My Favorite Advent Calendars of 2026: Fragrance, Beauty, Food & More
The lead-up to Christmas has always been my favorite part of the season. The decorating, the familiar traditions, the anticipation of having everyone together. There’s so much to look forward to before the day itself, and an advent calendar is one tradition I’m very happy we haven’t outgrown.
There’s still something lovely about opening a little door each morning, although these days I’m just as interested in finding a fragrance or a beautiful skincare product behind it as a chocolate. And yes, I’m perfectly happy to choose my own. Some gifts don’t need to be a surprise.
For 2026, I’ve gathered my favorite advent calendars for adults, covering beauty, fragrance, food, and treats for the kitchen and home. There’s a mix of more affordable finds and extravagant splurges, whether you’re choosing a gift for someone you love or giving yourself something to look forward to throughout December.
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Food & Kitchen Advent Calendars
This is tradition at its finest for us. Every time we pass through London, I have to pick up some of my mom’s favorite tea and biscuits from Fortnum & Mason, so this calendar was always going to make my list.
Inside are 24 tea and biscuit pairings, with two servings each day: 48 tea bags and 88 biscuits in total. It’s a lovely choice for anyone who enjoys putting the kettle on and taking a moment during those festive December days. Shop the Fortnum’s Tea & Biscuits Sharing Advent Calendar here.
Baking cookies is a major part of Christmas in our house and one of the things we most look forward to every year. Getting everyone into the kitchen, baking together, and eating the results is a pretty good way to spend an afternoon.
This Williams Sonoma calendar adds to the fun with baking tools and decorating accessories, including cookie cutters, a mini offset spatula, and festive stencils. There are even snowflake gift bags for packaging up your creations, assuming enough cookies survive to leave the house. A thoughtful pick for the baker in your life, with tools they can keep using long after Christmas.
Who would say no to a little taste of France at home over the holidays? Ladurée’s chocolate advent calendar brings a Parisian touch to December with 24 drawers of chocolates and confections. It’s the sort of gift I’d be delighted to unwrap before Christmas has even arrived.
Expect milk and dark chocolate creations, chocolate-covered candied orange peel, and pistachio and hazelnut chocolate pearls. There’s even a marshmallow bear coated in Dulcey chocolate waiting for Christmas Eve. For someone who appreciates good chocolate and a touch of French indulgence, this is a particularly tempting choice.
If your idea of a December treat comes in a wine glass, this one deserves a spot on your list to maybe even gift yourself. The advent calendar by Total Wine & More features 24 wines from around the world, giving you a chance to explore beyond your usual order and perhaps find a new favorite along the way.
I like the idea of making an evening of it: a cheese board, the Christmas lights on, and something new to taste. It’s a fun gift for the wine lover who enjoys discovering different bottles, and a good excuse to compare tasting notes with someone who takes theirs far too seriously.
Sugarfina has a special place in our holiday celebrations. We’ve been enjoying their candies for years, and their advent calendar has become something our family looks forward to each December. This one feels personal, so I couldn’t put this guide together without including it.
This year’s Santa’s Parisian Christmas design features a blush-pink façade, mint-green doors, and gold details, with Santa peeking out from a balcony above. It’s playful and pretty enough to earn a place among the Christmas decorations. The 24-day selection includes Snowman Gummies, Birthday Cake Cookies, and Milk Chocolate Sea Salt Caramels. Plenty to appeal to the grown-ups, even if the boys might have other plans for it.
24 Days of Beauty & Fragrance
For the person whose bathroom shelf is already well stocked but somehow always has room for one more thing, Kiehl’s has plenty to explore. Its 24 Days of Joy calendar brings together skin, hair, and body care in festive packaging designed by artist Jordan Robertson, with three full-size products, three travel sizes, and 18 minis.
Highlights include Ultra Facial Cream, Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado, and Midnight Recovery Concentrate. I like the opportunity to try several formulas before committing to larger sizes, with smaller ones that can slip into a travel bag. A good choice for an existing Kiehl’s fan or someone ready to give their skincare routine a little more attention.
For a December escape to the South of France, L’Occitane is a rather appealing place to start. Its Prestige Advent Calendar brings together 24 skin, body, hair, and fragrance treats, with lavender, almond, and verbena adding a touch of Provence to your daily routine.
The full-size Almond Shower Oil is a particular draw, alongside Shea Butter Hand Cream, Immortelle Divine Cream, and a miniature Verveine Eau de Toilette. I’m drawn to the mix of everyday essentials and extras you might not normally buy yourself, all tucked into a reusable gift box. Consider it a French holiday for your bathroom, with considerably less packing.
There’s something about a beautifully scented shower gel that makes an ordinary morning feel a bit more like a hotel stay. Molton Brown’s Decadent Delights calendar takes that idea through December with a mix of fragrances, bath and body products, and scented candles.
Among the highlights are Re-charge Black Pepper Bath & Shower Gel, Orange & Bergamot Hand Cream, and a Mesmerising Oudh Accord & Gold candle. There’s also a 30ml Fiery Pink Pepper Eau de Parfum and a fragrance travel case. I like that the selection gives scent lovers plenty to experiment with, from what they wear out to what they light when they get home.
This one takes a shorter route to Christmas with 12 days of skincare surprises. You could open it during the final stretch of the countdown or make it last through December with a treat every other day. I’d be quite pleased with that arrangement, although my patience might say otherwise.
The selection includes a full-size Multi-Function Eye Cream and Multi-Acid Enzyme Peel, alongside a mini Active Hydration Serum, 60 Lip Renewing Serum capsules, and reusable under-eye masks. Those full-size products give it particular appeal as a gift for a skincare enthusiast, with plenty left to enjoy once the decorations come down.
Advent calendars are far too good to leave entirely to the kids. Whatever’s behind the door, there’s something about having a small surprise waiting for you that makes an ordinary December day feel extra special. It’s a moment of joy that belongs to you, even when the rest of the month is full of things to do for everyone else.
For me, that’s how the best holiday traditions begin: something you enjoy once, then find yourself looking forward to the following year. Whether you open yours over morning coffee, share the discoveries with someone you love, or keep every last chocolate for yourself, it becomes part of your December. And that anticipation is every bit as much a part of Christmas as the day itself.
One final idea, and perhaps the most personal of all: fill an advent calendar yourself. Crate & Barrel’s City Hotel calendar is ridiculously cute, with a snowy roof, a light-up garland, and 24 little window drawers. Inspired by Manhattan’s historic hotels, it’s a decoration you can bring out year after year, filling each drawer with a small treat of your choosing.
Even better, I love the idea of slipping in a handwritten message for someone you love. A favorite memory, something you appreciate about them, or a plan to watch a Christmas movie together that evening. Those little notes could become the part they look forward to most. A daily reminder that someone has thought of you is a pretty wonderful way to count down to Christmas.
There’s something lovely about giving a gift that someone gets to enjoy throughout December. Whether you’re choosing a calendar for someone you love or making it part of your own holiday routine, it’s a way to start celebrating a little sooner. Why save all the excitement for Christmas morning?
There’s something lovely about giving a gift that someone gets to enjoy throughout December. Whether you’re choosing a calendar for someone you love or making it part of your own holiday routine, it’s a way to start celebrating a little sooner. Why save all the excitement for Christmas morning?
But this should be a tradition to enjoy, never another thing to stress about or feel you have to spend money on. A homemade board of folded messages can be every bit as special: “Today is cookie day, let’s bake together” or “Tonight is Christmas movie night.” A favorite memory, an old photo, or a note saying what you love about someone belongs there, too.
Whatever your countdown looks like, the best part is making memories along the way. Those are the things we’ll still be talking about long after the last door is opened. It's your December so make it count in the way that's special for you.
