The 12 Best 2025 Advent Calendars Filled With Little Presents You Actually Want (We Opened Them All!) 

With a new little door to open each day, an Advent calendar is quite literally the gift that keeps on giving. And each year it seems as if there are more (and more!) incredible options to choose from — everything from countdowns stuffed with candies or nail polish bottles to ones brimming with skincare products or tiny toys. 

From the coveted Sephora calendar to the ridiculously cute Squishmallows one, the Dorm Therapy team searched for the best Advent calendars of 2025 for college students — and we landed on these 12 joy-boosting picks, which we opened every single door of. Check out what our team thought of these countdowns, and then pick the one that speaks to you. Prepare to treat yourself (or a friend) all month long. 

This Advent calendar is pure joy if you love trying new beauty products. The packaging itself feels like a collectible (I’m literally keeping mine as an arts-and-crafts box because it’s too pretty to toss), and even the little boxes are cute enough to reuse for wrapping small gifts like jewelry. Inside, you’ll find 24 mini favorites (travel-friendly!) including skincare, fragrance, and makeup (think: Supergoop!, L’Occitane, Maison Louis Marie, and more), all adding up to over $300 in value but priced at $98. It’s a splurge, but it genuinely feels worth it when every day comes with a new little luxury. 

Sadly, this one has already sold out and is unlikely to come back in stock this year, but if you’re feeling a little spendy, the Benefit Cosmetics Glam Cube 24-Day Beauty Advent Calendar is another highly rated option (you may want to add it to your cart soon, before it sells out too!). —Eugenia Gutierrez, Audience Growth Assistant

Best for: That person who’s always trying out new beauty products.

If you already love the Sephora Collection (or want to try more from it), this one’s perfect for you. It includes 12 full-size products, six travel sizes, and six fun accessories — so you actually get a ton of usable stuff instead of just minis. Most of the products are everyday staples rather than super-hyped items, but that’s what makes it such a good deal. Valued at $163 and priced at $55, it feels like an easy win for gifting or treating yourself. —Eugenia Gutierrez, Audience Growth Assistant

Best for: Sephora Collection stans or anyone looking to revamp their makeup bag.

Anyone who believes self-care involves a fresh mani (or five) will get an instant serotonin boost from this Advent calendar. Olive & June packed 25 mini surprises inside: polishes, nail stickers, tools, and everything else you need to DIY salon-level nails without leaving your dorm. I love doing my own nails, and these press-ons are some of the best and most long-lasting I’ve ever used! They have an 8 Nights of Mani Magic version for Hanukkah, too, which I tested out and it’s also a great value! It doesn’t have as many items, obviously, but it still packed in all the essentials for a perfect home mani. —Laney Crawley, Editorial Intern

Best for: Your friend who loves a DIY manicures. 

If you’ve ever dreamed of turning your dorm bathroom into a mini spa, this Advent calendar basically makes it happen. Packed with skincare, moisturizing lip gloss, and all the little things that make a “treat yourself” night feel cinematic, it’s like unwrapping self-care every day for 12 days straight. Whether it’s a gift for your best friend or a “from me to me” moment (who doesn’t need a soothing face mask when cramming for finals?), it’s the definition of cozy-girl luxury. —Laney Crawley, Editorial Intern

Best for: Self-care nights with friends.

If you love anything tiny, soft, and holiday-themed, this adorable micromallows holiday countdown is basically therapy in plush form. Each day reveals a new squishy character that’s cute enough to display on your shelf, stick to your mirror, or use as stress relief when finals hit. It’s the kind of Advent calendar that reminds you the holidays are supposed to be fun, not just stressful. Bonus: The figurines make adorable little stocking stuffers or Secret Santa add-ons if you’re feeling generous (or have too many). —Laney Crawley, Editorial Intern

Best for: Stocking stuffers or little decorations around your room!  

Did I get this Advent calendar for my 6-year-old niece? Yes. Did I also buy one for myself? Also, yes. When I was a kid, I loved Barbies and had a huge collection of outfits and accessories, so this calendar brought back all those memories. The first day reveals a full-size Barbie doll with pink hair (honestly, I’m jealous), and as you go through the month there’s jewelry, a mermaid tail, fairy wings, pets, and more. I keep her on my desk and change her outfits when I need a work break (or just want to change up her vibe). Oh, and my niece loves it, too. While this exact one is sold out, you can still buy a super similar version that includes fairy, unicorn, and mermaid accessories. —Megan Gray, Shopping Writer

Best for: Embracing your inner child.

There’s something to delight every avid reader in this Advent calendar. It includes bookmarks and book darts (as you would expect), but there are also cute additions, like a patch that reads, “Hello, I’m Busy Reading,” temporary tattoos, and washi tape. I plan on using everything, especially the wrapping paper and labels for presents. Best of all, the designs are adorable, and there’s a real cozy “reading a book by a fire” vibe throughout. I would buy it again! —Megan Gray, Shopping Writer

Best for: Anyone who would rather be reading.

Before you buy, you should know that this isn’t a classic Advent calendar — in that the 12 windows don’t open to separate compartments (you have to open the whole box at once to reveal any of the crafts). Untraditional as it may be, you do get 12 surprises inside, and they’re numbered so you could do one a day like a traditional Advent calendar — or you could break the calendar rules and invite over some friends for a holiday craft night! I went out of order because the first one that caught my eye was the DIY disco ball ornament. Even though it took me about an hour to meticulously place the sticky “gem” pieces onto the clear plastic ball, the end result was so worth it (as a Swiftie, the shimmery colors reminded me of Eras Tour confetti!). For $35, this calendar is a pretty good value considering the number of DIY keepsakes included.  —Collette Reitz, Deputy Editor, Special Projects

Best for: People who like to open every door of their calendar all at once.

I become obsessive about finishing a puzzle once I’ve started it, but I don’t always (or often) have hours on end to dedicate to the task. So, this Advent calendar that’s made up of 50-piece puzzles is kind of perfect. Each one came together for me in maybe 10 minutes, which, paired with a mug of tea, was a lovely reminder to take a screen break. Once all of the mini vignettes are puzzled together, you can push them in place to complete the whole picture — 10/10 satisfaction. —Sofia Rivera, Editor, Dorm Therapy and Special Projects

Best for: Puzzle lovers with commitment issues (or busy schedules).

Candy buffs, this one’s for you: Behind each door you’ll find some rare confection you’ve probably never tried. From Italian cola-flavored hard candies and Belgian chocolates to juicy Lithuanian apple-flavored treats and Dutch coffee-flavored caramels, there’s a little something from everywhere. A very pleasant surprise of opening this 24-day Advent calendar is that each compartment contains four candies (not one, like I’d assumed), so you can share with your roomies or friends (or keep them all to yourself). Although this calendar is currently sold out, if you’re still looking to enjoy a sweet treat each day, you can try out this Handcrafted Caramel Advent Calendar also from Uncommon Goods, which promises a unique caramel flavor each day. —Sofia Rivera, Editor, Dorm Therapy and Special Projects

Best for: People who crave a very well-traveled little treat.

If your usual ramen isn’t quite hitting like it used to, this Advent calendar from Asian-owned and women-owned brand Fly by Jing is here for the rescue. It comes with a few packages of Chinese-style instant noodles (all you need to do is boil them for six minutes) and nine little glass jars of zesty goodness, like Xtra Spice Chili Crisp and Sweet Shallot Sauce. The best part: Even though it’s just 12 days of doors, the contents are more than enough to spice up your meals for the next several weeks and even months. —Sofia Rivera, Editor, Dorm Therapy and Special Projects

Best for: Your foodie friend who always brings their own hot sauce.

A hot mug of tea is pretty much my sidekick all winter long. I love trying out new blends, but I usually force myself to finish up a box before buying a new one (storage space is limited, after all!). This Numi tea Advent calendar is absolutely perfect for trying out a new flavor every day (no repeats!), and each bag is marked with its caffeine level, from caffeine-free, to low, to medium, to high, so you can pick a different bag if you need something chiller than a black tea. It’s especially great for dorms, as it hangs right on the wall, taking up virtually no space. Plus, each day is its own tea bag, which means you don’t have to have a tea infuser like you need for other loose-leaf tea Advent calendars. —Sofia Rivera, Editor, Dorm Therapy and Special Projects

Best for: Tea aficionados or your non-coffee-drinking friend.