LEGO Advent Calendar (City, Star Wars, Harry Potter & Friends range)

LEGO's advent calendars are the dependable family choice, and the range now spans City, Star Wars, Harry Potter, Friends and more, so you can match the recipient's interests. Each door reveals a small build, a minifigure or an accessory, usually taking a few minutes and building towards a festive scene or playset by Christmas Eve. At roughly £28 to £35 depending on theme they are keenly priced for the piece and minifigure count, and the licensed editions in particular have a following among adult collectors. The builds are necessarily small, so a couple of doors can feel slight, and popular licensed themes sometimes sell out and get resold above list price. But the daily ritual and the value are hard to fault. Buy the theme, not just the brand: the appeal rests heavily on picking the right one for the person opening it.