36 Advent Calendars for Tweens and Teens

Teens and tweens are often under-represented in our Christmas traditions. It is easy to find a gift, some gift wrap, or an advent calendar for little ones, but it can be tough to find advent calendars for tweens and teens.

Luckily there are companies that are looking to plug this gap in the market. You can now find advent calendars for teens and tweens no matter what their interests and pastimes. Even if your older child has an interest not represented here, there are plenty of fun, appealing, reusable advent calendars you can fill with your own surprises.

I spent far more time than I should have, searching for fabulous teen and pre-teen advent calendar ideas. But more importantly, I tested each calendar on the teens in our life and these are our family favourites.

W7 Beauty Blast Reloaded Advent Calendar

Unlike other cosmetic advent calendars, this option from Beauty Blast has a combination of travel and full-size beauty products. Also, unlike the previous versions of the Beauty Blast advent calendar, this “reloaded” option does not have multiple duplicate items.

The cosmetics are all made in the UK, guaranteed cruelty-free, and the tray inside is folded cardboard rather than molded plastic.

Our calendar contained:

1 Bow Hair Clip,
1 Hair Scrunchie,
1 Pair of Tweezers,
3 Lip Liners,
1 King Kohl Eyeliner,
2 Glitter Pigment Pots
Mini/Travel Size:
3 Liquid Cream Illuminators,
1 Honolulu Bronzer,
1 Candy Blusher,
1 Banana Dreams Face Powder,
4 Too Fabulous Lipsticks,
3 Glamorous Glosses,
1 Absolute Lashes Mascara,
1 Watermelon Wave Moisturiser

Metal Wire Brain Teasers

For the puzzle fans in your life, how about this cute metal puzzle advent calendar? For each puzzle, you have to work out how to separate the two pieces and then get them back together again.

The 24 puzzles have five distinct levels of difficulty and range from the super simple to the genuinely tricky. They are also arranged in the calendar so you open the windows and discover the easiest puzzle first and they build up in difficulty and the trickiest is last.

The Nightmare Before Christmas: Ghoulish Delights

If you have a “The Nightmare Before Christmas” fan, we have the perfect advent calendar for them. The calendar opens up and has small envelopes, rather than doors, which has the advantage of making it, in their, reusable.

Packed with mini-books, note cards, ornaments, stickers, and more, the gifts range from the higher quality wooden ornaments, magnetic bookmarks, and mini-books to the less impressive – but still cute- cardboard decorations for the tree.

We were particular fans of the “Violent Night” Christmas carol book and Sally’s Botanical Book.

PLUS!

If you’re the crafty type you could make small items for the envelopes and use The Nightmare Before Christmas advent calendar as a countdown to Halloween, birthdays, vacations, etc.

Hasbro Board Games Unisex 12 Days Of Socks Advent Box

If you want to avoid an advent calendar packed with disposable “stuff” consider the Hasbro Board Games Advent Box.

Rather than a daily window, the box has 12 doors. Each door features graphics from a Hasbro game, and behind the door is a coordinating pair of socks. Nine of the pairs are ankle socks and the other three are crew-style socks.

Our three pairs of crew socks feature the games Sorry, Clue, and Monopoly. The ankle socks feature Game of Life, Battleship, Operation, Candyland, Monopoly, two styles of Scrabble socks, and two styles of Twister socks.

The socks are listed as being sizes 9-12 and our teen with size 12 feet finds them comfortable. Meanwhile, the 100% polyester construction washes and dries well, with no loss of color or shape.

Ravensburger Advent Calendar

This “Create Your Own Christmas Decorations” advent calendar from Ravensburger is most suitable for the younger end of the tween & teen, age range, or maybe for someone who likes the idea of creating small, crafty items for Christmas.

The 24 ornaments include four mini jigsaw puzzle balls which you complete and place on the stands which you color in. There are also a slide-together sleigh and reindeer, a pom pom Santa, a plastic Christmas tree cookie cutter, several reusable origami stencils to make snowflakes and other items, a shooting star garland, and more.

Star Wars The Galactic Advent Calendar

This sturdy Star Wars advent calendar opens up, book-style, to reveal 25 envelopes of fun.

There’s a combination of decent quality gifts like a pair of lightsaber pencils, a cute Darth and stormtroopers keychain, tiny booklets, and note cards. Plus a sprinkling of less impressive, but still worthwhile cardboard tree-hanger style ornaments.

Reading some of the online reviews for this calendar, you’ll see people complain that the calendar isn’t full of super high-quality items. However, we think the mix of high quality and less high-quality gifts is appropriate for the price of the calendar.

We think this is ideal for Star Wars fans, and as long as you are not expecting 25 high-quality gifts you won’t be disappointed.

24 Beautiful DIY Arts & Crafts Ornaments & Decorations

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC Rocks, Minerals & Fossils Advent Calendar

Arteza Advent Calendar 2021

Harry Potter: Holiday Magic

Christmas Cocoa Sampler : 12 Days of Cocoa

Nintendo Calendar 12 Days of Socks Box

MAGIC & TRICKS by The Purple Cow.

Walkers Shortbread Advent Calendar

MindWare Countdown Calendar: 12 Days of Putty Scents

Mindfulness Advent Calendar

Funko Advent Calendar: Marvel 80th Anniversary, 24Pc

Cadbury Heroes Advent-ure

Advent Calendar 2021, 24 Mochi Squishies

Fluffy Slime Kit Advent Calendar

If your teen or tween enjoys a good pot of slime, then this is the holiday advent calendar for them. It features 24 days of DIY, Fluffy, Slime making fun.

Advent Calendar Colouring Book

This is actually an advent book rather than an advent calendar and each day there is a new page to colour. Colouring pages have images such as a robin, a Christmas tree, and giant snowflakes.

24 Days Burlap Hanging Advent Calendars

Reusable burlap sack advent calendar you can fill with your own surprises.

Do you have a tween or teen who’s tastes are wide-ranging, or so particular that nobody is likely to produce an advent calendar for them? Then this might be the best option for you. Fill the bags of this reusable burlap bag advent calendar with whatever little treats your not so little one loves.

You never know, it might even be enough to get your teen out of bed in the morning.

Madelaine Chocolate Countdown

Playmobil Advent Calendar – The Toy Shop

Playmobil Santa's Workshop advent calendar for pre-teens.

I thought this was supposed to be a list of advent calendars for teens and tweens I hear you cry. Ah, but if you know anything about our family you’ll know how the kids and adults and all of those in-between, adore Playmobil. In fact, the likelihood is that the kids won’t get a look in with this one and it’ll be mom and dad fighting over who gets which piece.

If this one floats your boat, you may want to take a look at our post dedicated to gifts for Playmobil fans.