Advent calendars might have started off as a Christian tradition, but now they’ve become part of all sorts of secular holiday fun. That said, they’re an absolute delight in the weeks leading up to Christmas Day, adding a little cheer to the holiday season. And they’re no longer just for little kids anymore! We found some gorgeous Etsy advent calendars that are packed with all sorts of things we could possibly think of. These included everything from traditional chocolates to hot sauce and even chic and sophisticated wines. While we were counting down the days until Santa arrives, advent calendars are a fun way to open up a door every day and discover a wonderful surprise within. To that end, here’s a detailed guide to what is an amazing and important part of the holiday season.
You might want to begin browsing Etsy’s calendar collection by going through these Etsy Christmas countdown calendars.
BusyPuzzle Rustic Wooden Advent Calendar
6
The BusyPuzzle Rustic Wooden Advent Calendar instantly brought the Christmas mood into the house and made for a rustic-chic decor addition of sorts. The advent calendar features the nativity scene, entirely heightening the anticipation for Christmas anticipation with the kids – and us! The horizontal calendar is made from wood and features the numbers from 1 to 24. So, we hung the counter on the wall and arranged the nativity scene on the mantelpiece. Beneath the numbers, we filled the hooks with envelopes for tasks to do every day for the whole family for all days leading up to Christmas Day! It made for a unique bonding opportunity and certainly made our entire month better.
Pros
- This isn’t just an advent calendar but an entire experience that the whole family enjoyed.
- It’s handmade from high-quality wood and ships fast.
- It’s relatively affordable.
Cons
- The basic set just has two stars and a calendar. Everything else must be purchased separately.
DeWintonPaperco Watercolour Advent Calendar
5
Are you a creative person who loves watercolors? Then how about you celebrate the run-up to Christmas with this DeWintonPaperco Watercolour Advent Calendar? It not only left us with lovely festive watercolor illustrations, but it even improved our dismal painting skills in the process! All we did was head to the ‘De Wintown Paper Co.” channel on YouTube, where there’s a playlist titled “Advent Calendar 2023,” with a new tutorial every day. We could even save them to paint later at our own pace and time. Since every square is blank, the tutorial guided us through drawing and painting every illustration, making it as fun and relaxing as memorable.
How about you check out this exclusive preview? It’ll surely get you amped up about this calendar!
Pros
- It’s a very unique advent calendar, especially one that’s a run-up to Christmas.
- It’s a great activity that people can do on their own or with their families.
- The instructions and tutorial videos are a great idea.
Cons
- It might only appeal to those interested in doing an activity with the advent calendar.
DesignUndone Candle Advent Calendar
4
We’re absolute Chandlers – and by that, we mean candle lovers! So, there was no doubt that our advent calendar was going to involve candles. That’s why we chose the DesignUndone Candle Advent Calendar, especially also once we saw the scent list. I mean, Sleigh Bells + Christmas Cards, and Holidays + Island Mojitos – who wouldn’t want to be smelling Christmas at home for an entire month? We were thrilled to have 12 such heady and unique holiday season scents to choose from, all of which came in 4 oz. glass tumblers. We liked that all candles were individually labeled and boxed with numbers on the top. It not only helped us identify which scents were which, especially as newbies, but also helped us count down to Christmas.
“We loved that these candles are made from coconut soy wax. So, they not only had great scents, but they were clean burning candles too!”
WOW Travel
Pros
- They’re handmade and made from coconut soy wax, which means that they burn clean.
- They’re available in 12 unique fragrances, with 5 new added fragrances for this season.
- They’re packaged very well.
Cons
- Understandably, they’re very expensive.
FalvaiCreative Fly Fisherman’s Advent Calendar
3
Fellow die-hard fans of fly fishing, this one is for us. Behold the FalvaiCreative Fly Fisherman’s Advent Calendar, the very first of its kind in the world. This calendar features a set of must-have flies that every true fly-fishing enthusiast loves and wants. Imagine finding an advent calendar gift that matches someone’s recreational interests! The real fun begins on December 1st when the first door opens to reveal a high-quality, waterproof fly box. Over the next 23 days, we lucky fly fishers enjoyed receiving brand-new, hand-tied freshwater flies every day, helping us countdown to Christmas in a way that we loved, enjoyed, and appreciated.
If you’re a fly-fishing enthusiast, you might also want to read up about the best fly-fishing backpacks.
Pros
- The chosen freshwater flies work well all over Europe and North America.
- It’s durable and designed to last.
- It works even as a gift set and not just an advent calendar.
Cons
- This calendar needs to be kept away from kids, as it’s full of sharp hooks.
Meingrapefruit Personalized Advent Calendar
2
How about having a personalized advent calendar that’s designed just for your kid? Thrilling for the children, right? That’s exactly what the Meingrapefruit Personalized Advent Calendar hopes to accomplish. This personalized advent calendar set consists of a personalized advent calendar base plate, 24 wooden decals of the numbers 1-24 cut out according to the contour, and 24 cloth bags evenly mixed in five different colors. What’s great is that we had the choice to get either of the three things or the complete package! That’s something we haven’t seen in all advent calendars. We got the complete package and filled the bags with little surprises to make our kids feel extra special and thrilled during the holiday countdown. Plus, they loved that the calendar was personalized with their name on the plate, making them feel extra special.
Pros
- Every product and even piece of wood is unique with its own unique knot pattern.
- The entire package also came with 12 m (40 ft) of jute twine and assembly instructions.
- We could even add personalization in the form of sticker colors, text, and even text color.
Cons
- Shipping times might be longer sometimes.
SugarPlumConfections 12 Days of Gourmet Nuts Winter Wonderland Advent Calendar
1
We finally end the list with what is a very popular advent calendar, the SugarPlumConfections 12 Days of Gourmet Nuts Winter Wonderland Advent Calendar. This winter wonderland snack box spread boasts an après ski theme with 12 unique holiday-themed flavors. Think fireside, butter cinnamon pecans, smoked almonds, honey sea salt almonds – well, the list goes on! We especially loved the après sweater theme, which conjured images of sitting by a warm crackling fire in a lodge in the Alps while sipping on steaming hot chocolate. In fact, the delicious nut snacks even made all our beverages taste better, especially since they’re also healthy and provide energy. All in all, this snack box certainly was the perfect companion for cozy, indulgent holiday moments for the days leading up to Christmas Day.
Pros
- The flavors are curated to a variety of taste buds and with perfect texture.
- These nutty surprises make for great gifts, as the packaging is terrific!
- They’re vegan!
Cons
- None!
How To Choose The Best Etsy Advent Calendars For Travelers?
Occasion
First, you need to decide what occasion and whom you’re getting the advent calendar for. If it’s a Christmas calendar, then you need to look at the activity, theme, and display style. If you’re giving it to someone who’s just bought a new home, then why not get them one that matches their home decor and style?
Personal preferences
In the end, advent calendars are personal choices based on personal preferences. So, it’s a good idea to draw on the experiences of the person the calendar is intended for so that it makes for a useful and meaningful gift.
While you’re here, why not also look at these personalized travel memento wooden keepsake Etsy boxes?
Who will use the advent calendar?
It depends on who you’re gifting it to. For instance, avoid calendars with small hidden gifts for families with young kids, as they could be choking hazards. Traditionalists will love Christmas or Nativity calendars. Are you giving a candy-filled calendar to someone? Do check for any allergies beforehand.
Should advent calendars be easy to open?
While this usually isn’t a make-or-break issue, you might want to reconsider giving absolutely delicate calendars to families with kids. If they can easily open the door or window, then you’ll have town calendars all over.
How many windows should a traditional advent calendar have?
Usually, traditional advent calendars have 24 windows, one for each day counting down to Christmas Day starting from December 1st.
Some images on this article are copyrighted by Etsy.