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With advent already in full swing, it might seem a bit weird for me to be writing about advent calendars. But now is the perfect time to buy that late-but-early Christmas gift for a friend, a family member, or just yourself! Zatu has some great deals on calendars at the minute, and with their twelve deals of Christmas (which I have taken full advantage of!) going on as well, now is the perfect time to get some early Christmas shopping out of the way.
Amazing deals aside, I have picked out 8 advent calendars perfect for you or your loved ones. Not a fan of chocolate? Zatu has you covered with the wide variety of different themes on offer, and so I will try my best to get a wide snapshot of all of them here. So, in no particular order (shameless Strictly reference right there!), here are 8 advent calendars I think you’ll love.
Lego City Advent Calendar
Kicking things off with what is in my opinion an absolute classic, the Lego City Calendar! Kids and adults alike will love adding to their Christmassy scene every day as they discover minifigures, Christmas trees, and even Santa’s sleigh (Rudolph of course included). This is a personal favourite of mine as I adore lego, and I can set my old calendar sets back up year after year and pass them off as Christmas decorations (though really, I just love building the lego!). If Lego City isn’t your neck of the woods, there are lots of other scenes to choose from, including Avengers, Star Wars, Harry Potter and more.
‘Christmas Through the Window’ Jigsaw Calendar
If lego isn’t your thing, take a look at this charming calendar from Professor Puzzle. It’s a gift that keeps on giving, with 24 individually packaged 50-piece puzzles that slot together on Christmas Eve to make a beautiful Christmas scene. Better still, there is no plastic in sight, and you can recycle the calendar after you’ve finished (though I can’t think why you’d want to! This is the perfect gift for puzzle lovers, and even just those who want something different to count down the days to Christmas with.
2023 Polydice Advent Calendar
One for the board game lovers now, we have an advent calendar filled entirely with, you guessed it, dice! You are definitely getting your money’s worth with this; across the 25 days of the calendar, you will find 2 full sets of assorted polyhedral dice (d4, 6, 8, 10, 10%, and 20), a mini dice set, and on Christmas day an exclusive metal d20 dice! Perfect for jazzing up your board games, or adding some style to your Dungeons and Dragons.
Thames & Kosmos Science Advent Calendar
Possibly the most unique item on this list, we have an advent calendar full to the brim with classic science experiments! Across 24 days, you will carry out 24 experiments encompassing Chemistry, Biology and Physics that are as educational as they are fun! Requiring only the materials contained and common household items, each individually boxed experiment is simple to carry out and expertly explained. It’s the perfect early Christmas present for young scientists eager to learn!
Playmobil Pirates Advent Calendar
This year, the offer from Playmobil is an exciting pirate scene, with much pilfering and plundering to keep kids entertained as they count down to Christmas. Behind each of the 24 doors are unique pieces of pirate paraphernalia (alright, I’ll stop with the Ps now!) that come together to create an exciting tableau that is lots of fun to play with too! If pirates aren’t your thing, previous calendars have seen bank robberies, and even the Nativity!
Beatles Advent Calendar
The perfect gift for fans of the Fab Four, celebrate the countdown to Christmas in style with the Beatles Advent Calendar! It contains 24 gifts that you won’t find anywhere else, like a set of Beatles album art coasters, a yellow submarine tea infuser, and even a Beatles bauble! Beatle maniacs will the brilliant pop-art on the box, which is also a great keepsake. It really is the perfect gift for music lovers of all kinds that lasts long beyond the holiday season.
‘Bar Room Brawl’ Festive Calendar
Something really special now, a calendar where you can build your own board game! This really deserves a review in itself, but for now, I’ll just talk about it here. Every day you’ll open up a new game component, a bar table, a dice, or maybe even one of the six resin-cast playing pieces. By the 24th, you’ll have made yourself your own crazy tavern scene, ready to be enjoyed by up to four guests for a night of fun. Carry your drinks to the table, avoiding other guests and the dreaded bouncer! The first to fill their table is the winner!
EXIT – The Silent Storm
The latest instalment of Inka and Markus Brand’s amazing escape-the-room advent calendars brings us to Santa’s workshop in the middle of a violent storm! An amazing twist on the tradition of Advent and a firm favourite in my household, every EXIT calendar is packed with 24 amazing puzzles that tell a gripping story as you count down to Christmas. Each one is full of twists and turns and, rather uniquely, none of the doors are numbered! I can’t praise this calendar enough, it is so well-designed, and it always brings a smile to my face to solve one of the puzzles and see everything come together. There are three calendars to choose from, and there’s no obligation to play them during Advent!
As we all begin to get ourselves into the Christmas spirit, advent calendars are great for making the joy last a little longer. However you celebrate your advent, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from all of us bloggers!