The Stationery Advent Calendar That Sells Out Every Year Is Back — and I Finally Got One

No matter how old I get, I still miss back-to-school shopping and that’s for one reason: the stationery. Please, give me any excuse at all to test out inky new pens, peel apart a stack of sticky notes, or crease open a fresh notebook. Thankfully, online stationery brand Papier has answered my pleas in a way even more gorgeous than I could have imagined: the 24 Days of Desk Delights Advent Calendar. I tested the advent calendar for myself, and I am pleased to report this treasure trove of stationery is downright dreamy. 

This Papier stationery advent calendar is packed with 24 days worth of desktop gems, from notepads and pens to stamps and cards. This year’s edition was released on September 4 and is likely to sell out, as it has for the past two years. 

I definitely had some initial sticker shock at the $175 price tag — after all, an advent calendar is typically filled with unknown miniatures, so by nature you don’t even know what exactly you’re paying for. But after receiving and opening each box, I have to say this is the most special advent calendar I’ve ever laid eyes on. Here’s what makes it such a treat. 

It comes in a hefty, deep red box measuring about 15 inches wide, 12 inches deep, and 5 inches tall. To open it up, you untie a red grosgrain ribbon and unfold the four flaps to reveal the first tier of the advent calendar. The box is made up of three tiers in total: To access the second you slide them out from the middle like a pair of wings, while the final compartment is a wide drawer at the base of the box. 

When you open it all up, you’ll find 24 days worth of parcels, all made of different shapes and patterns of cardstock, and — this is the most fun part — they open in slightly different ways, too. Some slide open like a matchbox, pop open like a takeout container, or tear open like an envelope. Not only is it gorgeous to look at (I don’t know how I’ll ever recycle any piece of packaging), but it also makes the process of opening each day so much more exciting, like a little origami puzzle you have to solve to reveal the treasure inside. 

While many advent calendars opt to include sample sizes, each box in Papier’s 24 Days of Desk Delights is a full-size piece. For instance, there’s a five-month gratitude journal (with a page to reflect every 30 days), a metal pen clip, a to-do list notepad, a set of mini notebooks (I love tossing these in my purse), and two weighty Rollerball Pens that write like a dream (among other writing utensils). 

If you’d like to see a full list of what’s included, you can check it out on the Papier website, but I’ll refrain here at risk of spoiling the surprises — after all, isn’t that the fun of opening an advent calendar?

As much as I adore a chocolate advent calendar (and trust you me, I will be partaking in one this year), the candy is long gone by the time New Year’s Eve rolls around. With the Papier advent calendar, I love that I can experience the joy of opening each box and then keep enjoying the stationery for many months. Plus, if you unbox everything in December, it’ll be perfect timing to use the to-do lists, thank-you cards, and notebooks to start getting organized for January. 

While this advent calendar is a gift to myself, I can only imagine how delighted I would be to receive it as a present from someone else. Get it for the person in your life who always loves a good card, insists on stopping into every stationery store, can’t resist a new journal, or gets so much joy out of a beautifully wrapped gift. They will love you and will feel so seen. 

For my part, I plan to spread some of the love by giving pieces to my friends that make me think of them — and I’m hoping to reuse some of the packaging to wrap my own presents. It’s just so pretty! For everything I keep, I’ll just slot it back into the beautiful box where I can stash my other stationery, too. 

Buy: Papier 24 Days of Desk Delights Advent Calendar, $175