The best advent calendars are full of surprises—literally. The magic of the holiday advent calendar, which is ostensibly used to count down the 24 days before Christmas or, in some cases, the 12 days of Christmas—there are no rules here—is that you never really know what each day will bring. Think of it as a fun pregame for Santa’s official touchdown, with a new, super-tiny present to open daily until then.

These Christmas countdown calendars often have themes, from annual faves (like Harry Potter, for all the low-key wizards out there) to limited-edition versions and classic options, such as Godiva’s chocolate advent calendar. It’s important to choose wisely, since no one wants 24 days of straight duds. That’s where we come in: We’ve rounded up the best advent calendars to serve as your holiday-spirit hype crew—or, of course, make for a foolproof holiday gift. A word to the wise: They’re going fast, so add to cart and go right to checkout as soon as you find your fave. 

Best Beauty Advent Calendars

Maybe we’re biased, but our favorite Christmas advent calendars always seem to have some kind of beauty aspect, be it makeup, nail polish, or 24 days of simply incredible skin-care products. Among our top picks you’ll find L’Occitane’s insane lineup of body lotions, hand creams, and more, as well as a carefully edited 12-day advent calendar full of Atelier Cologne’s impeccable fragrances. More into scented candles? We’ve got you there, too.

Best Food Advent Calendars

Whatever flavor gets you in the holiday mood—sugar-filled gummies, gingerbread, peppermint, milk chocolate, or some totally wacky combination of the above—these calendars deliver. Some also double as Christmas decorations, with packaging so pretty that they merit a spot of honor on the counter. (Or, alternatively, they can be gifted without a gift box needed—we’re looking at you, Palais de Thés tea advent calendar.) Pro tip: If you’ve got your eye on the best-selling, limited-edition Bonne Maman calendar for jams and jellies, we recommending jumping on it ASAP, since it’s sold out nearly everywhere.

Every Other Advent Calendar Imaginable

Most of these advent calendars would be totally at home in any gift guide, but that’s especially the case for this free-for-all category. That Star Wars Mandalorian and Williams Sonoma mash-up is practically begging to be given to a lucky teenager—as is that Lego advent calendar designed to delight kids of all ages. Dad will go wild for the totally unique, musically minded advent calendar featuring a record; it’ll take him back to the ’70s, in a good way. Are you still shipping Jim and Pam? Then consider one inspired by The Office. Whether it’s a DIY situation or a Christmas tree-inspired version designed for little ones, this more niche range of advent calendars delivers.

If you’re a sucker for handcrafted goods, the Amazon Handmade shop is full of one-of-a-kind products worth discovering, stat. As much as we love the convenience, shopping on Amazon can get overwhelming, thanks to the endless amount of storefronts, product listings, and reviews to dig through. Amazon Handmade is a way of supporting the little guys with the convenience we love in the first place; it’s packed with sellers who have authorized artisan profiles (vetted by the ‘Zon itself) and individual e-commerce shops to give you peace of mind.

Aside from stocking up on embroidered handbags, personalized pendants, and an abundance of home decor, shopping Amazon Handmade shops is an easy way to support a small biz (or several) and help them make money. Many of the artisans with Amazon stores are from overseas and BIPOC-owned—and Handmade makes it possible to enjoy the work of global sellers without excessive processing fees. 

Another major plus? Amazon customers can also get ahead of their holiday shopping with handcrafted products that are sure to arrive in time thanks to Amazon’s famously fast shipping and delivery services—shoutout to that Prime membership. Here, 18 products from Amazon Handmade selling accounts and products to discover and add to your shopping cart right now.

Personalized Gifts

Customizable and personalized options are always a winning gift, since they involve a little more thought and time. That’s why they’re a classic for anniversary presents and wedding gifts alike—but on the flip side, they can be kind of a snooze if you don’t know where to look. Fortunately, Amazon Handmade offers options that are *actually* different—no more of seeing the same ol’ gifts across your social media feeds! Whether for gifting or for yourself, you’ll find personalized jewelry, leather goods, and even kitchen and home items worth keeping in the fam for generations. 

Home & Kitchen

Some of the best handmade decor can have lengthy production processes and be hard to track down. Not anymore: Thanks to Amazon Handmade, you can easily get your hands on everything from mood lighting to cutlery made by artisans across the world. In need of some new art to refresh your space? You can stock up on high-quality acrylic or canvas prints at a fraction of the price of art at other retailers. Architectural lighting, sculptures, and kitchen tools that double as decor themselves are also easy to come by.

Jewelry & Accessories

Your wardrobe won’t be left behind when scrolling through the Amazon Handmade Shop. Snag all of the 90s-inspired hair accessories your heart desires—hello, claw clips and XL scrunchies—along with beanies and scarves that were knit with love. If you’d rather ditch the latest handbag trend and treat yourself to a unique embroidered or beaded piece, you’re bound to find pieces worth adding to your closet here, too.

Holiday Decor

With the holiday season coming at us in full force, decorating and shopping for party supplies are top of mind. Swap the traditional green and red color palette for botanical wreaths ready to hang on your front door and small figurines to place on a mantle or underneath a Christmas tree, if that’s your thing. The handcrafted goods from unique Amazon sellers also make it easy to get into the spirit without being cheesy—important! 

All products featured on Glamour are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Wondering what to do this New Year’s Eve? Here’s a solution: adult party games. Whether you’re logging onto Zoom to catch up with friends or sticking with your quarantine pod to celebrate the new year, there are plenty of adult party games to help you still have some fun this winter. 

From childhood murder-mystery faves taken up a notch (or two) to upgraded dorm party go-tos, we’ve rounded up the best adult party games to play during the slew of virtual parties coming your way.  

Never Have I Ever

What better way than to get to know your friends even more intimately than with a throwback game of Never Have I Ever. Add a drink to make this an instantly boozy affair. 

Truth Or Dare

You may have found yourself opening up more this year as social norms have dissolved, but there are some secrets you still haven’t shared—not even with your closet friends. Now’s the time to see who is willing to put it all out there or who would rather take on a quarantine-approved dare. 

Pictionary

Wipe off your cam so your friends can get a good look at the very inappropriate doodle you’ve drawn that’s supposed to represent a “microphone.” 

Two Truths and a Lie

You thought you knew Aunt Mary until the lie became a truth and now you’re giving side-eyes to everyone in the family over Zoom. This is what fun times are made of. 

Trivia 

There are plenty of trivia apps on the web, but the Random Trivia Generator is a tried and true. No frills, just good old-fashioned trivia to kick off the virtual party. Best part is that you get access to all these random facts spanning art and science for free! 

Outburst

Playing this family favorite virtually is easy, all you need is at least of one friend to have the game on deck. Once confirmed start readying your list of answers for a friend feud like no other. 

Charades

Making a fool out of yourself in front of family is still possible, just settle into a game of Zoom charades to see just how ridiculous you can be.

Kiss Marry Kill

This is a great way to learn about you and your friend’s preferences and priorities. You’d only kiss Britney but marry Miley? Let’s discuss. 

Karaoke 

This one isn’t technically a game—unless singing along to the Top 40 hits is competitive sport for you. If that’s the case, set a Zoom date via the group chat, download the karaoke app of your choice (Smule is very popular), and start practicing those vocal trills. Bonus points if you have your own mic. 

How’s Yours

A spin on 20 questions, you can only ask “How’s yours?” Have the person doing the asking step away from the screen while you show your friends the trait you will share. Once the guesser is clear to turn back around, let the game begin!

20 Questions

Since we’re all going to be home-bound, there’s plenty of time to play 20 questions and get really detailed (read: creative? bizarre?) with your inquiries. 

Heads Up

This one’s easy to play on Zoom as well! All you need to do is download the app, find the best lighting, and then get to guessing which famous celebrity or politician you have stuck on your forehead as the clock ticks on. 

Catan 

If your quarantine pod is still going strong, why not try playing the OG Animal Farm. Best part of this game is that it’s quick to learn but can be played for days. 

Werewolf

This one’s a classic. You’ll need a moderator to secretly tell someone in the group they’re the werewolf. Then, while everyone closes their eyes, the “werewolf” silently shows the moderator who they want to kill. Everyone then opens their eyes and the guessing game of who did it (along with some wild accusations) commences. Enjoy!

Cocktail Pong 

Maybe you thought bringing the party remote would mean the end of your pong winning streak. Lucky for you, virtual pong is definitely a thing. Just have your friends set up their own mini stations and hit the link to join the call. And if you want to really get into the holiday spirit, trade in your beer for one of these festive cocktails. 

All products featured on Glamour are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

All products featured on Glamour are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

All products featured on Glamour are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

All products featured on Glamour are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.