What Are The Best Advent Calendars?

December is a great month. There's Christmas and presents and TV. And every morning you get a chocolate just for waking up. If you haven't bought your advent calendar yet then what are you doing? Advent has started and the days are running out. Still, before you zip out to the shops and make a disastrous buy, read this. Don't worry. December is going to be OK.

Lego Pirates Advent Calendar

What could be more Christmasy than the Lego Pirates Advent Calendar? Every day of December you get a new pirate treat, plus a play mat and eight mini-figures. It's a bit expensive but then it's a bit more than an advent calendar. Ooh argh!
Price: £15.79  or $60

Star Wars Advent Calendar

Star Wars doesn't stop for Christmas in fact it gets even bigger. This is not so much an advent calendar as a whole world. The pack includes model spaceships, a 3D landscape of the planet Mustafar, six mountains for painting, stickers, paints and an original Star Wars Top Trumps game.
Price: £20

Playmobil Advent Calendars - Police and Unicorn In Fairy World

So long as your child is over three years old then the people at Playmobil have something special for them this Christmas. For boys what could be better than the Police Playmobil Calendar complete with a mini village, police station, motorbike, policeman and all kinds of accessories. For girls how about Unicorn in Fairy World complete with flowers, oyster, trees, rainbows, fairies and unicorns! For more traditional children there's a very Christmas calendar. Check them out yourself.
Price: $17

Tea Advent Calendar

What's the first thing you do when you wake up? If it's not drink tea then to be honest I don't want to know about it. The Sonnentor Tea Advent Calendar comes with 24 bags of flavoured tea the like you will never have even imagined. We have energy tea, guardian angel tea, sunshine tea, advent fruit tea, chinese green tea, ginger-lemon tea and rooibos-chocolate tea. Each bag comes in a decorated envelope.
Price: £5.50

24 Penguins Before Christmas

This was a big hit last year, so if you missed out you have another chance. It's simple and beautifully designed. There are 24 penguins and your child has to find them. The calendar is a pop-up and comes with a little booklet which walks kids through December. It's nicely made but might actually appeal more to an adult market.
Price: $8

Make Your Own

Christmas might be tight this year. Plus we are all supposed to be environmental. So why bother paying someone else to make your advent calendar? Get your kids to make theirs. It's simple. A bit of card. Some Christmas drawings. Tin foil. Glitter. Of course if the kids make them they won't have any surprises. So you might have to do it yourself.
Price: FREE!

Peanuts Advent Calendar

No not peanuts Peanuts. Snoopy Peanuts. Snoopy loves Christmas and everyone loves Snoopy. Or they used to. Maybe this is for yesterday's children. Still it looks great, there's chocolate, a tree and a very funny beagle.
Price: $30

Haba Advent Calendar

Here's a very designer little number. A model Christmas Tree with slide out drawers full of sweet wooden figures. While it will look great on the mantelpiece the sweet figures are not confectionery. And that may be the calendar's problem.
Price: $30

My Little Pony Advent Calendar

The wonder of My Little Pony continues with a Ponyville December. 24 doors, three ponyville size ponies and over 40 accessories. Your little girl will love it. Yee-hah!
Price: Prices vary

Littlest Pet Shop Advent Calendar

You may struggle to get hold of this one because it's been a little bit popular. The calendar includes three pets - a miniature mouse, bunny and dog - plus lots of accessories like beds, blankets, scarves, earmuffs, sleds, collars, cups, bowls, food, blankets, sleds, collars, earmuffs, bowls, cups, food, scarves, blankets, sleds, collars, AGGHHHHHHHH!!!!
Price: $17