A digital advent calendar you write yourself
A digital advent calendar gift is a link. The person opens one door a day from December 1, and what is behind each door is what you chose. Hollyhush sells one for $7.99: you write up to 25 short messages, we build the 3D village, and you text them the link.
$7.99 each, 3 for $17.99. Opens December 1. US and Canada, one payment.
What a digital advent calendar gift is
A digital advent calendar swaps the cardboard box for a web page. Each of the 25 doors holds something that is hidden until its day. The gift is the sender's effort: someone sat down and thought of 25 things to say.
There are three kinds. Calendar builders let you load photos, songs and videos behind each door. E-card calendars are finished artwork you buy and send. Message calendars are text from the sender in a ready-made scene. Hollyhush is the third kind, with a 3D miniature winter village as the scene.
What you get for $7.99
- A private link to a 25-door 3D village. Each door opens on its own date, from December 1 to 25, in a normal phone or computer browser.
- Your own text in the doors: up to 25 messages of 140 characters, plus the first name of the person opening it. Door 12 shows its message on or after December 12, so nobody reads ahead.
- Collectible Cats vs Dogs characters pop out of the doors and fill a shelf as the days go by.
- Three calendars cost $17.99 if you are sending to a few people. One payment by card, nothing renews.
- Not sure what to write? Start from 25 message ideas, or the long distance plan.
Ready to write the messages? It takes about 20 minutes for all 25. Write a gift calendar
Other digital advent calendars, with prices
Prices below are what each listing showed on November 2, 2026. Check their pages before you buy, because apps change plans often.
| Product | What it is | Price as listed |
|---|---|---|
| 24 Moments | App. 24 doors holding photos, videos and messages. Shared as a link; the recipient needs no account. | Free to create. In-app packages $2.99, $3.99, $11.99 and $34.99. |
| MyAdvent | App. Photos, GIFs, text and voice messages behind doors. | Free. MyAdvent Pro $4.99 adds video and audio uploads and password protection. |
| Advent App | App. Photos, videos, songs and voice messages. The recipient installs the free app and taps your link. | Free. Ad-free calendar $2.99, Pro calendar $7.99. Without the ad-free purchase the recipient sees an ad before each door. |
| Jacquie Lawson | Animated, finished artwork you give as a gift. You do not write the doors. | $9.99 for the 2025 calendar, per its press release. Gift sending only from its website. |
| Hollyhush | 3D village in the browser. You write text for each door. | $7.99, or 3 for $17.99. |
Photos, videos and voice notes are where the apps above beat us. Hollyhush is text only. If the gift is a set of family photos, use one of them.
Who this gift fits and who it does not
It fits people who like a small thing every day: a grandparent who lives two states away, a partner who travels, a nephew who will open a door before school. It also fits you if you are the person who is bad at wrapping and good at one-line notes.
It does not fit someone who wants photos or video in the doors, someone outside the United States and Canada (checkout is for US and Canadian buyers), or a person who will not open a link on a phone.
How to send it
- Open the order page and choose the gift calendar. Type the first name of the person who will open it.
- Write your messages. Short and specific works better than long: "The dog did your chair thing again" beats "Thinking of you".
- Pay by card. A grown-up check comes right before the payment button.
- Copy the private link and text or email it. Anyone with the link can open it, so send it only to them.
What happens to the messages
Gift calendars and their messages are deleted on January 15, and the link stops working. Search engines are told to skip gift links, and there is no public list of calendars. Every calendar has a button to report it, which stops it from showing until a person has looked.
If you want a gift for a group instead of one person, see the virtual team calendar.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a digital advent calendar I can send to someone?
Yes. Several apps do it. With Hollyhush you write up to 25 short messages, pay $7.99, and send a private link. The person opens one door a day from December 1.
Does the person getting it need an app or account?
No. It opens in a phone or computer browser from the link, with no sign-up.
Can I add photos or videos?
No. Gift calendars are text only, up to 140 characters per door. For photos or video, apps such as 24 Moments or MyAdvent are built for it.
Can I buy it after December 1?
Yes, and the doors for days that have passed are open already. A door only shows its message on or after its day.
How many people can I send it to?
One calendar is for one person. If you want to send a few, 3 calendars cost $17.99. For up to 50 people with one shared link, the team calendar is $79.
Who can buy?
Buyers in the United States and Canada. An order billed anywhere else is closed and refunded.
A 3D advent calendar with your words in it
A private link to a 25-door calendar. You write what is behind each door and they open one a day from December 1.
Write a gift calendar- $7.99 each, 3 for $17.99
- Team calendar $79 for up to 50 people
- US and Canada, one payment, no subscription
Ready when you are
Write the messages, pay $7.99 and send the link. They open one door a day from December 1. US and Canada.