Gift Ideas for Travelers: 10 Advent Calendars You Didn’t Know Existed

These advent calendars from around the world aren't the ones you remember from your childhood.

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November 09, 2017

By: Erin Gifford

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Photo By: Bluebird Tea Co.

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Craft Beer Advent Calendar

As the popularity of craft beers continues to grow, Chicago-based specialty beer retailer, Bitter Pops, has introduced the ideal gift, a Craft Beer Advent Calendar ($89.99). Travel across the country and around the world as you sample 24 full-size holiday and seasonal beers tucked inside the box. Every craft brew is a surprise until the day you pop each one open.

24 Days of Tea

London may boast some of world’s best spots for afternoon tea, but thanks to the 24 Days of Tea ($45), a colorful tea-filled advent calendar from DAVIDsTEA, you can bring high tea into your home. Inside each box on the calendar is a single-serving of loose leaf tea that’s just right for enjoying a few moments to yourself on drab, wintry December afternoons. You won’t find English Breakfast tea in this calendar. Instead, look for teas like Cinnamon Rooibos Chai, Candy Cane Crush, Silk Dragon Jasmine and Santa’s Secret.

Man Crates Advent Calendar

For the lover of meats and sweets worldwide, there is the festive Man Crates Advent Calendar ($49.99), which includes 10 different varieties of beef jerky and 15 chewy sweets, including single malt scotch caramels, peppermint nougat and egg nog taffy. Choose from the Classic advent calendar, which features fun facts behind each punch-out door, or the Strike Before Christmas advent calendar, which tells the real un-sugar coated story behind the days leading up to Christmas.

Big Chilli Advent Calendar

If the chill of winter has you down, you can catch the next plane to a tropical island or simply open up the Big Chilli Advent Calendar ($46) for a world tour of red hot chili peppers (and not the singing kind). Inside, you’ll find 24 chiles, including whole peppers, flakes and powders. Whether your day starts with smoked chipotle flakes from Mexico or a whole Carolina Reaper from South Carolina (delivering world record-holding heat), have a tall glass of milk at your side.

Scotch Whisky Advent Calendar

Secret Spirits is making the fourth edition of its popular Scotch Whisky Advent Calendar ($560) available to whisky-lovers this holiday season. (The Scots spell it whisky, not whiskey.) Take a tour of Scotland by way of the Scotch whisky regions, including Speyside, Campbeltown and Highland. All 25 of the 50-ml glass bottles are handpicked and include a mix of single malt, blended malts, single grain and blended scotch. Each calendar comes with a signature whisky glass and a booklet for making notes about each scotch.

24 Days of Beauty Advent Calendar

For lovers of beauty creams, bath gels, body polishes and hand treatments, look no further than the new 24 Days of Beauty Advent Calendar ($85) from The Body Shop. Each day begins with a luxurious new beauty treat to keep your skin feeling smooth, hydrated and ready to be bared when a mid-winter beach getaway calls. As a bonus, a portion of the purchase price goes to the Peace Play Project in Lebanon, which creates safe play spaces for Syrian refugee children.

LEGO City Advent Calendar

LEGO fans of all ages will want to check out the fun LEGO City Advent Calendar ($44.89), which has 24 doors that open up to reveal surprises, like vehicles and minifigures, including Santa and his sleigh, as well as a snowboarder, a Christmas tree and a snow blower. LEGO also makes advent calendars themed for LEGO Friends and LEGO Star Wars. It’s like a trip to LEGOLAND in California or Florida only on a much smaller scale.

Advent Calendar of Tea

After selling out in 2016, UK-based Bluebird Tea Co. has brought back their delightful Advent Calendar of Tea ($47). The advent calendar features 16 single-serve bags of award-winning tea blends with names like Snowball, Christmas Cake, Strawberry Lemonade and Gingerbread Chai. Doors also open up to reveal tea gifts, like a tea-scented perfume and mini matcha sachets, making you feel like a true Londoner. As a bonus, a fold-out hanger makes it easy to display the advent calendar.

Crayola's Christmas Countdown Activity Calendar

Rather than simply eating your way through an advent calendar, enjoy a fun craft as a family each day with Crayola’s 24-day Christmas Countdown Activity Advent Calendar ($19.99). Each door opens up to reveal a colorful craft to keep kids busy and engaged whether creating ornaments, making finger puppets or completing fun holiday-themed artwork. It’s a great way to spend downtime after dinner on December evenings. For a fun trip idea, take budding artists to one of multiple Crayola Experience locations, including Orlando and Mall of America.

Box of Wonders

Bare Minerals fans will be eager to get their hands on the Box of Wonders ($79), a glamorous 24-piece makeup advent calendar filled with all the essentials, including lipsticks, lip glosses, eyeshadows, mascaras and blushes. Each door opens up to reveal a new mini makeup product. It’s a fun way to shine at festive holiday parties, family get-togethers, even warm-weather getaways to escape the chill of December.

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Gift Ideas for Travelers: 10 Advent Calendars You Didn’t Know Existed

Related To:

Shop This Look

Craft Beer Advent Calendar

24 Days of Tea

Man Crates Advent Calendar

Big Chilli Advent Calendar

Scotch Whisky Advent Calendar

24 Days of Beauty Advent Calendar

LEGO City Advent Calendar

Advent Calendar of Tea

Crayola's Christmas Countdown Activity Calendar

Box of Wonders

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