With Christmas around the corner, it's your chance to introduce your baby to the best baby advent calendars. The festive holiday is an exciting time for new and expanding families, as it's a chance for everyone to come together and spend time with your new baby.
A newborn means a lot of first milestones for parents, including smiling, rolling over and trying solid foods. Along with first visits from family and friends, their first Christmas is another one of these milestones. So, why not make this magical season one that you'll treasure with their first advent calendar?
Closer's pick of the best baby advent calendars, at a glance
When choosing the best baby advent calendar or the best children's advent calendar, it's essential that you check whether or not the contents are age-appropriate. Before buying, make sure to check the recommended age for the advent calendar. Alternatively, you can choose a fill-your-own advent calendar, which you can personalise and use for years to come.
That said, here are the best baby advent calendars to make their first Christmas special. Whether you spend the festive season cuddled up close reading with them, or you have your own ideas on making their advent calendar something they can enjoy, we've got them all.
SHOP: The best baby advent calendars to shop for Christmas 2024
Best personalised advent calendar
my 1st yearswww.my1styears.com
From My 1st Years, this Personalised Christmas Advent Calendar House would make an ideal calendar that you can reuse for years to come. Ready to be filled with all of their favourite things, My 1st Years have loads of personalised options to choose from for their very first Christmas.
Pros
- Personalised element adds an extra-special detail
- Can be reused for years to come
- Adorable design
Cons
- One reviewer felt the boxes were too small
Best fabric baby advent calendar
not on the high streetwww.notonthehighstreet.com
From Not On The High Street, this Personalised Red Father Christmas Advent Calendar is designed in the style of Santa Claus. This calendar can be enjoyed year after year and be part of a much-loved family tradition as you count down to Christmas together.
Pros
- Able to be personalised
- Fun Santa design
- Can be reused each year
Cons
- Pockets seem quite small
Best activity-based baby advent calendar
amazonIs your child a fan of The Gruffalo and Friends? Take them on a Christmas adventure with this The Gruffalo and Friends Advent Calendar: 24 Book Collection. It even includes activity books with fun songs and rhymes to enjoy together, as well as colouring and recipes - encouraging their learning and development.
Pros
- Contains 24 mini activity, song and rhyme books
- Based on the popular books
- Interactive fun to enjoy together
Cons
- One reviewer felt there could have been more stories in the books
Best keepsake baby advent calendar
not on the high streetwww.notonthehighstreet.com
Write down your family's festive firsts on this incredible Keepsake Personalised Baby's First Advent Calendar. Designed to be one you can revisit in the future, you'll love looking back on this in years to come to reminisce on baby's very first Christmas.
Pros
- Beautiful design
- Great to keep forever
- Parents can write down special memories
Cons
- Actual print out may vary due to computers demonstrating colours differently
Best firsts baby advent calendar
not on the high streetwww.notonthehighstreet.com
Inside this Personalised Baby's First Advent Calendar Tin, you'll find a card for each day until Christmas, where you can write down your family's festive firsts. From watching their first Christmas film to seeing a magical light display, these are memories that you can cherish forever.
Pros
- Personalised
- Great way to document special memories
- Space to add photos for each day, too
Cons
- Cards appear quite small
Best CoComelon-themed baby advent calendar
amazonIt's true, we can hear the CoComelon theme song in our heads as we speak. As we all know, babies love CoComelon, so this Advent Calendar with books, songs and activity cards is perfect for new babies to encourage their learning while keeping them engaged.
Pros
- Includes songs, stories, colouring and learning
- Perfect for CoComelon fans
- 24 days of fun
Cons
- One reviewer felt it was easy to rip
Best Disney-themed baby advent calendar
amazonIntroduce your child to the magic of Disney with this Storybook Collection Advent Calendar that will become a go-to in their book collection for years. Unwrap 24 books in the run-up to Christmas, and enjoy tales with them that we all know and love.
Pros
- 24 magical Disney stories to enjoy
- The perfect choice for Disney lovers
- Includes much-loved characters
Cons
- One reviewer felt the stories were a little small
Best Duggee-themed baby advent calendar
amazonThis Advent Calendar Book Collection from Hey Duggee is packed full of stories for them to enjoy. Find a mini storybook behind each door, including a special Christmas story for Christmas Eve. Your baby will love reading Hey Duggee with you.
Pros
- You can reuse the calendar each year
- There's a special Christmas story for Christmas Eve
- Includes much-loved Hey Duggee characters
Cons
- One reviewer felt that the writing was quite small
Best Duggee-themed baby advent calendar
amazonCountdown to Christmas with a different book each day so that every night before your bubba goes to sleep, you can read them a tale from the Mr. Men Little Miss Advent Calendar adventure storybook collection. An absolute classic.
Pros
- 24 mini books to enjoy
- The perfect choice for Mr Men and Little Miss fans
- Contains festive stories
Cons
- One reviewer felt the books were too small
FAQs
What is an advent calendar?
According to Parenta.com, advent calendars can be traced back to the 19th century. Families would mark every day in December until Christmas Eve with chalk. Instead of chalk, we prepare by opening chocolate advent calendars or options with small gifts today.
How do advent calendars work?
Every advent calendar is different. In mainstream options, you'll find a surprise hidden behind a window. These can range from beauty advent calendars to tea advent calendars and more. However, more traditional options include toys or chocolate. However, if you're looking for non-chocolate advent calendars, we've got them, too.
When are advent calendars released?
Advent calendars can go on sale as early as August (we know, we couldn't believe it either). But, most of the industry's favourite brands put theirs on sale between September and October. Be sure to sign up for waitlists or mailing lists, and don't forget to keep an eye on those emails.
Lily Anderson is a contributing writer for Closer. When she isn’t trying out the latest kitchen appliances, garden furniture and home essentials, Lily is pushing forward health products for women, educational toys and the latest fashion collaborations.