Many stores have traditional chocolate filled calendars for the kids. My niece is a teenager, and I wanted to do something a little extra to give her a lift through exams and the end of the semester. 
Etsy has a variety of these cute burlap gift sacks marked for the days of the month ($42--may seem pricey but you can re-use them each year). Christmas calendar prints on the bags include Vintage Santas & Snowmen, Jane Austen characters, A Christmas Carol, A Christmas Story, It's A Wonderful Life, Christmas Vacation movie themes and more. I selected the vintage Santas because I'm partial to Kris Kringle!
Pick up a large ball of yarn/string from Joanns (I picked green string $2.77 for the Christmas theme), and ordered these fun red clothespins from Amazon ($7.99). 
Now if you're not into food, but prefer lotions & potions a top flight calendar is the Anthropologie George & Viv 24 Days of Beauty advent calendar ($72). Full of elite brands, their calendar includes lip balm, face masks, hand lotion, etc. These calendars are so popular they are sold out online, but there are a few in store. Be sure to ask your local store as they keep them on a discreet shelf so they don't sell out too quickly!
Etsy has a variety of these cute burlap gift sacks marked for the days of the month ($42--may seem pricey but you can re-use them each year). Christmas calendar prints on the bags include Vintage Santas & Snowmen, Jane Austen characters, A Christmas Carol, A Christmas Story, It's A Wonderful Life, Christmas Vacation movie themes and more. I selected the vintage Santas because I'm partial to Kris Kringle!
Fill your bags with knick knacks from the dollar store, the travel size bins at the pharmacy. If you are aiming for a bit fancier gifts both Ulta & Sephora have a great selection of mini gifts near the checkout counters. Other stuffers include chocolate coins, $10 bills, gag gifts, mini rubiks cubes and other puzzles, etc.
Pick up a large ball of yarn/string from Joanns (I picked green string $2.77 for the Christmas theme), and ordered these fun red clothespins from Amazon ($7.99). 
Place your stuffed bags in calendar order, and then clip to the string. Then, hang along a stairwell or mantle for fun! If it's too heavy to hang, place in a tray positioning the bags in order in rows.
I was surprised how much my niece loved this calendar! Unexpected treasures and things that made her laugh gave her a little something to look forward to each day. This year, during Covid, this is an important treat!
Even if you're late setting up a calendar, go for it--no one minds catching up a few days in one day. Or, just do the 12 days of Christmas starting from the 13th to end on the 24th or 14th to end of the 25th!
Now, if you don't have the time to build a custom advent calendar, try the calendars at Aldi's ($4.00 and up) which include chocolate, cheese, wine and more. Who wouldn't enjoy snacking their way through December? I've personally sampled the Aldi calendars, and they are excellent quality and terrific bargain!
My friend was an early bird at Aldi and loaded up on calendars. She gifted a set of the wine and cheese for her husband and her neighbors. Each night they check in across the porches to taste test & review the goodies. Now that's a fun way to pivot from Christmas parties to low key safe fun during covid!
Merry Merry!
