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This year’s batch of Advent calendars just arrived on Aldi store shelves. They include classics such as the wine calendar, beer calendar, cheese calendar, and a variety of chocolate and toy calendars. The candle Advent calendar, coffee calendar, and the (improved) dog treat Advent calendar are also back this year.
We’re also happy to no longer see the mediocre craft Advent calendar (which was recalled due to lead contamination) on the shelves.
Perhaps in an effort to replace the craft Advent calendar, or maybe just to add something new, Aldi has a new house brand Advent calendar this year that features 12 puzzles. I picked one up on Aldi’s self-proclaimed National Advent Calendar Day and cracked it open to see whether it’s any good. (Yes, here at Aldi Reviewer, we open our Advent calendars all at once. It’s tough job, but someone has to do it.)
The Aldi Merry Moments Puzzle Advent Calendar — like all Aldi Advent calendars — is an Aldi Find, which means it’s only in stores for a short time. Each store receives one shipment, and after that sells out, it’s gone unless Aldi decides to bring it back next year. Aldi does not offer online ordering for products that are not in stock at your local store. Also keep in mind that Advent calendars tend to be hot sellers at Aldi. The most popular ones don’t stick around for long.
The Aldi Merry Moments Puzzle Advent Calendar (Product Code: 710556) cost $9.99 in November of 2023. With 12 80-piece puzzles in the calendar, that comes out to 83 cents per puzzle. That’s a lot less than most other Advent jigsaw puzzle calendars with varying piece counts that I found on Amazon, where they start in the $20s and go up to at least $30.
This advertised as being for ages 6 and older and the box claims it’s “a fun family activity.” The puzzles measure 7 inches by 10 inches.
The main outer box is pretty, and the puzzles themselves feature a variety of fun holiday scenes. You can view each puzzle on the back of the calendar box, so there are no spoilers here. The puzzles include:
- a townhouse with scenes in each window
- two puzzles that feature different fireplace and Christmas tree scenes with either a lounging dog or cat
- a winter cityscape
- a plate full of Christmas cookies
- a winter mountain village scene with ice skaters
- Santa’s village
- a montage of holiday party-goers dressed in festive apparel
- an ice cream truck with a penguin driver
- a Christmas stocking filled with treats
- a gingerbread village
- a wooded scene featuring Father Christmas and some children
The back of the box. (Click to enlarge.)
When you open the lid on the box, you’ll find a traditional Advent calendar setup: rows of perforated compartments with numbers 1-12 printed on them. When you open a door, you’ll find puzzle pieces in a small plastic bag. After you’ve assembled these puzzles and are ready to put them away, you’ll need to use your own sandwich baggies or other storage method to keep the pieces corralled inside their respective compartments.
Each puzzle piece measures about 1 inch by 1.5 inches. The back of the box shows a puzzle piece and says it’s the “actual size.” That is pretty close to the truth, although I think most pieces are just a hair smaller than the “actual size” photo on the box.
The inside of the box, with each day’s puzzle behind a perforated door.
So far, the puzzles appear numerically in the same order that they appear on the back of the box, with the townhouse scene on day one, the fireplace scene with sleeping dog on day two, and so on. That means there aren’t any surprises when it comes to what puzzle you’re getting on each day.
A look at day one, with a bagged puzzle inside.
Nevertheless, these are nice puzzles. I like the pictures, and the pieces are a regular thickness, not thin cheap puzzle pieces like the Aldi craft Advent calendar had. These pieces are of a quality like what you’d get in any standard puzzle you might purchase from a regular retailer.
Assembled puzzles for day one (left) and day two (right).
I also like the difficulty level of these puzzles. They may not satisfy die-hard puzzle fans who like 1,000+ piece puzzles, but these aren’t simple 12- or 25-piece preschooler puzzles either. With 80 pieces each, they’re easy puzzles for adults to assemble in a few minutes, but they’re also not so hard that kids can’t do them, too. The variety of pictures on the puzzles appeal to all ages, making it a good family activity. I’d call this Advent puzzle calendar a winner if you have puzzle fans in your house, and I think it would make a good gift for kids and/or adults.
I’ll keep working through these jigsaw puzzles and will update this post with any potential new developments.
The Verdict:
The Merry Moments Puzzle Advent Calendar is new at Aldi this year. It features 12 puzzles behind perforated numbered doors, with each puzzle containing 80 pieces and featuring various holiday and Christmas scenes. The puzzle pieces are a standard thickness and are sturdy. These puzzles are a happy medium when it comes to difficulty level: easy for adults to assemble in a short time, and also not too hard for kids to put together, making them a good family activity. We are pleasantly surprised by how nice this puzzle calendar is. Recommended.
