The best advent calendars for teens can be hard to find, I think.
There are thousands of chocolate advent calendars in 2023, or those containing toys themed to this or that cartoon character.
At 18, my daughter is too old for those advent calendars, but still too young for the thousands of gin/wine/beer themed advents. But that doesn’t mean I don’t want to help her celebrate the countdown to Christmas with her own advent calendar!
So what are the best advent calendars for teens in 2023?
Today I’m rounding up some of my favourite advent calendars for teens, including edible, beauty and self-fill advent calendars. If I’ve missed one from the list, just let me know and I can add it in! This post may contain affiliate links. I hope you enjoy these recommendations!
20+ Best Advent Calendars for Teens
Kawaii Advent Calendar, £23
If there was a price for the CUTEST advent calendar for teens this year, I think I’ve found the winner. This squishy animal advent calendar is a top seller on Amazon with great reviews. It contains 24 mochi animals that are about 2 inches tall, which each double as baby stress relievers. If you have a teen who loves kawaii, cuteness, K-pop or Japanese animation, THIS calendar is perfect. It costs £21.99, meaning each little gift costs less than £1 each. There’s even a little kawaii Santa! Who could resist?
Charm Bracelet Advent Calendar, £15.99
This is a great option for younger teens and tweens – an advent calendar containing a simple bracelet with 24 festive-themed charms, that allow kids to make a bracelet over December. At £15.99 it’s pretty affordable, especially because each box contains 2 bracelets allowing this to shared between two tweens. Also available in three different themed colours – red, blue or pink.
Galaxy Advent Calendar, £11 for two
Looking for a simple chocolate advent calendar for teens in 2023? This Galaxy advent calendar is one of my favourites this year and it’s a total bargain at only £11 for two! Buy ’em while they last!
Man Stuff Advent Calendar, £29.95
If you have a teen boy with an interest in skincare and beauty, this Man Stuff advent package will definitely keep him happy. It contains an impressive 24 products, including shaving cream, balm, shampoo, foot and hand lotion, hand wash, face wash and accessories such as a toothbrush, comb, nail brush, scissors and tweezers. This particular set is one of the best advent calendars for teenage boys that I’ve seen, and at under £20 it’s amazing value.
Nivea Beauty Advent Calendar, £40
This advent calendar has 24 items which I approve of – because so many advent calendars for teens only have 12 doors. Inside this Nivea advent calendar, teens will find body lotion, serum and shea butter, a range of lip balms, along with micellar water, cleansing wipes and a host of accessories. There is also an Nivea advent calendar for the teen boys in your family.
It’s a lovely, substantial gift that could be shared between teens, and isn’t quite as eye wateringly expensive as some of the premium beauty calendars.
Look Fantastic Advent Calendar, £99
I’ve already included one beauty calendar in this list, but if you want a second luxe option, this beauty advent calendar from lookfantastic is one of the best advent calendars for teens I’ve seen this year. It has over 500 5* star reviews, so comes highly recommended.
With 24 boxes to open, this goodie box contains over £565 of products – available as a package for just £99. There are loads of brands your teen will recognise, like Elemis moisturiser, Eve Lom face mask, MAC makeup, and even an eye shadow palette. Your teen will LOVE you for this advent calendar.
This one sells out FAST and it’s available now – if it’s sold out, try this Espa Wellness Advent Calendar or this Ted Baker advent as a great alternative. The Rituals advent calendar is also a great luxe buy at £87 for a package with a value of more than £150.
Rituals Advent Calendar, £101
Another beautiful calendar from Rituals, this Christmas Tree design is gorgeous and the advent calendar is a really indulgent treat for teens. It comes pre-wrapped in a luxurious blue box, complete with a ribbon, making it an ideal gift. Inside you can expect 24 little Rituals products, including gel-to-foam shower foam, body cream, and hand lotion.
Swizzels Advent Calendar, £15.90
You’re never too old to love retro sweets, and if your teens are fans of Refreshers, Love Hearts and Drumsticks, then this advent calendar is a great buy. At just £15, it’s very affordable and includes 24 different sweets in assorted flavours. My teen isn’t a big fan of chocolate, so this is a great option for her. It also comes with a gift tag, so you can give this calendar to a teen as a present!
Harry Potter Potions Advent Calendar, £79
For the Potterhead Teen in your family, this officially licensed Harry Potter advent calendar is spectacular and looks so pretty. There are 24 doors, and the jewellery and accessories include a necklace, bracelet and charms. The box is made from thick card and can be used for storage, and the products in this advent calendar are recommended for age 14+.
Christmas Movie Advent Calendar, £12.99
This handmade Christmas movie themed advent calendar is lots of fun for teens who love Christmas movies. And who doesn’t?
The calendar includes 24 cards, each suggesting a different Christmas movie to watch, along with a trivia question about the movie. Not all of the movies are child-friendly, so this is an advent calendar for teens, not little ones. I think it’s a lovely opportunity to introduce some of your old favourite movies to your teens. And who knows, maybe they’ll even let you watch alongside? Well worth the £12.99. (Top tip, scan the movies before December to make sure you have them all)
Electronic Games Advent Calendar, £22.99
If you have a teenager who loves to play with tech, how about this Eight Innovation Electronic Games advent calendar for something different in 2022? This calendar is made in the UK and costs just over £20. Kids open a window each day and find a component needed to create their own version of a classic electronic game by Christmas Eve. The manufacturer says these are easy to follow with the provided instruction, and include all components and wires – making them a great gift for teen engineers! Games included are Whack a Mole, Ping Pong, Code Breaker and others. How cool is that?
Friends Nespresso Advent Calendar, £19.99
My teen is a big fan of coffee pods like Nespresso, and this Friends coffee advent calendar is a great way for teens to try out a bunch of seasonal coffee varieties in the run up to Christmas. The set is dairy free and includes pods with festive-sounding flavours like choco-cherry, English pudding, creme brulee, caramel toffee and cinnamon. This calendar costs £19.99 making it really affordable considering how many cups of PSL it might save you from buying!
Guardians of the Galaxy LEGO Calendar, £29.99
If you ask me, you’re never too old for a LEGO advent calendar and if you have teens who love Guardians of the Galaxy, then this Lego advent featuring the is one of the best advent calendars for 2022. It includes mini-figures of Groot and other characters and – brilliantly – a miniature turkey. What’s not to love? £29.99.
Not a Guardians fan? Your teen might like this cute festive Harry Potter LEGO calendar, or how about Star Wars LEGO?
Mindfulness Advent Calendar, £6.95
Looking for something that connects with the less materialistic side of the season? This mindfulness advent calendar is a neat idea for teens, and includes 24 suggested activities to try in the run up to Christmas. The set contains 24 thick cards, string and pegs, so you can hang the calendar up to display. The activities are designed to build excitement while reducing the emphasis on over-consumption and commercialisation. Reviewers say these cards also make a great gift for friends and family during the season, and at £8.95 they won’t break the bank.
Yankee Candle Advent Wreath, £22.99
Like lots of teenage girls, my daughter loves scented candles! She usually has several on the go in her bedroom, with another set of candles for the bathroom. So I love the idea of this Yankee Candle advent calendars for teenage girls.
There are actually several designs available, but this candle wreath is nice and neat, and comes with 24 festive-scented tea lights. Perfect for a bathtime treat for your teen. It’s available for £24.99.
Lakeland Nativity Advent Calendar, £99.99
We were given this advent calendar by Lakeland Limited more than 12 years ago. We passed it along to a friend of the family and it’s still brought out every year in their house, and looks good as new.
If you have teens who are religious or just love the idea of the nativity, this advent calendar is a great choice. It won’t generate lots of waste and it’s made of wood, so pretty eco-friendly.
The figures are cute enough to entertain little ones, and the box design means it’s perfectly sturdy enough to be packed away and reused year after year. Well worth the £99 investment, I reckon (although it’s worth noting this calendar was £70 last Christmas!)
Popcorn Advent Calendar, £27.99
The best thing about Christmas (apart from the birth of our Lord, obvs) is Christmas movies. A whole month of seasonal goodness, am I right? If your family is anything like mine, then, this advent calendar packed with popcorn will go down a treat with teenagers.
This giant advent calendar for teens is available from Popcorn Shed and costs £27.99. It is packed with award-winning gourmet popcorn with samples of six different flavours like salted caramel and chocolate orange. It’s vegetarian friendly and also available in a vegan version.
Hot Chocolate Advent Calendar, £28
I adore this hot chocolate advent calendar for teens from Etsy. It’s made in the UK so will ship in time for December and includes a huge range of hot chocolate samples in festive flavours. What could be nicer than starting a cold morning with a “Chilly Willy” or “Cinnamon Roll” hot chocolate or watching a Christmas film after school with a candy cane hot chocolate? This item costs £28 and includes 24 hot chocolate mixes, all hand-blended in the UK and completely dairy-free.
Charm Bracelet Advent Calendar, £42
It’s not always easy to find something that’s different but aesthetic but also cool for teenagers. But I think this advent calendar hits the mark.
This upcycled charm bracelet advent calendar includes a silver plated charm bracelet and 23 unique charms made from upcycled and recycled materials in the UK. You can choose a colour/theme for your bracelet but the charms you receive will be unique to you. Every bracelet includes a ‘2023’ charm, a piece of river pottery, an enamel piece made from an old flute, and a piece of Scottish sea-glass. I honestly think this is one of the prettiest and best advent calendars you’ll find for teens this year. At £42, I think it’s great value at a time when many of us are trying to shop more mindfully.
Sock Advent Calendar, £19.99
If your teen loses socks like my teen loses socks, then this might be the best advent calendar for teenagers in your view! This cute unisex calendar includes 9 pairs of socks from fair isle style stripes to festive cartoon designs. At just £19.99 and shipped from Etsy in the UK, it’s a great option for a gift that will get lots of use.
If the Etsy sock advent calendar isn’t available, try this alternative from Oddsocks, which includes 12 fun designs at £29, or perhaps this SUPER cute sock advent calendar called Harry Potter Odd Socks – inspired by Dobby, this advent calendar for teens and Potterheads includes 24 ODD socks (not pairs) that you can mix and match, all with Potter inspired designs.
Friends Advent Calendar, £24.99
This is one of my favourite advent calendars for teens in 2022, especially if your teenager loves to binge Friends on Netflix! It might not have chocolates but this Friends-themed advent calendar from I Want One of Those is still pretty adorable and one of my favourite advent calendars for teenagers this year. The 12 doors reveal a host of bath and beauty gifts, including body wash, lip balm, fragrance and hand cream. It costs £24.99
Harry Potter Surprise Box Advent Calendar, £36.99
All the teenagers I know love a bit of Potter and this Harry Potter advent calendar has to be one of the best advent calendars for teenage girls this year. If you want something a bit different, I love this Harry Potter advent cube from Amazon. It contains 24 daily surprises including jewellery, socks, shoe laces, a key ring, invisible ink pen and stationery. It’s £36.99.
24 Days of Harry Potter Stationery Advent Calendar, £16.99
My daughter is obsessed with stationery so what could be better than a stationery-themed Harry Potter advent calendar for teenage boys or girls?
This adorable box is packed with 24 mini packages. Each package contains a different stationery gift, including pencils, erasers, pens, postcards, memo pads, ruler, paperclips etc. All the packaging is plastic free and recyclable, to boot. Available from Merchoid at just £13!
Jigsaw Christmas Advent Calendar, 19.99
I love advent calendars that can be used year after year and I think teens can be quite sentimental about bringing out childhood favourites each year.
This jigsaw puzzle advent calendar from Gibson is top quality, made from thick, sustainable board – meaning it will last for years. Teens can open a door each day and build six festive designs, making for a fun, seasonal activity. It’s available in various designs and this one costs just £19.99, which I think is brilliant value.
So there you have it – some of the very best advent calendars for teenagers this Christmas 2022. But let’s face it – some of these are good enough for us to keep to ourselves not give to the teens, right?
Genius post. Just bought the popcorn one. Thanks Sally!
I appreciate the post, truly but just like most it focuses on young ladies which commercially a significant amount of products & marketing are centered towards. As a Mom of teenage boys it is a struggle finding articles/ideas for older teen boys. There is a tremendous amount regarding tweens but they are 17 which is a world apart from 12. It’s just tough. I don’t want to fill it with stuff that is just a waste of money and/or a space filler nor do I have the funds to buy shirts, socks, CDs, movies etc. for each day of the month. Boys are tough, apologies for my grumbling. Blessings to you and family over the Christmas season.
For teen boys, I know on here a couple of the beauty advent calendars are available in mens versions, including Amazon and there are 2 options from Lynx this year. You could also try the popcorn advent calendars, or the Spotify music advent calendar, which is gender neutral.
I think one of the challenges is that small, light items that fit inside advent calendars tend to lend themselves to stationery, jewellery and beauty items. If you’re not keen on the idea of a scent or food calendar how about trying one of the sweet calendars (you’re never too old for Haribo!)