Nuevo Culture

The Ideal Advent Calendar for Everyone on Your List

The year 2020 was a year of counting. In the spring we counted the days of quarantine, in the summer we counted the number of feet between friends during socially distanced socializing, in the fall we counted ballots. Why not end the year on that theme with perhaps the most fun counting of all: an Advent calendar. Yes, this is of Christian origin (after all, it counts down the days from December 1 to Christ’s birth on Christmas Eve) but it has morphed (as many Judeo-Christian holiday traditions do) into a delightful commercial enterprise that transcends its religious roots.

When I was growing up, Advent calendars tended to be two layers of cardboard with perforated windows that revealed an illustration each day with the really fancy ones hiding foil-wrapped pieces of milk chocolate. Fast forward 25 years, and you can find an Advent calendar that delivers you everything from a handful of Bertie Bott’s Every Flavour Beans or a jade or tiger’s eye bead! Thank goodness there are 24 days of Christmas and not just 12!

For the gourmand in your life:

McCrea’s Candies 2020 caramel Advent calendar

$42

AMAZON

For the hot tamale in your life:

Thoughtfully Gifts hot sauce flavors of the world Advent calendar

$50

AMAZON

For the friend who doesn’t have room for a real tree:

Terrain Christmas tree Advent calendar

$24

TERRAIN

For every woodland creature on your list:

Meri Meri wooden woodland Advent calendar

$42

MERI MERI

For the peppermint hound on your list:

Williams Sonoma peppermint bark Advent calendar

$30

WILLIAMS SONOMA

For the jewel of your life:

Carolina Bucci Forte Beads Advent calendar

$1,096

MATCHESFASHION.COM

For the gourmet in your life:

Food52 x Stone Hollow Farmstead Advent calendar

$180

FOOD52

For the traditionalist:

Target Christmas wreath with festive houses Advent calendar, Germany

$40

TARGET

For the loved one who always has holes in their heels:

Happy Socks 24 days of holiday socks Advent calendar

$225

HAPPY SOCKS

For the skin-care snob:

Dr. Barbara Sturm Advent calendar

$495

COS BAR

For the naughty and nice elf on your list:

Santa face Advent calendar

$79$47

POTTERY BARN KIDS

For the discerning sweet tooth:

Lady M Confections Winter Dreams Advent calendar

$75

GOLDBELLY

For the contour queen:

Charlotte Tilbury bejeweled chest of beauty treasures Advent calendar

$200

CHARLOTTE TILBURY

For the traveler who is desperate for the Italy travel ban to be lifted:

Acqua di Parma Advent calendar 2020

$550

WALMART

For someone scent-sational:

Diptyque Advent calendar

$425

LUCKY SCENT