Advent calendars: shopping in NYC. One of the fun parts of the holiday season is that there is, in fact, a whole holiday season. Independence Day is great and all, but there's no build-up—ditto other stalwarts like Mother’s and Father’s Days. Much of the joy of Christmas is just in getting there, and there’s no better way to ramp that up than with an Advent calendar. We’ve got the best stores in New York City for getting started on the journey.
Advent Calendars NYC: Barneys
If you like your advent calendar with a side of chic, look no further than the Tea Sachet Advent Calendar from Dammann Tea, made in France and available at Barneys. Featuring 24 different flavored and herbal teas, the calendar ($29) will earn you brownie points as a gift, even more so if you present it in an ever-covetable Barneys shopping bag. Slice of lemon and pitcher of milk optional.
Advent Calendars NYC: Paper Source
Paper Source (several locations in New York) features a number of cute calendars, such as a hanging Advent calendar, with pockets to pop in little treats ($29.95). The 3D Village Advent calendar kit ($18.95) sports a combination of little house- and tree-shaped boxes, plus twine and stickers to make bunting to hang around your village. Of course it does!
Advent Calendars NYC: Vosges Chocolate
For the ultimate chocolate-lovers gift, try the Haut-Chocolat Calendar of Advent at Vosges Chocolate. The 13-inch table box ($135) features 24 little drawers filled with chocolates, plus the words to the poem, "The Night Before Christmas” (by legend, composed nearby in Chelsea) written on the box. Chocolates include caramels, peanut butter bon bons, and mini chocolate bars. Waffling on the price? (In other words, want some money left over for trinkets like shoelaces and food?) Justify the splurge by considering you can save the box and fill it with replacement chocolates in years to come.
Advent Calendars NYC: Dylan’s Candy Bar
If you like the idea of an edible advent calendar but want to shell out fewer dollars, try the version from Dylan’s Candy Bar. For $50, you can get a sparkly colorful tree with reusable ornaments, each filled with a little treat. (While you’re there, you may as well buy some extra goodies, just in case the ones in the ornaments don’t make it all the way to Christmas…)
Advent Calendars NYC: American Museum of Natural History
And if you believe the fun is in the crafting, you could do worse than to visit the shop at the American Museum of Natural History. Purchase their shell collector kit ($24.95), which features a reusable box with little compartments, and fill it with small goodies from the museum and other shops around the city. Pop on some colorful labels (Papyrus is a good source for pretty paper) and voila! instant Advent calendar.
Advent Calendars NYC: The Metropolitan Museum of Art
For those looking to go a more traditional route, museums are a good bet. The Met has a number of Advent calendars, including a Victorian Christmas ($21.95), a 3-D Christmas tree, and a unicorn pop-up calendar (check for sale prices) based on the famous unicorn tapestries. These are good ones to display prominently in your front hall when you want to say, “I’m classy with a touch of whimsy.”
