15 Advent Calendars for Tweens That Are Cool Enough to Pass the Eye-Roll Test

The super-popular NeeDoh advent calendar of squishies has long been sold out, but you can still get your tween 24 days of squeeze-y cuteness with this one. Several Squishmallows favorites make an appearance, like the Santa cactus and the gingerbread bear.

RELATED: Can’t Find a Nee-Doh? Try These Squishy Toy Alternatives

The Marvel LEGO advent calendar is back for 2026, so if your tween is in their Spider-Man or Iron Man phase, this is the one to get. Of course, LEGO has a number of popular advent calendars out right now, including Disney Princesses and LEGO Friends.

The 12 days of Christmas get extra sparkly with this advent calendar. Your tween will unbox a gold-toned necklace first. Then, behind each of the 12 windows, they’ll find a holiday-themed metal charm adorned with enamel or rhinestones. They can design their own jewelry with this set and end with a keepsake to enjoy for many holidays to come.

For 24 days, your tween will be greeted by a different ornament, either an adorable plushie (the pickle dressed up like a reindeer might be my personal favorite), or plastic ornament with positive phrases and festive characters. You could even get them their own mini tree to hold all the decorations as they’re opened.

For the tween who likes to spend the holidays in cozy mode, this 12-day hot chocolate advent calendar is perfectly on theme. Each day, they’ll get a different flavor to try, like French Toast, S’mores, or Salted Caramel Donut.

If your tween is starting to ask for K-beauty products, Tonymoly’s advent calendar is a good place to start. They’ll get hydrating lip balms, face masks, hand creams, a spa headband, and keychain—all featuring lovable Squishmallows characters.

These ugly little creatures are popular right now, and this advent calendar is selling out fast. If your tween is a collector, they’ll have a blast discovering the minifigures, bag charms, ornaments, and more.

If your tween already has an American Girl doll, this advent calendar full of accessories is a unique gift. Designed for the traditional 18-inch model, they'll receive things the doll can wear, like hair clips and a hat, plus adorable add-ons like a phone, sunglasses, and lip balm. “Many of these are accessories not sold in other sets, so that makes the advent calendar special,” we noted in our review.

This impressive advent calendar is for the kids who love arts and crafts. Inside each of the 24 envelopes is an ornament to create, complete with art supplies and easy-to-follow instructions.

Stock up on moisturizing lip balm for the year. There are 12 tubes in this calendar—and no two flavors are the same. Burt’s Bees says that they’re formulated with Vitamin E and beeswax.

Here’s an advent calendar your tween can do on their own, or they can recruit friends and family to join in on the challenge. Each of the 24 mini-puzzles contain 49 pieces, creating cute holiday scenes with snow globes, elves, Santa, and more.

Fidget toys are still popular, so here’s a creative way to give them 24 new ones. They spin, click, spiral, and twist… and what’s really cool is that they’re all 3D printed.

If your tween has a Funko Pop character or two in their room, they’ll be giddy over the 24 mini Pocket Pops here. Star Wars is a popular theme with this age (and the Pops are all decked out for the holidays), as is Pokemon, Marvel, Lilo & Stitch, or The Nightmare Before Christmas.