36 of the Most Interesting 2022 Advent Calendars
As something of an advent calendar aficionado, I’ve been looking forward to compiling this list of all my absolute favorites. In my house we unapologetically enjoy multiple advent calendars every December. We include our tried and true favorites and at least one new variety in our annual advent calendar mashup, and it’s one of the most fun things about the holidays each year. Come September, I’m already on the lookout for the new releases, and it’s always a thrill when a completely unique and interesting advent concept presents itself.
What you’ll find in this post is a collection of what I believe to be the most interesting and unique advent calendars - an advent calendar greatest hits, if you will - grouped in categories based on theme or interest. What you won’t find are any beauty or chocolate advent calendars, which may come as a shock since these are the most saturated, possibly the most beloved, advent categories. I’ve tried quite a few chocolate calendars and beauty calendars and just haven’t found one I love enough to call my favorite so if you have any suggestions on this front, please share! The following advent calendars are what I believe to be the most interesting and unique on the market this year.
Paper People Advent Calendars
I love a good stationary subscription box and The Paper Craft Pantry Advent Calendar looks like the paper person’s advent calendar of dreams! They’ve teased a few sneak peaks on social media, and from what we can tell, it’s an absolutely adorable 24 days of stationary bliss!
This year I discovered the cutest gingerbread advent calendar greeting card in their shop too! This one is an excellent option for the minimalist with minimal space, or for sending to friends for the fractional cost of a single stamp. So tiny, cute, and creative!
For the first time, we’re trying a Love Pop advent calendar! We chose the Mickey and Friends variety and I can’t wait to start this one. Love Pop cards are always little works of art and I expect this story calendar will also make a sweet decoration as we open it.
A Christmas Movie Advent
I came across this Christmas movie advent calendar a couple months ago and thought it was such a cute idea. Who doesn’t love watching all their favorite holiday flicks each year? Making movie night a Christmas advent is a fun and cozy way to count down the days till December 25th! The packaging is adorable too!
Book Lover Advent Calendars
This is possibly my favorite advent category. I’m delighted that there are advent calendars for both adults and kids with a literary or reading focus. For your little readers, Disney does a few awesome storybook collection advent calendars each year and we love them! Every day there’s a mini book with a holiday story to read and it’s just so cute! We’ve also enjoyed this Advent Activity book and this Advent Storybook with a special Christmas story for each day in December leading up to the 25th. For all the other book lovers in your life, Lit Joy Crate has this delightful teeny tiny book advent calendar. Each day a mini version of one of the classics is revealed and these can be hung on your Christmas tree as an ornament! I ordered this one for myself just a few days ago and can’t wait to see it in person!
Coloring Advent Calendars
I love to color and always have. On my own or with kids, I’ve always found coloring so relaxing. It’s the perfect activity to cultivate quality time with loved ones or just unwind at the end of the day. This year I hand drew a bundle of Christmas themed coloring pages to create a Christmas Coloring Advent! There are 24 pages total with a different Christmas design or scene on each, so you’ll have one new page to color each day of December leading up to the 25th. This bundle includes one additional bonus coloring page with 24 unique Christmas trees, making a single page Christmas Tree countdown calendar. This single page Christmas Tree Coloring Advent can also be purchased separately on its own here.
Sticker Advent Calendars
I was given my very first sticker book along with a few adorable sticker sheets for Christmas as a child and ever since, stickers have been one of my favorite gifts to give and receive. When I found a couple of Christmas countdowns that included stickers, I was instantly sold. This one from 1 Canoe 2 is such a cute design and includes a sticker for each day to place on the gingerbread house and complete the picture. This one from Pipsticks includes a sticker or sticker sheet inside each window that can be added to one’s own sticker book for safe keeping or later use!
Traditional Hidden Window Advent Calendars
Advent Calendars have become so elaborate over the years. While I find all the new iterations quite fun, I still equally enjoy the more simple traditional hidden window advent calendars from days of yore. My current favorites are this one from Rifle Paper and this one from The Royal Collection Trust gift shop.
Terrific Toy Advent Calendars
Opening up a teeny tiny toy surprise every day until Christmas morning? Sign me up! The most famous in this particular collection are likely the Lego advent calendars. I love this year’s Harry Potter, Star Wars, and Guardians of the Galaxy advent calendars. I also recently discovered this My Little Pony advent calendar and my seven year old heart did a cartwheel. If you have a Thomas the Train lover in your home, this one will be a total hit. For the wee ones who prefer plushie toys, this Disney Nuimos calendar or this Build A Bear calendar are perfect. My favorite Disney Advent Calendar of all time was this one from the Disney Animator’s Littles Collection. They haven’t produced any iterations of this calendar for a few years but you can still find the old version on Amazon or Ebay if you look, although at a much higher price than it was originally listed for when brand new.
Build It Yourself Advent Calendar
KiwiCo is amazing and I love that they created this cute Christmas Village advent calendar that your child can slowly build each day of December. The finished product is precious!
Digital Advent Calendar
Possibly my favorite discovery in recent years - our family adores the Jacquie Lawson digital advent calendar. It’s so festive and cozy and doesn’t take up any space. Each year the calendar reveals a different Christmasy village scene, and it includes fun holiday games and activities too. This is an excellent calendar to send to friends and family and we love sharing it with our loved ones every year.
Candle Advent Calendar
Holiday scents are one of the most nostalgic elements of the season. This Yankee Candle advent calendar includes a votive or tea light candle for each day, so your home will smell like Christmas all month!
Music Advent Calendar
A perfectly curated playlist is a perpetual thrill. This Uncommon Goods advent calendar made to look like a vinyl record is so creative. Each day you scratch off one of the numbers to reveal a QR code. When you scan the code your phone will download a Christmas carol sung by an emerging artist!
Crafty Advent Calendar
This embroidery advent calendar is perfect for anyone who loves a little Christmas crafting. By Christmas you’ve got a beautiful brand new holiday decoration too!
Puzzle Advent Calendar
Have puzzle advent calendars always been a thing? They’re new to me and this New Yorker puzzle advent is so cool! It comes with a tiny 100 piece puzzle for every day with a different Christmas cover from previous New Yorker magazine publications. Nothing cozier than putting together a Christmas puzzle in front of the fire with some hot cocoa and your favorite holiday music playing!
Fill It Yourself Advent Calendar
We’ve got a few decorative advent calendars that we fill ourselves with treats or little notes. This sort makes a fantastic Christmas decoration and is fun to take out every year. The Sundance Catalogue mitten advent garland is a favorite of ours. If you’re a fan of mittens and winter hats too, you’ll enjoy this one from Garnet Hill! I also love this year’s Anthropologie Tiny Village Ornament Advent Calendar. I didn’t purchase this one but I’m trying to figure out a way to make one that looks similar!
Treat Advent Calendar
Treat calendars are perhaps the most typical. The Sugarfina advent calendar always seems to have the cutest design each year and includes four tiny treats in each window with a different type of treat every single day. It’s perfect for sharing and looks very festive on a bookshelf, desktop or counter.
If you find tea time a treat in itself like I do, this Tea Pigs advent calendar will float your boat! I discovered the Tea Pigs tea brand last year and it is excellent. The advent calendar gives you an opportunity to try so many different flavors without the commitment of buying a whole box of one variety!
I haven’t tried this JoeSeph’s Gourmet Popcorn advent calendar yet, but I love the concept of it! Sometimes you’re in the mood for a treat that’s more salty than sweet. Each window in this calendar delights you with a snack size bag of one of their festive popcorn flavors!
Scripture Advent Calendar
There are loads of scripture advent calendars out there, especially on Etsy, but I really loved the sweet minimalist design of this one and that each day includes the citation listing on its own without the passage written out so that you can look it up in your own preferred Bible translation.
There’s still plenty of time to snag one of these advent calendars before December 1st! If you’re reading this in December and wanting a calendar you can purchase to enjoy immediately without a shipping wait, the Jacquie Lawson Digital Sussex Advent Calendar or the Gift Standard Christmas Coloring Page Advent Calendars are the perfect thing!
I’d love to know what your favorite advent calendars are!!
