The Best Advent Calendars This Holiday Season
(Plus My Favorite French Picks)
Are you ready to count down to Christmas? What better way to get into the holiday spirit than with a fun, unique Advent calendar? As a Francophile who splits my time between Portugal and France, I always make room on my own countdown for a few calendars that bring a little French elegance into the mix alongside the classic holiday favorites.
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Below is my full lineup for the 2026 season, organized so you can jump straight to what you are shopping for, plus a few French finds you will not see on every other roundup.
Want to learn more about the history of Advent calendars? Check out my article!
Table of Contents
How to Choose Yours
With so many options out there, here is my quick take on where to start.
- Best overall: Bonne Maman Limited Edition Advent Calendar, $55.99
- Best for the Francophile in your life: Ladurée Advent Calendar, about $130
- Best splurge: Diptyque Paris Advent Calendar
- Best for foodies: Bonne Maman Limited Edition Advent Calendar, $55.99
- Best budget pick: Countdown to Christmas Calendar Puzzle, $28
- Best for book lovers: Book Lover’s Advent Calendar, $30
- Best for kids: LEGO Advent Calendar, from $34.99
My Favorite French Advent Calendars
If you add only one thing to your countdown this year, make it one of these. Between L’Occitane, Diptyque, Nuxe, Ladurée, and Bonne Maman, these are the picks that made my own French girl heart happy this year. For even more of what I actually use year-round, take a look at my French Girl Beauty Guide.
L’Occitane Advent Calendar
The 2026 edition, called The Seasons Workshop, is a 24-piece collection of travel and full-sized L’Occitane favorites in skincare, body care, hair care, and fragrance. It is $155.
Diptyque Paris Advent Calendar
Your Francophile friend will enjoy this Diptyque Paris advent calendar showcasing the magic of the flame in a unique manner. The 2026 edition holds 25 scented treasures, including candles, eaux de parfum, and body care.
Nuxe Advent Calendar
New to my list this year: the Nuxe advent calendar. Nuxe is a French pharmacy favorite for good reason, and this calendar packs 24 full- and travel-sized products from their Huile Prodigieuse, Very Rose, and Reve de Miel lines into one box, including a full-sized Huile Prodigieuse.
Ladurée Advent Calendar
Also new this year: Ladurée, the Parisian macaron house, makes a chocolate advent calendar worth knowing about. Twenty-four drawers hold about a pound of French chocolates and confections, including rochers, mendiants, chocolate-covered orange peel, and a marshmallow bear coated in Dulcey chocolate for the finale. It runs about 120 euros, roughly 130 dollars depending on the exchange rate, and ships to the United States. For more of my favorite French sweets, see my Best Chocolate in Paris guide.
Bonne Maman Limited Edition Advent Calendar
Discover 24 unique holiday jam and spread flavors from Bonne Maman, the beloved French brand, for $55.99. The lineup changes every year, and the 2026 flavors include Caramel with Salted Butter, Strawberry with Madagascar Vanilla, and Raspberry with Dark Chocolate.
Sweet Treats and Baking Advent Calendars
Williams Sonoma Holiday Advent Calendar: 24 Days of Baking Cookies
Treat your favorite baker to 24 days of holiday happiness. The advent calendar is filled with two dozen numbered boxes that each hold a special surprise. It is $79.95.
12 Days of Hot Cocoa Advent Calendar
Warm up a chilly winter day with this creative calendar. Celebrating the fun of rich, creamy hot cocoa, this advent calendar features a packet of Hickory Farms Dutch process hot cocoa behind each of the 12 doors. It is $24.99. This one has sold out in past seasons, so grab it early or confirm current stock before you link to it.
For Book Lovers, Puzzlers, and Kids at Heart
Book Lover’s Advent Calendar
Count down the days to Christmas with surprises designed with your favorite bookworm in mind. Filled with surprises like magnetic bookmarks, stickers, ornaments, and more. It is $30 from Uncommon Goods.
Countdown to Christmas Calendar Puzzle
A note on this one: the puzzle advent calendar I featured here in past years, Through the Window, has been discontinued. I have swapped in Uncommon Goods’ Countdown to Christmas Calendar Puzzle instead, so your puzzler can still count down to Christmas with a beautifully illustrated jigsaw, this time for $28.
LEGO Advent Calendar
I also swapped out last year’s Christmas Transportation calendar, which is no longer available, for a pick that is easier to find and just as fun. LEGO’s 2026 lineup includes City, Friends, Star Wars, and Marvel versions starting at $34.99, so there is a build for just about every kid, or kid at heart, on your list.
Advent Calendar Questions, Answered
What is the best advent calendar?
There is no single best advent calendar since it really depends on who it is for, but if I had to pick one overall favorite for 2026, it would be the Bonne Maman Limited Edition Advent Calendar. It works for nearly everyone; it is priced for a stocking stuffer rather than a splurge, and it delivers a little French charm every morning at breakfast.
Which advent calendars offer the most memorable holiday experience?
For a truly memorable experience, I would point you toward Diptyque or Ladurée. Both turn opening a door each morning into a small ritual, whether that is lighting a new candle scent or unwrapping a French confection you cannot easily find outside of Paris.
What types of advent calendars are available?
Beyond the classic chocolate calendar, you will find beauty and skincare calendars like L’Occitane and Nuxe, food and drink calendars like Bonne Maman and Williams Sonoma, toy and building set calendars like LEGO, and hobby calendars built around books, puzzles, or crafts.
What’s typically included in a LEGO advent calendar compared to other advent calendars?
A LEGO advent calendar hides a small buildable set behind each door instead of a single ready-made item, so you get a tiny new build every day that adds up to a complete scene by December 24. Most other calendars on this list give you one finished item, like a jam, a candle, or a skincare product, behind each door instead.
With the holiday season approaching, it is time to start preparing for all the joy and celebration that comes with it. Whether you go full Francophile with the Diptyque and Ladurée picks or keep it simple with a jar of Bonne Maman jam each morning, I hope this lineup helps you count down to Christmas in style. I would love to hear which one you are adding to your countdown this year, so drop a comment below. If you are looking for more French finds, take a peek at my Gift Guide for the Francophile in Your Life for even more ideas worth sharing.
Check out the list I’ve compiled above and select your own Advent calendar today so you’re fully prepared when December arrives! Whether you purchase one for yourself or as a gift for someone special, these advent calendars are sure to bring smiles and memories that will last far beyond the holiday season.
How about you? Have you seen an Advent calendar that you are dying to have? Do share!
AUTHOR BIO
Andi Fisher
I am married to a French man; I lived in France for 3 years and have been to Paris more than 50 times. I am always a tourist, so the information, tips, and tricks I share are created to help you!
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