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Advent calendar season starts earlier every year. Bonne Maman’s jam calendar showed up in August, and the most talked-about calendars from LEGO, Anthropologie and Papier tend to sell out well before December 1. If you want one for a kid, a partner, a coworker or the dog, October is the time to buy.
We rounded up the most popular advent calendars of 2026 across toys, beauty, food, stationery and pets. Each pick links to its Price.com page, where you can compare prices across stores, set a price drop alert or earn cash back at the retailer.
LEGO puts out several advent calendars every year, and they are some of the first to disappear from shelves. Every 2026 set gives kids a small build or minifigure each day that adds up to a full holiday scene.

This year’s Star Wars calendar is built around The Mandalorian. The 24 doors hide mini builds and vehicles, including Mando’s N-1 Starfighter, along with characters dressed in holiday outfits.
If you have a Star Wars fan to shop for, buy it early.

The Marvel calendar comes with six minifigures in festive gear, plus small builds behind the other doors. Look for Captain America with a candy cane and shield, Iron Man’s present-wrapping robot and a Captain America-themed airplane.
It is rated for ages 6 and up, and it makes a good pick for a kid who already collects Marvel sets.

Disney Princess fans get a new mini build each day, and LEGO includes a game in the box.
Prices on this one vary a lot between stores, so check the comparison before you buy.
Compare prices on the LEGO Disney Princess Advent Calendar 2026

The City calendar has 24 festive surprises and about 250 pieces in total, with minifigures and small vehicles that kids can add to a holiday town.
It lists at $34.99 on LEGO.com. When we checked in mid-October, Price.com showed it for less at several other stores.

The Friends calendar builds a winter scene one day at a time. It includes minidolls of Nova, Liann and Aliya, plus six mini animals: a seal, pony, weasel, polar bear, penguin and bunny.
Kids can act out writing letters to Santa, wrapping gifts and having snowball fights as the scene grows. It is rated for ages 6 and up.
If your kids have a favorite character or toy line, there is probably an advent calendar for it. These are the ones parents are buying this year.

Hot Wheels packs 10 die-cast cars and 23 accessories into its 24-day calendar.
It is rated for ages 3 and up, which makes it one of the better calendars for younger kids.

Jazwares’ officially licensed Pokémon calendar holds 16 battle figures with a special holiday finish and eight accessories. Kids get a new figure or accessory each day and can display the full set when December is over.
Pokémon fans who already collect the figures will want this one on the shelf.

Mattel’s Minecraft calendar has 24 daily surprises, including 3.25-inch figures and themed accessories.
It also comes with a digital item code, so kids get something to use in the game too. Recommended for ages 6 and up.

Squishmallows shrinks its plush down to Micromallows size for this calendar, with a holiday-themed mini behind each of the 24 doors.
Prices on this one swing a lot from store to store, so it pays to compare before you check out.
Compare prices on the Squishmallows Micromallows Advent Calendar

NeeDoh’s calendar holds 24 mini squishies, including the brand’s classic cubes and gumdrops. It is a fidget-toy calendar that works for older kids and adults as well.
It has already sold out once this season, and Amazon has been taking invite requests for more stock.

Funko’s Sanrio calendar holds 10 Bitty POP! figures, nine stackable display pieces, three holiday accessories and two keychain cases. Each tiny figure stands under an inch tall.
It is a good pick for teens and adult Sanrio collectors too.
Compare prices on the Hello Kitty Bitty POP! Countdown Calendar

This Barbie calendar comes with a doll and 24 fashion surprises for dressing her up for a holiday or birthday party. Her molded pink bodysuit turns into a top when kids pair it with the included skirts.
It is made for ages 3 and up.

The PAW Patrol calendar includes 10 holiday figures and seven winter vehicles, along with accessories and sticker sheets.
For preschoolers who watch the show, it is one of the lower-priced calendars on this list.
Compare prices on the PAW Patrol Holiday Rescue Advent Calendar

Play-Doh’s calendar has 24 days of small surprises for kids 3 and up.
It is a budget-friendly pick for preschoolers.
Beauty calendars are a favorite gift for adults, and the best ones hold far more product value than their price. These sell out fast once holiday shopping picks up.

Anthropologie’s beauty calendar is back with full-size and premium products from brands like L’Occitane and Boy Smells. Anthropologie values the contents at $300, and the calendar sells for $98.
If that is more than you want to spend, there is also a 12-day version for about half the price.

Sephora’s own-brand calendar has 24 surprises in cracker-style compartments. Inside are 13 full-size products, five travel sizes and six accessories across makeup, skincare and body care.
Face masks, lip masks and glow masks are among the products included.

Burt’s Bees hides a different lip balm flavor behind each of 12 doors. The Amazon version includes an exclusive Peppermint Bark flavor.
It costs about $30, which makes it an easy coworker or stocking stuffer gift.
Chocolate is the classic, but jam and tea calendars have built a following of their own. Here are the food calendars worth buying this year.

Bonne Maman’s calendar holds 24 mini jars of jam, including limited-edition flavors. This year’s lineup includes pineapple with lemon verbena and strawberry with guava.
It sells out quickly, and the 2026 edition went on sale in August.

Godiva’s 2026 calendar has 24 chocolates behind illustrated doors in a Winter in the City design. You get a mix of milk, dark and white chocolate, including Masterpiece chocolates and star-shaped pieces.
Fillings range from ganache and caramel to raspberry, passion fruit and praliné.

This World Market exclusive fills each day with a Ghirardelli chocolate square, from dark chocolate sea salt to milk chocolate caramel and peppermint bark.
The box has San Francisco holiday artwork, and there is a bonus 25th treat for Christmas Day.

Twinings puts two individually wrapped tea bags behind each door, for 48 bags in total. The mix covers 20 of its most popular blends, from black teas and chai to herbal and green teas.
Each door also has a message or recipe printed behind it.
Not everyone wants candy or toys. These calendars are for people who would rather light a candle, write a letter or work on a puzzle.

Yankee Candle’s 12-day calendar hides a mini glass candle jar behind each door. Holiday scents include Christmas Cookie and Balsam & Cedar.
Once December is over, the minis work well on a nightstand or in a bathroom.

Papier’s stationery calendar is a cult favorite. Each day’s gift comes in its own paper box inside a set of drawers you can keep and reuse, with mini bestsellers and full-size surprises inside.
It costs $195, and Papier says the contents are worth over $375. This year there is also a new 12-day version for $95.

Ravensburger’s calendar is shaped like a house with 24 windows. Behind each one is a 56-piece puzzle.
All 24 puzzles fit together into one large holiday picture by Christmas Eve.

Galison’s Home for the Holidays calendar is a 500-piece jigsaw puzzle packaged for an advent countdown.
It is one of the least expensive calendars on this list, and it is a good gift for a puzzle fan.
Pets can count down too. Both of these are filled with treats made for dogs.

Spunky Pup’s calendar holds 25 hand-baked treats made with real peanut butter and all-natural ingredients, with no preservatives.
It is also one of the least expensive calendars on this list.

Bonne et Filou’s château-themed box holds 24 handmade dog treats: 12 dog bones, eight dog truffles and four dog macarons.
The treats are made in small batches from human-grade ingredients.
Most advent calendars go on sale between August and October. Bonne Maman’s 2026 calendar was available in August, and most brands release theirs in September and October. The best-known calendars often sell out before Thanksgiving.
Most advent calendars have 24 doors and start on December 1, ending on Christmas Eve. Some calendars, like the Ghirardelli calendar above, include a 25th treat for Christmas Day. A 12-day calendar can start on December 13 to finish on Christmas Eve, or you can open it on any 12 days you like.
Yes, especially toy calendars sold at many stores. When we checked in mid-October, Price.com showed the LEGO City Advent Calendar 2026 below its $34.99 list price at several stores. Set a price drop alert on any calendar above to get notified when the price falls.
LEGO calendars are a favorite with kids every year. For adults, Bonne Maman, Papier and beauty calendars like Anthropologie’s are the ones shoppers rush to buy before they sell out.
Price.com compares prices on advent calendars across stores, so you can see who has the lowest price before you buy. Set a price drop alert on the calendar you want, or activate cash back at the store and save on the rest of your holiday shopping.
About Price.com
Price.com, the all-in-one savings platform, maximizes its users’ savings at over 100,000 stores through AI-powered advanced price comparison, online and in-store cash back, coupons, price history, and price alerts. Available for free as desktop and mobile websites, iOS and Android apps, and Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge browser extensions, Price.com is the simplest way to save.