During the holiday season, most of us are so focused on buying gifts for other people that we do not spend enough time treating ourselves. An advent calendar is an especially festive way to surprise yourself with something nice each of the anticipatory days leading up to Christmas, and it is even better when you get to enjoy lots of fun little edible and drinkable trinkets.

Sure, it is only October, but if you want a really great 2026 advent calendar, industry experts highly advise smashing that order or pre-order button right now. Not only do many of the most popular advent calendars sell out quickly—well before December arrives—but early bird shoppers can sometimes find great discounts from chocolatiers, coffee companies, and beyond, offering daily treats that are far more exciting than waxy drugstore chocolate.

While advent calendars have been around since the 19th century, their popularity, ingenuity, and especially luxurious side have exploded in recent years. With that widespread popularity has come a dizzying array of new advent calendars tailored specifically for food-lovers. From sculptural French chocolates and artisan cheeses to rare jams, spicy pantry staples, premium teas, and global confections, here are a few of the top advent calendar favorites for the 2026 holiday season.

This sculptural French advent calendar

The advent calendar from this renowned French chocolatier is visually stunning thanks to its three-dimensional packaging that boasts an equally compelling assortment of treats hidden within. Inside, buyers will find an assortment of the brand’s beloved signature chocolates, plus a limited-edition holiday bonbon made with candied orange, festive holiday spices, and rich milk chocolate. Additionally, the packaging is designed to be hung up, giving it a very cool and sophisticated decorative element for holiday home decor.

If your giftee loves Nordic folklore

There are a lot of luxury chocolatiers on the market, but Dandelion Chocolate takes special care to soliloquize even the most minute details, inspirations, and flavor notes in its confections, especially when it comes to its 2026 advent calendar. This beauty is filled with delights inspired by Nordic folklore from various chocolatiers, with each bonbon presented in an individual keepsake box that can double as a hanging ornament. To add an extra layer of whimsy, Dandelion also includes a book of folktales inspired by Nordic mythology, alongside a keepsake cut-out paper star designed to be hung in your window during frosty winter nights, staying true to traditional Nordic customs.

‘Under the Tuscan Sun’ takes advent calendar form

In a refreshing departure from the more traditional rectangular advent calendars found in supermarkets, this 24-day Oliviers & Co. calendar unfolds to reveal a charming European street corner flanked by a classic olive tree. Each of the louver-style doors is filled with a gourmet selection of truffles, artisanal jams, premium oils, and specialized vinegars, making it the ultimate holiday calendar for the person with a not-too-sweet sweet tooth who appreciates Mediterranean culinary traditions.

You’ll want to save every mini jam jar from the Bonne Maman calendar

Classic French jam company Bonne Maman’s advent calendar is a perennial holiday favorite, and for very good reason. It is reasonably priced and packed with 24 miniature glass jars featuring different—and in some cases, rare—holiday flavors of the brand’s beloved jams, jellies, and preserves. The calendar also includes delightful one-off surprises like caramel with salted butter and raspberry with dark chocolate. A major bonus for recipients is that you get to reuse all those adorably tiny glass jars all year long for storage, crafts, or miniature kitchen containers.

For the cheese-lover in your life

Instead of purchasing yet another chocolate-filled advent calendar, holiday shoppers can pivot toward savory indulgence with cheese. This 12-day calendar from beloved New York City cheese purveyor Murray’s is packed with exceptional varieties, including Manchego from Spain’s famed La Mancha region, a rich wine-washed wedge, decadent truffle cheddar, and even complementary jams and artisanal crackers. Recipients can enjoy a savory bite each day starting on December 12, culminating in the preparation of a stunning Christmas Day smorgasbord utilizing all the collected cheeses.

A luxurious calendar of teas

Amid the inevitable hustle and bustle of the holiday season, this 24-day advent calendar from Palais des Thés is packed with premium teas designed to encourage moments of relaxation all December long. Inside the hand-stitched cotton packages, tea enthusiasts will discover signature blends, single estate options, and herbal infusions, alongside 2026 seasonal blends such as the limited-edition Céleste tea—an organic blend of green tea, vanilla, and chestnut. For those who prefer to run caffeine-free, the brand also offers a completely caffeine-free tea advent calendar alternative.

This cozy Walker’s Shortbread calendar

The advent calendar from Walker’s Shortbread consistently sells out fast, serving as a delicious and affordable option for folks seeking a holiday treat outside the traditional scope of chocolate. This year’s edition depicts Santa tiptoeing across a snowy rooftop toward a shortbread chimney, preparing to enter a winter wonderland of 24 different treats from the 128-year-old cookie company. Buyers can expect all of Walker’s signature shortbread classics rendered in festive holiday shapes, alongside popular chocolate chip and caramel variations.

The grand cacao lodge calendar

For the serious yet whimsical chocolate advent calendar enthusiast, this high-end offering from Vosges represents an ideal holiday splurge. The calendar itself features a detailed depiction of a cozy mountain lodge, complete with artistic renderings of a roaring fireplace and cheery woodland critters. Inside the calendar, chocolate lovers will discover a carefully curated mix of dark and milk chocolate, chewy caramels, a touch of toffee, and a handful of brand favorites alongside an exclusive collection of brand-new flavor creations.

Turn up the heat with Fly By Jing’s calendar

For those who are not particularly fond of sweets, this savory collection from Fly By Jing includes 12 different savory sauces, fiery spices, and other elevated pantry staples, complete with a few unexpected surprises. Shoppers can anticipate the brand’s famed Sichuan chile crisp, alongside hard-to-find spice blends and even never-before-launched sauces. All items are packed in compact jars that are especially convenient if you are traveling home for the holidays and need something to punch up your family’s cooking. Food enthusiasts are advised not to wait on this one, as last year’s edition completely sold out well before November.

For the aspiring bartender

Straightaway Cocktails offers a curated advent calendar that has earned praise from industry insiders, including Eater and Punch audience development director Kaitlin Bray, who has noted that the brand’s Flora Green amaro serves as an exceptional green Chartreuse substitute. The company’s advent calendar is packed with a dozen of its pre-made, expertly mixed cocktails, featuring popular offerings such as the Bee’s Knees, Oregon Old Fashioned, Margarita, and Blanco Margarita.

Swedish candy is big right now

As the cultural wave of Swedish candy stores continues to sweep across the country, Williams Sonoma has officially tapped into the trendy gummy craze with a delectable 12-day advent calendar. The package features a variety of Swedish-style confections, including strawberry-pomegranate bubs, vibrant Rambo rainbows, and other authentic Scandinavian treats that have captured the attention of snack enthusiasts on social media.

A medieval kingdom of bonbons

Los Angeles chocolatier Compartés has released three distinct and whimsical advent calendars for the holiday season. While the Winter Forest and Nutcracker editions offer traditional visual appeal, the Enchanted Castle version stands out amidst the broader cultural wave of medieval revivalism. This miniature royal realm houses 24 days of gourmet chocolate flavored with unique culinary notes like buttered croissant, eggnog crème brûlée, and salted honeycomb.

This advent calendar is an ode to Japanese artistry

Bokksu’s approach to advent calendars remains characteristically meticulous. Each year brings a different, beautifully packaged selection of treats that reflects the Japanese snack curator’s thoughtful sourcing. The 2026 calendar serves as an artistic ode to the country’s rich tradition of lantern-making, featuring iconic snacks like hojicha chocolate crunch and savory senbei, alongside handcrafted pottery, collectible figurines, and a traditional New Year’s Eve decoration.

This Japanese Kit Kat advent calendar

Japanese Kit Kats are globally celebrated for their massive and inventive range of regional and seasonal flavors. This 12-day advent calendar features a staggering 72 individually wrapped bars sourced through Sugoi Mart, an online boutique widely known for its extensive curation of Japanese snacks, collectibles, and pop-culture items.