14 of the best men’s advent calendars that actually aren’t chocolate

Not a chocoholic? No problem.

best-mens-advent-calendars (10)

by Louella Berryman |
Updated on

The festive period isn't far away, and now is a good time to get sorted with the best men's advent calendars. After all, December is going to hit, and we'll all be up to our necks in tinsel. Although we girls love to treat ourselves to chocolate and beauty advent calendars every year, why not treat your partner or family member to a men's advent calendar for 2024?

December is a time for treating yourself and indulging in some treats, be they sweet, savoury or (very) alcoholic. One of the best treats is that little square of chocolate every morning from the advent calendar – but not everyone agrees. Sometimes people can’t quite get their head into the festive zone or get as excited about chocolate as us.

Luckily, there’s still a way to sneak them into the Christmas spirit with an alternative advent calendar – there's one for everyone: the coffee addict, the DIY fan and even the comic nerd. There are even very popular crisp and snack advent calendars which are bestsellers every year.

Closer's best men's advent calendars at a glance:

Best skincare men's advent calendar: Nivea Mens Advent Calendar, £25 was £50 on Boots

Best sweet snack advent men's advent calendar: Joe & Seph's Gourmet Popcorn Advent Calendar, £30 on John Lewis

Best beer men's advent calendar: BrewDog Craft Beer Advent Calendar 2024, £55 on BrewDog

So, get ahead of the game and make sure December is full of Christmas spirit and treats with one of the best men’s advent calendars. Here are our favourite advent calendars for men, as recommended by us at Closer.

SHOP: 14 best men's advent calendars 2024

Best skincare men's advent calendar

Nivea For Men Advent CalendarBoots
Price: $25 (was £50)

www.boots.com

If in doubt, there's always miscellaneous 'man stuff'. This advent calendar includes lots of Nivea skincare, bathing and grooming favourites - and fun socks, of course. It's a classic calendar they're sure to put to use, and the popular calendar is currently half-price in the Boots Black Friday sale. Boots customers say that the useful, reasonably priced calendar is one they buy each year.

Pros

  • 24 grooming products such as shaving essentials, bath and body and skincare
  • Reduced by half price in the Boots Black Friday sale
  • Reviewers say it's a repeat purchase each year

Cons

  • May be a few mini-sized products as opposed to full-sized items

Best sweet snack men's advent calendar

Joe & Seph's Gourmet Popcorn Advent Calendar John Lewis

For an extra special treat this festive season, look no further than Joe & Seph's Popcorn Advent Calendar. If they have a sweet tooth, they'll love the luxury popcorn filled with favourites like Salted Caramel, Orange Chocolate and Cinnamon Roll. This bestselling calendar is definitely not one to miss, and reviewers say it's even more than they expected.

Pros

  • 24 award-winning gourmet popcorn full of festive flavour
  • A bestselling advent calendar on John Lewis, highly popular
  • One reviewer said their household loved it so much last year, they had to buy it again

Cons

  • May be slightly pricier than similar competitors

Best beer men's advent calendar

BrewDog Craft Beer Advent Calendar 2024BrewDog

Help them crack open a cold one every day of the week with this calendar packed with 24 canned beers from BrewDog's vast collection - including stone-cold classics, new brews, collaborations and festive one-offs. We love that the calendar also includes a special BrewDog glass, perfect for sipping your way through the Christmas season.

Pros

  • Packed with 24 craft beers from hops to stout
  • A variety of flavours and sizes included
  • Comes with a BrewDog glass as an extra-special surprise

Cons

  • Next day delivery is not available for this item

Best savoury snack men's advent calendar

The Snaffling Pig Co

Why would you choose chocolate, when you can start every morning with a classic porky British bar snack? Just perfection if they prefer a savoury treat. Snaffling Pig brings you 24 days of excitingly flavoured pork crackling, including Black Pepper, Low & Slow BBQ, Perfectly Salted, Pigs In Blankets and even an exciting sweet pork crackling with Marvellous Maple. Fans love the contents, saying the quality is always excellent - crunchy and fresh.

Pros

  • Highly rated, a favourite must-have for Christmas
  • 24 bags of award-winning and flavoured pork crackling
  • One reviewer said it's a repeat purchase every year

Cons

  • Similar contents and presentation each year

Best whisky men's advent calendar

Masters Of Malt Whisky Advent Calendar 2024Masters Of Malt

Whisky is a go-to for Christmas, so why not treat them to this year's Masters Of Malt Whisky Advent Calendar? There are 25 mini drams for him to sample from a range of some of the best distributors, the perfect gift for any whisky fan. Reviewers loved this one, saying to explore new flavours and styles of whisky that you wouldn't have thought to buy before.

Pros

  • 25 different samples of incredible whisky to explore
  • Contains a variety of styles and origins, and is sourced from some of the best producers
  • Reviewers loved the calendar's variety and trying out new flavours

Cons

  • There’s a small chance that some of the contents within might change but will always be of appropriate value

Best LEGO men's advent calendar

This calendar is the perfect gift for the young at heart. Suppose the man in your life loves a good go with some LEGO (who doesn't, really) then this calendar is a great option. This one is a great collector's item for lovers of all things Star Wars. Reviews love that they're a great addition to existing sets.

Pros

  • Over 368 pieces are included for building
  • A sell-out calendar each year with Star Wars being popular
  • One reviewer said they buy it for their husband as soon as they are released

Cons

  • Could have included more festive-themed items

Best sweets men's advent calendar

Very

Take the recipient back in time with this Retro Sweets Calendar. Full of delicious treats like Love Hearts, Drumstick Lollies, Refreshers, Fruit Salads, Black Jacks and much more, it's the gift that truly keeps on giving. You can even personalise it with their name for an extra special touch. Customers have said that this is a great alternative to chocolate.

Pros

  • 24 doors packed with delicious nostalgic treats for them to enjoy
  • Can be personalised for an extra special touch
  • Reviewers have said it's larger than expected

Cons

  • Presentation could be improved, i.e. sometimes the doors don't line up with the sweets

Best coffee men's advent calendar

NotOnTheHighStreet Coffee Advent CalendarNotOnTheHighStreet

For all of those caffeine heads out there, here's a calendar that will keep you awake throughout the day. Available in Beans, French Press or Easy Brew Drip Bags, this sell-out calendar is perfect for all coffee aficionados. Explore invigorating flavours of delicious craft, specialty coffees every day in December. One reviewer said that they buy it for their husband every year and it never fails to impress them.

Pros

  • 24 different speciality craft coffees with a variety of flavours
  • Available in Beans, French Press or Easy Brew Drip Bags
  • Reviews say it's an unusual advent calendar, which they love

Cons

  • Mystery contents, unsure what will be included until December

Best fragrance men's advent calendar

This 24-Day Advent Calendar from LYNX at Boots has already proved so popular for Black Friday that it's already sold out. However, keep your eyes peeled as it's sure to be in stock again very soon. You can get this set, containing 16 LYNX products and 8 gift items, now for half-price at Boots. Reviewers have said that it's bigger than they expected, and contains a good selection of LYNX's best products.

Pros

  • Contains 24 LYNX products, including antiperspirants and body washes
  • Currently half price for Black Friday at Boots
  • Reviewers loved the selection of products and their size

Cons

  • Currently out of stock but expected to be stocked soon

Best crafting men's advent calendar

For the men in your life who love to create, Menkind's Electronic Games Advent Calendar is a bestselling hit each year. Every day in December, they get a new electronic component every day, allowing them to build 24 different games in the run-up to Christmas. Loads of reviewers have said this is an excellent gift idea, with one in particular saying that their husband couldn't wait to get started.

Pros

  • Use the components to build 24 different games
  • Gives you a new electronic component every day
  • One reviewer said their husband was excited to start on this one

Cons

  • Menkind could be better at responding to customers

Best tea men's advent calendar

Pukka Herbs Advent Calendar 2024Amazon
Price: $11.45 (was £12.99)

Inspired by Pukka's beautiful tea selection box designs, this non-chocolate advent calendar is the perfect festive decoration or tea gift for the tea lovers in your family. One reviewer even commented that it's compact, easy to hang in your kitchen and is one she and her husband love every year. Bringing festive flavour and classic blends into the household, enjoy a piping hot cuppa every morning.

Pros

  • 24 sachets of 21 carefully crafted tea blends for a moment of herbal bliss every day
  • QR codes that will lead you further into a festive world of herbal discovery
  • Reviews say that the variety and quality of teas are excellent

Cons

  • One reviewer worked it out as costly for what you're getting

Best sock men's advent calendar

NotOnTheHighStreet Personalised Mens 12 Days Sock Advent CalendarNotOnTheHighStreet

Here's a calendar to keep your feet warm... and funky. What would Christmas be without some festive socks? A great calendar to open in the morning so you can show off your funky socks at work and spread the festivities in the run-up to Christmas. One reviewer said that it's fabulous and different, as well as being personal.

Pros

  • 12 doors each hiding a pair of festive men's socks in various designs
  • One pair can be personalised with your choice of initials to create a unique gift
  • Reviews say that the idea is a great alternative calendar, and very unique

Cons

  • Some reviewers said it took longer to arrive than expected - plan ahead

Best vegan men's advent calendar

Candy Kittens Advent Calendar 2024Amazon
Price: $12

For all the vegans out there, this calendar comes from Candy Kittens, the vegan sweet company founded by Made in Chelsea's very own Jamie Laing. The calendar itself is designed to look stylish and festive, helping you to make your house a bit more festive this Christmas. Not to mention, the sweets inside are absolutely delish. Yum.

Pros

  • 24 days of delicious vegan jelly sweets
  • A variety of flavours including Wild Strawberry, Sour Watermelon and more
  • Reviewers say it's a good size and a good weight

Cons

  • Reviewers in previous years have said there is only a selection of flavours

Best DIY men's advent calendar

Etsy Advent Calendar For Him Kit 25 Days Christmas CalendarEtsy

If you fancy a personalised touch this year then why not fill your own calendar with treats using this brill DIY advent calendar kit? That way, you can really customise the advent calendar to things that he enjoys. Simply pop your item in the bag, decorate it with one of the stickers and you're good to go. Reviews love the idea, commenting that their husband had fun opening it each day.

Pros

  • 25 pouches and stickers included to fill-your-own calendar
  • A customisable option that allows you to fill it with things he'll actually use
  • Could possibly be reusable for following years

Cons

  • Low in stock, currently only three left and in a lot of baskets

What are some of the best advent calendars for men?

When it comes to advent calendars, it can be easy to get lost in a sea of options and not really know what to choose for your loved one. Instead of grabbing the nearest thing and its contents going to waste, it's a good idea to think about what they might actually use. Really think about their interests here.

Some grooming calendars have over £200 worth of products inside for a fraction of that price, making them brilliant value for money - and something they'll actually put to good use. Snack advent calendars are also a general crowd-pleaser, as the contents will always get eaten - even if it means sharing!

Which brands have the best advent calendars for men?

Retailers we've observed that have the greatest variety of advent calendars for men are: Boots, who are already running their Black Friday sale, and Menkind. Both are a treasure trove for men's advent calendars each year.

Boots are fantastic for those classic picks, from grooming to fragrances and more. Whereas, Menkind tends to have unique advent calendars on offer, from tapping into gaming interests to creative calendars that allow them to build to their heart's content.

Louella Berryman is the audience development executive at Bauer Media, where she works in all things digital for Grazia, heat, Closer, Yours and Mother&Baby.

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