ChristmasRobin Gift Guides
Find useful Christmas gift ideas and compare the best Advent calendars for 2026.
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Choose the activity first: a daily LEGO build, a small craft project, toy-car play or a miniature collection. The ten calendars below suit different interests and age groups. Their contents matter more than the number of doors, especially when some days reveal accessories rather than another figure.
Checked 2 November 2026. Table prices are item prices; retailer delivery details appear with each entry. Amazon prices and delivery depend on the selected offer and order. Product assessments — not hands-on tested.
Follow the age and safety information on the exact pack. These calendars contain small components and are not suitable for children under three. Keep loose pieces away from younger siblings.
Compare the 10 kids’ and toy Advent calendars
| Calendar | Suits | Item price | Stock |
|---|---|---|---|
| LEGO Star Wars Advent Calendar 2026 — 75456 | The Mandalorian fans aged 6+ | £29.99 | In stock at LEGO; also listed at Amazon |
| LEGO Marvel Advent Calendar 2026 — 76340 | Superhero role play for ages 6+ | £29.99 | In stock at LEGO; also listed at Amazon |
| LEGO Disney Princess Advent Calendar 2026 — 43298 | Disney character stories and a board game, ages 5+ | £29.99 | Out of stock at LEGO; exact calendar listed at Amazon |
| LEGO Friends Advent Calendar 2026 — 42698 | Animal-led winter stories for ages 6+ | £22.99 | In stock at LEGO; also listed at Amazon |
| LEGO City Advent Calendar 2026 — 60510 | A traditional Christmas workshop for ages 5+ | £22.99 | In stock at LEGO; also listed at Amazon |
| Funko Bitty Pop! Disney Princess Holiday Advent Calendar — 87001 | Older Disney miniature collectors | £25 | Available to order from Funko |
| Craft Buddy Disney Crystal Art Advent Calendar | Patient Disney crafters aged 6+ | £29.99 | Ready to ship at Craft Buddy; unavailable at Amazon |
| Majorette 24-Surprise Advent Calendar Vehicle Playset | Toy-car scenes and accessories | £16.99 | In stock at Very |
| Squish-a-longs Holiday Advent Calendar 2026 — SQAL0275 | Miniature Squishmallows collecting | £25.95 | In stock at Chaos Cards; also listed at Amazon |
| Playmobil Advent Calendar: The North Pole — 72226 | Christmas pretend play for ages 4+ | £29.99 | Available to order; listed delivery 5–7 working days |
1. LEGO Star Wars Advent Calendar 2026 — 75456
Suited to: The Mandalorian fans aged 6+.
£29.99 at LEGO.
In stock at LEGO; also listed at Amazon.
Inside and age guidance: 293 pieces; 24 surprises; small parts.
This year’s Star Wars calendar is centred on The Mandalorian, making it a better match for Mando and Grogu fans than for a child whose interest lies elsewhere in the saga. The characters include festive versions of familiar faces, while seven miniature vehicles give the countdown a mix of figures and small construction projects. The Razor Crest and a Christmas-coloured X-wing are among the builds.
The 293 pieces are spread across twenty-four days, so each opening is a short activity rather than a large building session. That is useful for a before-school ritual, but less satisfying if the recipient expects a substantial model every morning. The finished pieces can join an existing LEGO collection, giving the calendar a purpose beyond its packaging.
The 2025 edition focused on a droid workshop. An independent build assessment liked its coherent theme and inventive droids, while finding a couple of single-piece days less rewarding. Those observations concern the older set, not this Mandalorian edition. At the £29.99 LEGO item price, choose the theme over the raw piece count: City is cheaper if the Star Wars characters are not a strong preference. LEGO recommends this set for ages six and over; its small parts make it unsuitable for under-threes.
Standard delivery at LEGO is £3.95 on orders below £50: £33.94 for this calendar alone.
2. LEGO Marvel Advent Calendar 2026 — 76340
Suited to: Superhero role play for ages 6+.
£29.99 at LEGO.
In stock at LEGO; also listed at Amazon.
Inside and age guidance: 317 pieces; six minifigures; small parts.
Marvel is the LEGO choice for a child who wants superhero characters to drive the stories. Spider-Man, Iron Man, Doctor Doom, Ghost Spider, Captain America and Wolverine appear as minifigures, with festive accessories and miniature builds around them. It suits a recipient who will enjoy mixing those characters into play after Christmas, rather than simply displaying a themed box.
The 317-piece set includes vehicles, stalls and small scenes, so the daily reveals build a collection rather than one large finished model. A snowball cannon, helicopter and X-Jet-themed sleigh provide different starting points for play. Some days will naturally feel more substantial than others; twenty-four doors should not be read as twenty-four superhero figures.
At the same £29.99 LEGO item price as Star Wars, this offers a different character selection rather than an objectively better purchase. Choose whichever world the child already enjoys. Marvel was absent from LEGO’s 2025 Advent line-up, so claims about last year’s Marvel calendar would mislead; older editions do not review this set. Long-term owner feedback on the 2026 release is limited. The age recommendation is six and over, with small parts unsuitable for children under three. A regular Marvel set may be preferable if the recipient wants one longer building project.
Standard delivery at LEGO is £3.95 on orders below £50: £33.94 for this calendar alone.
3. LEGO Disney Princess Advent Calendar 2026 — 43298
Suited to: Disney character stories and a board game, ages 5+.
£29.99 at LEGO.
Out of stock at LEGO; exact calendar listed at Amazon.
Inside and age guidance: 290 pieces; four princess microdolls and four animal characters; small parts.
The Disney Princess calendar combines miniature building with a game that uses the box itself. Ariel, Cinderella, Moana and Mulan appear as microdolls, accompanied by Sebastian, Gus, Pua and Mushu. That is four princesses and four companion characters, rather than eight princess figures. It suits a child who recognises this mix of films and enjoys moving small characters through imagined stories.
Once the surprises are opened, the packaging becomes a board game for up to eight players, using a buildable spinner and the characters. Keeping the box intact therefore has a practical purpose. The daily builds include festive scenery and musical details, so the contents provide more than a collection of standalone figures, although they remain small activities rather than a single substantial set.
The 2025 Disney calendar was Frozen-themed; its feedback cannot establish how children will respond to this broader 2026 selection. Long-term owner feedback on the current edition is limited. At £29.99 before delivery, the extra game is useful only if the recipient actually likes playing it. For a child devoted to one princess, an individually chosen set could be a better gift. LEGO recommends ages five and over and warns about small parts. This set is currently out of stock at LEGO, with an exact Amazon listing linked alongside it.
LEGO’s standard delivery is £3.95 below £50 when available. Amazon delivery eligibility depends on your order.
4. LEGO Friends Advent Calendar 2026 — 42698
Suited to: Animal-led winter stories for ages 6+.
£22.99 at LEGO.
In stock at LEGO; also listed at Amazon.
Inside and age guidance: 211 pieces; three minidolls and six animal figures; small parts.
Friends is the animal-led option among this year’s LEGO calendars. Nova, Liann and Aliya are joined by a seal, pony, weasel, polar bear, penguin and rabbit. That gives the daily scenes a different focus from Marvel’s superheroes or City’s workshop. It is a sensible match for a child who already enjoys caring-for-animals stories or the Friends minidoll format.
The winter accessories include gifts, festive hats, cookies and marshmallows for pretend toasting. They create prompts for small stories, rather than promising a large mechanical model. The 211 pieces can be combined with existing Friends sets, although the recipient does not need another set to open and use the calendar. Keep the daily bags organised if several children share a building table.
At £22.99 before delivery, Friends and City sit below the three licensed LEGO choices here. City has more pieces, but that does not automatically make it the better gift for an animal fan. An independent assessment of the 2025 Friends edition found its overall selection less convincing than some competing calendars; this year’s contents are different and should be judged separately. Long-term owner feedback on the 2026 set is limited. LEGO recommends ages six and over, and the small parts are unsuitable for children under three.
Standard delivery at LEGO is £3.95 on orders below £50: £26.94 for this calendar alone.
5. LEGO City Advent Calendar 2026 — 60510
Suited to: A traditional Christmas workshop for ages 5+.
£22.99 at LEGO.
In stock at LEGO; also listed at Amazon.
Inside and age guidance: 252 pieces; 24 surprises and a fold-out playmat; small parts.
City is the straightforward Christmas choice for a child who does not need a film franchise on the box. Santa, Mrs Claus, three elves, a snowman and a baby reindeer contribute to a workshop scene, with miniature builds and accessories appearing through the countdown. It offers a familiar festive setting without requiring knowledge of a particular series.
The box folds out into a playmat, giving the figures somewhere to go as the collection grows. Building instructions are printed inside the calendar windows, which keeps each daily activity close to its pieces. An adult may still need to help a new builder interpret the pictures, and keeping the packaging intact makes the workshop setting easier to use throughout December.
At £22.99 before delivery, City is one of the lower-priced options in this selection. Its 252 pieces offer more building material than Friends at the same LEGO price, but the animal-heavy Friends contents may still suit a particular child better. An independent assessment of the 2025 City calendar praised its distinctive costumed figures while questioning the price and smaller piece count of that older edition. That is historical context, not a review of this set. LEGO recommends ages five and over; small parts make it unsuitable for under-threes.
Standard delivery at LEGO is £3.95 on orders below £50: £26.94 for this calendar alone.
6. Funko Bitty Pop! Disney Princess Holiday Advent Calendar — 87001
Suited to: Older Disney miniature collectors.
£25 at Funko.
Available to order from Funko.
Inside and age guidance: 10 figures plus display pieces and accessories; includes a sharp-pointed pin; not for under-threes.
Funko’s Disney Princess calendar is a miniature display collection rather than a box containing twenty-four figures. The contents are ten Bitty Pop! collectibles, nine stackable display pieces, three holiday accessories, a keychain case and a pin case. That breakdown is the most important thing to understand before buying: several doors help build the display rather than adding another character.
The figures are approximately 2.3 centimetres tall and sit in small acrylic cases. This makes the set relevant to an older child or collector who enjoys arranging a collection, but a poor choice for someone expecting larger dolls or everyday action figures. The detachable case bottoms act as bases, giving the pieces a consistent display format.
At £25 before delivery, it competes with building calendars on price while offering a different activity. Choose it for the miniature collecting format and Disney theme, rather than the number of opening days alone. It is the same model first listed in 2025, not a newly confirmed 2026 redesign. Long-term ownership feedback is limited in this assessment; the display format and contents are the basis for including it. Funko warns that the collectibles are unsuitable for under-threes and that the pin has functional sharp points; this is not our pick for young children.
Check Funko’s delivery options before payment.
7. Craft Buddy Disney Crystal Art Advent Calendar
Suited to: Patient Disney crafters aged 6+.
£29.99 at Craft Buddy.
Ready to ship at Craft Buddy; unavailable at Amazon.
Inside and age guidance: 24 magnetic mini kits, tools, gems and a 32 × 45cm wooden display frame.
Craft Buddy turns the countdown into twenty-four small craft sessions. Each Disney or Pixar design has an adhesive template to decorate with coded gems, then a magnetic backing so the finished character can be displayed. The kit includes the pickup tool, wax, tray, crystals and spare-crystal bags, so a separate starter pack is not needed.
The wooden display frame measures thirty-two by forty-five centimetres and has an easel stand. Allow room for that finished display as well as a clear table while working. Tiny gems are easy to scatter, so this suits a patient child who already enjoys detailed crafts better than someone who wants an instant toy behind every door. The manufacturer recommends ages six and over; keep the small components away from younger children.
Accounts from 2025 buyers describe enjoying the daily activity and keeping the finished calendar as a decoration. Several reviews were written before December, so enthusiasm about receiving it should not be mistaken for evidence of completing all twenty-four kits. At £29.99 before delivery, its value depends on whether those repeated making sessions will be welcome. It is the returning Disney kit rather than a claimed new 2026 edition. Choose LEGO or a figure calendar if the recipient would rather build stories than place individual gems.
Craft Buddy calculates delivery by destination, parcel size and service at checkout. Free UK standard tracked delivery starts at £35.
8. Majorette 24-Surprise Advent Calendar Vehicle Playset
Suited to: Toy-car scenes and accessories.
£16.99 at Very.
In stock at Very.
Inside and age guidance: Eight metal vehicles and 16 accessories; Very product X5IGN; listed for ages 3+.
Majorette’s calendar is for a child who wants vehicles to play with after the last door has opened. The selected Very playset contains eight metal vehicles and sixteen accessories across twenty-four surprises. That gives the cars a setting and supporting objects, but it also means most doors do not contain another vehicle. Explain that before buying for someone expecting a new car every morning.
The fold-out backdrop provides a ready-made scene for the collection. It is useful for a child who likes arranging roads, rescue stories or a small fleet on the floor, and the cars can continue to be used without the Advent packaging. A recipient interested only in the vehicles may prefer a conventional multipack, where the number and types of cars are clearer from the start.
At £16.99 before delivery, this is the lowest item price among the calendars in this selection. That is a price comparison, not a claim that it is the cheapest offer anywhere. Model-matched owner feedback is limited here; reviews of other Majorette packs do not establish this calendar’s build quality. Very lists this exact playset for ages three and over and warns against use by under-threes. Check the box’s small-part guidance and supervise play around younger siblings.
Very’s standard small-item delivery is £3.99 below £75: £20.98 for this calendar alone.
9. Squish-a-longs Holiday Advent Calendar 2026 — SQAL0275
Suited to: Miniature Squishmallows collecting.
£25.95 at Chaos Cards.
In stock at Chaos Cards; also listed at Amazon.
Inside and age guidance: 24 one-inch plastic Mini-Squish and a ring attachment; small parts.
This calendar contains miniature plastic Squish-a-longs, not twenty-four plush Squishmallows. The one-inch figures are made for collecting, displaying and trading, so the format suits someone who already enjoys the tiny version of the characters. It will disappoint a recipient who expects a series of soft stuffed toys, however familiar the branding looks.
The twenty-four Mini-Squish include festive characters such as Jingle the Christmas tree, Channing the gnome, Ricardo the peppermint bat and Hedda the Christmas milk. A ring attachment lets a favourite miniature travel with the collector, while the numbered guide helps identify the characters. These are small decorative play pieces rather than a daily building or craft activity.
The £25.95 Chaos Cards item price is useful to compare with the exact SQAL0275 pack elsewhere, including the Amazon alternative. Check the edition rather than assuming an older Squish-a-longs calendar has the same characters. The manufacturer lists ages three and over, while some UK retailers recommend six and over; match the pack guidance to the child’s ability to handle tiny collectibles and keep them away from under-threes. Do not heat or microwave them. Detailed long-term owner feedback on this edition is limited, so our reason to shortlist it is the character selection and collecting format.
Chaos Cards shows delivery services and charges for your destination at checkout.
10. Playmobil Advent Calendar: The North Pole — 72226
Suited to: Christmas pretend play for ages 4+.
£29.99 at Playmobil.
Available to order; listed delivery 5–7 working days.
Inside and age guidance: Santa, two elves, a child, a reindeer, a mouse and Christmas accessories; small parts and a small ball.
Playmobil’s North Pole calendar builds a Christmas world around Santa’s post office and the preparations for his journey. Santa, two elves and a child are joined by a reindeer and mouse, with letters, presents and winter accessories filling out the scene. It suits a child who enjoys acting out stories with figures more than assembling a new brick model each morning.
The reindeer has a movable head, and the mix of skis, snowboard, sleigh and postal accessories gives the figures several things to do. A pencil and Santa topper add a small writing activity alongside the pretend play. The completed collection can be used together after Christmas, although the individual accessories need a storage box if you want to avoid losing them.
At £29.99 before delivery, this is worth comparing with the LEGO City calendar if a traditional Christmas setting matters more than a particular franchise. Choose Playmobil for its figures and ready-made play pieces; choose LEGO if rebuilding is the main attraction. The North Pole set is a 2026 release, so older Playmobil calendar feedback does not review these contents. Detailed owner feedback on the current set is limited. Playmobil recommends ages four and over and warns that the small ball and small parts are unsuitable for children under three.
UK delivery is £3.50 for an order below £40.01: £33.49 for this calendar alone. Channel Islands delivery costs more.
Which calendar will get used after Christmas?
Choose LEGO when rebuilding and adding pieces to an existing collection matter. Choose Craft Buddy for repeated making sessions, Playmobil for ready-made story scenes or Majorette for vehicle play. Funko and Squish-a-longs are better matched to someone who already likes miniature collecting.
Compare the delivered total with an ordinary toy set, and check how many doors contain figures rather than accessories. Keep any packaging that doubles as a playmat or game board. No subscription is needed to enjoy the activities described here.
When should it arrive?
Allow time for delivery before 1 December if the recipient wants to open a door each day. Stock can change, including at the exact listings marked unavailable above. Check the promised date for your address before paying, especially for a restock or a marketplace offer.
Compare jewellery Advent calendars or browse Advent calendar deals.
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