Whether you fear a daily dose of chocolate will sabotage your training (it won’t) or simply fancy something a little more exciting to fill those cold December mornings, you’ll be pleased to hear that the best Advent calendars for men have had an upgrade.
Gone are the days of fiddling with a plastic tray containing 24 chocolate shapes and a tiny pic of baby Jesus to get you in the mood. Retailers have stepped up their festive game and men’s Advent calendars have officially had a 21st-century reboot.
With everything from protein pouches and alcohol-free ales to fancy skincare samples, LEGO models, whiskey tasters and much more, it doesn’t matter how old you are or how much you bench, counting down to Christmas with an advent calendar is a universally acceptable pastime.
Why are we telling you all this in September? You might ask. Well, every year the best advent calendars for men get snapped up long before 1 December rolls around – and brands have already begun releasing their 2026 editions for you to bag early.
Editor’s note: I’ll be updating this guide as new men’s Advent calendars launch, so check back for the latest additions, prices and availability.
Best Advent Calendars for Men
We have our favourite advent calendars here at Men’s Health and it just so happens that a handful of them are already shipping or ready for pre-order. These are the best on offer right now.
Best Fitness Calendar
If you intend on your winter arc being in full swing come 1 December, you’ll be pleased to hear that Myprotein is back this year with a performance-boosting Advent calendar, so you can turn the countdown to the big day into serious gains. Packed with everything from protein bars and snacks to whey and clear protein, if nothing else this is a great way to sample some new flavours.
Best Luxury Advent Calendar
Treat him (or yourself) to this bumper selection of luxury grooming products from Liberty. It’s loaded with 14 full size products (which is pretty rare, by way), as well as handy travel size luxury fragrances and colognes, cleansers and body care. Yes it’s an investment, but with £885 worth of premium kit to sample every morning, this is a hell of a classy way to countdown to Christmas.
Best Grooming Advent Calendar
This drawer-style Advent calendar from Lookfantastic comes with everything a modern man needs for perfectly coiffed hair, clear skin and a sharp beard (plus all the basics like shower essentials and some high-end cologne). Highlights include popular products like Murdock London’s Black Tea Cologne and L’Occitane Lavande Poivre Noir Shower Gel (both full size.
Best Skincare Calendar
Mitigate the havoc a month of office parties, booze and late nights wreaks on your skin with this bumper Advent calendar from skincare brand Keihl’s. It’s packed with 24 skincare essentials (a mixture of full size, travel minis and deluxe sizes) including the brand’s Ultra Facial Cream Moisturiser and Calendula Deep Cleansing Foaming Face Wash, all for 50% less than if you were to buy it all individually.
Best Spirits Advent Calendar
If you have a nose for strong spirits and a penchant for exclusive drinks, bespoke booze and under the radar tipples, this is the Advent calendar for you. Over 25 days, you’ll get to sip on only the finest 25 perfect measures of spirits, liqueurs and whiskies sourced from every corner of the world.
Best Toy Advent Calendar
Scoff-able Advent calendars are great, but what do you have to show for it all come Christmas Day? Menkind has a bunch of model car Advent calendars that you can enjoy well beyond the festive period, including this retro 1967 Ford Mustang Fastback. It includes a presentation display base and a sound module that casts out realistic V8 engine sounds – how cool is that?
How We Chose the Best Advent Calendars for Men 2026
This year, it’s my gig to get the best men’s Advent calendars sent to the Men’s Health office, before briefly inspecting the packaging, tearing open the miniature doors, and trying, testing and — where applicable — tasting what’s inside.
Everything in this guide has either been looked at by me this year, by another Men’s Health shopping editor for previous instalments of this round-up (this year is its fifth regeneration), or featured simply because it looks cool – like the Ford Mustang calendar above.
There’s no denying that some Advent calendars for men rack up hefty price tags (looking at you, Liberty London), so we always assess the quality of the contents against the cost, considering whether the products feel suitable for their price ranges.
For this year’s guide, I considered a wide range of Advent calendars, because hey, some men love their coffee and alcohol, but plenty love their paraphernalia, luxe skincare and a great pair of socks. Consider everyone catered for.
Best of the Rest Advent Calendars
Haven’t found what you’re looking for? No bother – there are masses of men’s advent calendars on offer. Here are a few more on sale now that have caught my eye. I’ll also be updating this guide right up until 1 December with new calendars as and when they drop.
Best Beer Advent Calendar
A craft beer advent calendar? I mean, what’s not to like? This annual favourite from BrewDog comes with 24 brews including BrewDog favourites (Hazy Jane, anyone?) and special Christmas editions – this year, it’s Hoppy Christmas and new Jingle Juice.
Best Alcohol-Free Beer Advent Calendar
Plenty of teetotallers still enjoy a tipple, and this Advent calendar is loaded with tasty options so the non-drinkers and sober curious can join the party. Tucked behind 24 doors, you’ll find a curated selection of alcohol-free craft beers from top breweries around the world.
Best LEGO Advent Calendar
Is it a bit left field to include Marvel LEGO in a round-up of Advent calendars for grown men? Probably. But are you now itching to open those 24 little doors and start building Iron-Man, Captain America and co? Almost certainly. Plus, with Avengers Doomsday hitting cinemas in December, it’s the perfect excuse to pick up some Marvel merch.
Best Sex Toy Advent Calendar
When I said there was an Advent calendar for everyone, I meant it. This X-rated 24-piece festive pack includes everything you might need for a spicy night at home. I won’t give all the fun away, but rest assured there’s plenty for couples, with toys, rings, plugs, strokers and even some festive nipple clamps included. Merry Christmas.
Best Advent Calendar for Runners
If you haven’t heard of Bimble & Bolt, it’s probably because the brand specialises in women’s running kit. However, it makes an exception at Christmas and releases this advent calendar designed for men who run. It contains 24 running-adjacent items, including energy and hydration products, recovery essentials and, the main reason why I’m sharing it, four pairs of the brand’s funky running socks.
Best Coffee Advent Calendar
This Grind Advent calendar considers the countdown to Christmas a little shorter than most, with 12 individual coffee bean sachets from around the world. Although in fairness to Grind, the logic is that you clearly won’t get through an entire packet of beans each day, which means you’ll still have a hot cup of joe to enjoy each morning throughout December.
Luke Chamberlain is the ecommerce editor for Men’s Health UK where he compiles expert-led buying guides and in-depth product reviews across gym wear, fitness tech, supplements, and grooming. Responsible for testing everything from the latest gym headphones to the best beard trimmers, Luke also enlists the help of leading health and wellness experts to help readers make informed choices when shopping online. He also covers major sales events for Men’s Health, including Black Friday and Amazon Prime Day, scouting and verifying hundreds of discounts in order to recommend only the most genuine deals on offer. A magazine journalism graduate from the University of Sheffield in 2018, Luke has also worked as assistant editor for Outdoor Swimmer magazine and as an ecommerce writer for The Recommended. When he’s not testing the latest health and fitness products, he’s busy plotting routes for his next trail run or gravel ride out of London. Follow Luke on Instagram at @lukeochamb
Hattie Parish is the Senior Health and Wellness Ecommerce Editor for Women’s Health, Men’s Health and Runner’s World, covering the best gym wear, latest fitness tech and wellness launches worth investing in, plus the best deals during Black Friday and Amazon Prime Day.
As well as clocking up the miles in myriad running socks, pummelling her muscles with massage guns, testing out fitness mirrors and donning dry robes every other weekend, Hattie consults leading experts in the health and fitness industry to help readers make informed decisions when shopping online.
Brought up by two medics, Hattie worked in health clinics before completing a BA in English at King’s College London. She qualified as a journalist in 2015 and has since written for titles such as Healthy magazine, Cosmopolitan, Harper’s Bazaar and Red, as well as worked commercially with health and wellness clients such as Holland & Barrett, Lloyds Pharmacy and Superdrug.
Hattie is passionate about arming readers with honest, unbiased product reviews and has a particular interest in the role of technology in our wellbeing, as well as gender-based inequalities in healthcare. When she’s not putting gym wear through its paces on the Pilates reformer or kitting out her home gym (garage) with the latest equipment, she’s attempting to make progress on her teetering pile of bedside books, cycling round South East London or sampling wellness retreats for the Women’s Health travel pages.
