What can you put in an advent calendar instead of chocolate?
Fill each door with something small that isn't sweet: a note, a sticker, a coin, a puzzle piece, or a ticket for something you'll do together that day. Mixing small things with shared activities keeps the cost down and makes December feel like time together, not just 24 treats. Plan all 24 days in one sitting so you're never stuck at bedtime.
Every Christmas 2026 date in one place
When does an advent calendar start?
Most advent calendars run from 1 December to 24 December, one door a day. Advent itself begins on Advent Sunday, which falls on 29 November in 2026, so some families start a few days early. Either works. Pick one and plan backwards from it.
What small things can go inside each door?
Think small, flat and cheap. Most of these cost little or nothing and fit in a pocket, an envelope or a matchbox.
- Stickers, temporary tattoos or a new pencil
- A coin towards something they're saving for
- A puzzle piece, so the full picture appears on Christmas Eve
- A Christmas decoration to hang on the tree that evening
- A joke or riddle, with the answer in the next door
- A hair clip, a keyring or a small toy from a party bag
- Seeds to plant in spring
- A page of a story that continues each day
Check age guidance on anything small for younger children.
What activity ideas work for a family advent calendar?
An activity door is a slip of paper with a plan for the day. It costs almost nothing and gives everyone something to look forward to.
- Hot chocolate and a Christmas film
- Make paper snowflakes for the window
- Write and post the Christmas cards
- Walk round the block to look at the lights
- Bake something and give some to a neighbour
- Make a decoration together
- Write the letter to Santa
- Pick a toy or book to give away
- Phone or video call a grandparent
- Board game night
- Pyjamas, blankets and a story by torchlight
- Breakfast for dinner
Put the activity on the day it suits: a busy school day gets a quick one, a weekend gets the baking.
How do you make an advent calendar for a teenager or an adult?
Older children and adults usually prefer fewer, better things. Try a favourite snack that isn't chocolate, a coffee or hot chocolate sachet, a "no chores today" pass, a new playlist, a voucher for a lie-in, or a note from someone in the family. Partners often swap a calendar of small notes: one memory or one thing you appreciate, every day.
How can you keep an advent calendar cheap?
Mix three kinds of door: about a third small things, a third activities and a third notes or passes. Notes and activities cost nothing. Reuse the same box, envelopes or pegs and string each year. Buy small things in one go at the start, not one at a time in a rush. If two homes share December, agree who fills which days so nothing is doubled or missed.
How do you plan 24 days without the bedtime panic?
Sit down once, before 1 December, and write all 24 days in a list. Match the busy days in the family calendar to the easy doors, and the quiet days to the bigger activities. Then fill the doors in one evening.
In Haevn, put the 24 activity days in Plan so the whole family can see what's coming, and keep the list of what goes in each door in Lists. Up to 8 family members can share one Haevn, on one subscription.
Getting ready for the rest of December too? The Christmas planning checklist and the Christmas dates hub have the posting days and food order deadlines.
Frequently asked questions
What can I put in an advent calendar instead of chocolate?
Small, flat things such as stickers, coins, puzzle pieces, decorations, jokes and seeds work well. Activity slips, such as a film night or making paper snowflakes, cost nothing. Mixing the two keeps it cheap and gives everyone something to do together.
What date does advent start in 2026?
Advent Sunday is 29 November 2026. Most advent calendars still start on 1 December and run to 24 December, so either date is fine. Choose one and plan all the doors from there.
How do you make a reusable advent calendar?
Use 24 envelopes, small bags or matchboxes on a string or a board, numbered 1 to 24. Fill them fresh each year with small things, notes and activity slips. Keep the list of what went in each one, so next year takes minutes.
How many activity days should an advent calendar have?
There's no rule. Many families aim for about one in three doors being an activity, with the quick ones on school days and the bigger ones at weekends. Check the family calendar first so the plan fits the real month.
Sources
- RE Online, "Advent Sunday", festivals calendar: www.reonline.org.uk/festivals-calendar/advent-sunday/ (read 11 November 2026)
- Liturgy Office, Calendar, November 2026: liturgyoffice.org/Calendar/2026/Nov.shtml (read 11 November 2026)
Keep reading
Haevn keeps the whole family's plans in one place
The calendar, lists, meals and jobs, shared by everyone at home. 14 days free, no card needed. Then £6.99 a month or £69.99 a year.
Try Haevn free for 14 days, no card needed