What to put in an advent calendar: ideas by interest

105 small things for a homemade advent calendar: treats, little gifts sorted by what the person likes, and vouchers to print at home. Prices are our estimates.

Plan a calendar with theseThe planner picks from these ideas to fit their interests and your budget, and gives you a shopping list.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Prices for Amazon items are our rounded estimates; the price at Amazon may differ.

Small treats for anyone

Cheap, small and easy to find at the supermarket. Good for the doors in between.

Food & drink

Little gifts and treats that fit what they like. Put the bigger ones behind doors 6, 12, 18 and 24.

Coffee

Tea

Baking

Cooking

Spicy food

Wine & cocktails

Home & self-care

Little gifts and treats that fit what they like. Put the bigger ones behind doors 6, 12, 18 and 24.

Cozy at home

Plants

Skincare & self-care

Yoga & wellness

Pets

  • Pet treat pouchabout €2.00 · supermarket or pet shop
  • Cat feather toyabout €5 · Amazon

Creative

Little gifts and treats that fit what they like. Put the bigger ones behind doors 6, 12, 18 and 24.

Crafts & stationery

Drawing & painting

Journaling & letters

Photography

Music

Play & learn

Little gifts and treats that fit what they like. Put the bigger ones behind doors 6, 12, 18 and 24.

Books

Gaming

Board games

Puzzles & brain teasers

Science & space

Languages

  • Snack from a far-away countryabout €2.00 · Asian or international grocery
  • Vocabulary flash cardsabout €12 · Amazon

Movies & series

Out & about

Little gifts and treats that fit what they like. Put the bigger ones behind doors 6, 12, 18 and 24.

Outdoors & fitness

Running

Travel

  • Hand warmers (pair)about €1.60 · Drugstore
  • Snack from a far-away countryabout €2.00 · Asian or international grocery
  • Mini travel bottlesabout €3.50 · Drugstore
  • Luggage tagabout €4 · Amazon
  • A6 sketchbookabout €5 · Amazon
  • Travel watercolor setabout €12 · Amazon

Style & tech

Little gifts and treats that fit what they like. Put the bigger ones behind doors 6, 12, 18 and 24.

Jewelry & accessories

Tech & gadgets

Vouchers to print

Promises cost nothing and are often the doors people remember. Pick a few that suit them.

  • Coffee with me, my treatJust tell me when you're free.
  • Movie night, you pick the filmI'll bring popcorn and won't complain about your choice.
  • Breakfast in bedPick any weekend
  • I'm cooking you dinnerTell me what you're craving.
  • Joker: one chore off your listThe one you hate most.
  • Board game nightPick any game.
  • A long winter walkI'll bring a thermos of mulled wine to keep us warm.
  • Photo walkI'll take as many photos of you as you want.
  • Cocktail night at homeI'll write a little menu and you can order whatever you like.
  • A day trip, you pick whereAnywhere up to about two hours away by train.
  • Spa night at homeFace masks and candles
  • I'll bring you a coffeeYour usual, just text me
  • Lunch is on mePick a day and a place and I'll pay.
  • Joker: one boring taskThat thing you've been putting off for weeks? Give it to me.
  • A homemade cake for your teamTell me which day and what kind, and I'll bake it.
  • Baking cookies togetherA whole afternoon of Christmas cookies.
  • A long phone callPick an evening and I'll keep it free, however long we end up talking.
  • An evening with old photosLet's get the albums out and remember all the embarrassing stuff.
  • I'll help with one projectMoving, flat-pack furniture, the garden, whatever needs doing.
  • A night out, your choiceConcert, bar, or karaoke. First round's on me.
  • A lunch walkSome fresh air, and we're not allowed to talk about work.
  • I'll restock your snack drawerWrite me a list of your favourites and I'll fill it up.
  • A massageHalf an hour. Back, shoulders, you tell me.
  • A tray of homemade browniesAll yours.
  • You pick a book, I read itEven if it's not my thing. Then we talk about it over coffee.
  • You choose our next travel destinationI promise I won't argue (much).
  • A souvenir from my next tripProbably a fridge magnet. Maybe not.
  • You pick our next 5 restaurantsNo vetoes from me

What to put it all in

The container decides how big each door can be. Prices are for 12 and 24 doors.

  • Paper bags on a lineKraft bags, about 12 × 18 cm, pegged to twine. 12 doors about €7.00, 24 doors about €12.00
  • Fabric pouchesReusable drawstring bags, about 13 × 18 cm. 12 doors about €14.00, 24 doors about €22.00
  • Wooden drawer houseRefillable cabinet. Drawers about 7 × 7 × 4 cm. 12 doors about €25.00, 24 doors about €38.00
  • Matchbox drawersFold-your-own boxes, about 6 × 4 × 2 cm. Tiny and cute. 12 doors about €10.00, 24 doors about €20.00
  • Wrap it yourselfPaper, number stickers and twine. Any size fits. 12 doors about €7.00, 24 doors about €10.00

Questions

How much does a homemade advent calendar cost?

You decide. Treats cost about €0.20 to €4.50 each and little gifts about €1 to €15, while printed vouchers are free. Twenty-four doors of mostly treats in paper bags come to around €50; with more little gifts, plan around €100. Half that for 12 doors.

Should it have 24 or 12 doors?

24 doors is the classic, one for each day from 1 to 24 December. 12 doors works well for a smaller budget, for someone you see every other day, or if you start late.

What do I put in an advent calendar for a partner, a friend or a colleague?

Mix treats, little gifts that fit their interests and a few vouchers. For a partner, about four vouchers in 24 doors feels personal; for friends and family three; for a colleague two, and keep those light, like a coffee on you.

What can I put in besides sweets?

Small things from their hobbies (see the lists above), something homemade, or vouchers for time together, like breakfast in bed or a walk.

How do I keep it inside the budget?

Set one total that includes the container. Spend a little more on doors 6, 12, 18 and 24 and on the last door, and use cheap treats and free vouchers in between. The planner does this split for you and shows what is left.

When should I start?

Order things online by mid-November so they arrive in time, and fill the calendar on the last weekend of November. It has to be up by 1 December.

Plan a calendar with theseThe planner picks from these ideas to fit their interests and your budget, and gives you a shopping list.