Best men's advent calendars for 2026, ranked and reviewed

Detailed summary

Coffee for the 5am club, whisky for the nightcap man and a cabin of yuzu truffles for the stylish chocoholic – Peter Bevan unboxes calendars for every kind of guy

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‘Advent calendar’ used to mean a flimsy piece of cardboard filled with chocolate that tasted mostly of the box – but those days are gone. Today, it’s become a proper gift.

The kind that makes you look forward to getting up every day during December – even on the days that feel more of a struggle (it is party season, after all). And, if you think about it, buying 24 presents for the price of one is a complete no-brainer on the value-to-happiness ratio.

The good news? It’s not just a rinse-and-repeat situation, where every guy ends up with the same gift. There are loads out there, so you can find one that’s perfectly suited to whoever you’re shopping for. Some are packed with cocktails (the good ones, not the kind you’d find on three for two in Sainsbury’s), while others are filled with bathroom staples (cleansers, skincare, shampoo, body wash – the works).

Best for whisky drinkers – Drinks By The Dram The World Whisky Advent Calendar

Best for homebodies – Fortnum’s Tea & Biscuits Sharing Advent Calendar

Then there are some which feel more unique, whether it’s for sharing tea and biscuits 25 times over or a daily protein bar, and, of course, the classics: look out for Hotel Chocolat for the latter.

So, we’ve pulled together the 14 best advent calendars for men that cover loads of categories – creative types, coffee drinkers, timeless gents, gym bros, the whisky obsessed… You name it, there’s probably a calendar to match. And, trust me, none of them tastes like the box.

First rule of thumb: don’t judge a calendar by its box. Sure, it plays a big part – no one wants a hunk of junk sitting amongst their curated festive decor in the run-up to Christmas – but what’s inside matters more.

Opening of the article, excerpted from Evening Standard. To read the rest, open the article on the publisher's site.