An online advent calendar for kids, without the ads
A good online advent calendar for a child opens in a browser, asks for no account, and shows something kind. Here is what to check, how the common options differ on ads and price, and how to make one yourself in Hollyhush for $7.99.
$7.99 each, 3 for $17.99. Opens December 1. US and Canada, one payment.
Five things to check first
- Does it need an account or an email for the child? It should not.
- Are there ads, and are they stopped by a purchase? Some free apps show an ad before every door unless you pay.
- Who writes what is behind the doors: a company, you, or other users? You want to know.
- What does it keep about your child? The less the better.
- Does it still work in a plain phone browser, with no app to install?
How the common choices differ
Listings checked November 2, 2026.
| Option | Ads | Who writes the doors | Price as listed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Advent App | A short ad before each door unless the ad-free calendar is bought | The sender | Free; ad-free $2.99, Pro $7.99 |
| 24 Moments | Not stated in the listing | The sender | Free to create; packages $2.99 to $34.99 |
| Jacquie Lawson | None stated | The artist; finished animation | $9.99 for the 2025 calendar |
| Hollyhush | No ads | The sender, text only | $7.99, or 3 for $17.99 |
What a Hollyhush calendar looks like for a child
The gift calendar is a private link. The child opens it to a miniature winter village with 25 numbered doors. Each day's door swings open and a Cats vs Dogs character appears, then lands on a shelf. If you wrote a note for that day, it appears too. Nothing needs to be installed.
A door only shows its message on or after its date, so a child cannot read ahead.
Planning one for a niece, nephew or grandchild? Draft the doors from 25 message ideas first. Write a gift calendar
What to write for different ages
- 3 to 5: one line to read aloud, one thing to do. "Find something red and show a grown-up."
- 6 to 9: a joke, a tiny challenge, a question they can answer on the next call.
- 10 and up: something that sounds like you talking, not a card. Mention a real shared moment.
Privacy and safety, in plain terms
The grown-up writes every message. For the recipient, we ask only for a first name and your messages. No child signs in, and we do not ask for their age, email or photo. We also keep the order and payment records described in our Privacy page. Messages with a child's age, address or school, links, phone numbers or emails are refused. Gift calendars and their messages are deleted on January 15. Every calendar has a Report button.
Checkout has a grown-up check: an adult answers a short sum before the payment button. It is sold to buyers in the United States and Canada.
Looking for a Christmas wish list a child can send? See the Christmas list for kids.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a free online advent calendar for kids?
Yes, several. Free versions often have ads or ask for an account. Hollyhush is $7.99 and has no ads and no account, with messages you write yourself.
What age is a Hollyhush advent calendar for?
It is made for families, with a 3D village and collectible characters. A parent writes the messages, so you can match them to the age of the child.
Does a child need an account?
No. They open the private link you send. Nobody signs in.
Does it show ads?
No ads, no payments inside the calendar.
When does it start?
The first door opens on December 1 and there is one door a day until December 25.
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.