered with MLB to release its 12-day advent calendar for that superfan, young and old. Check out more sock and apparel options here: Gertex Store.

Science has never been cooler and there are several advent calendars that aim to educate and entertain young minds. Ones we love: 

When in doubt, stick with the classics this holiday season. Chocolates, tea or jams are the gift that keep on giving.

Ever since Meghan Markle launched that jam line, the spreadable fruit has been having its moment. This decadent advent calendar from Bonne Maman has 24 mini spreads in a variety of flavours including caramel, guava, raspberry and more. 

What better way to enjoy your jam than with a great cup of tea? Canadian specialty tea shop David’s Tea has been leading the way for years when it comes to holiday calendars. Its festive staple, 24 Days of Tea Advent Calendar, features 24 different blends, all double portions and ranging from best-sellers to seasonal blends. 

There is something for everyone in the Lindt Chocolate calendars. Ranging in price, these calendars are affordable and offer quality chocolate from the master chocolatier. For the younger set, the festive boxes of milk chocolate with winter scenes of Santa and reindeers always does the trick. For those with a more sophisticated palate and refined tastes, a subdued holiday box of gold or red with snowflakes, with dark chocolates hidden within is always a crowd pleaser. 

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