Luxury Advent calendars now in season

This story was produced by our colleagues at the BBC.

Now that Thanksgiving has passed, Christmas is fast approaching. And for many, it’s nearly time to open the first door on their Advent calendar.

Advent calendars are increasingly big business. It’s 24 days for brands to put their products in a shop window and in the comfort of someone’s home. Market research firm Circana estimates that the U.S. beauty calendar market alone is worth almost $20 million. And this marketing opportunity has social media to thank, according to Natalie Berg, founder of NBK Retail.

“So much of our spending has shifted online, and that’s created a lot of opportunities for brands, but the one big downside is that it’s a lot harder for shoppers to discover new products,” said Berg. “And so I think brands are recognizing that Advent calendars are a great way to get new brands into the hands of the consumer, with the ultimate goal of acquiring and converting new customers.”

In 2022, around 30% of people globally intended to gift an Advent calendar to someone else, according to Statista — and that doesn’t include those who were looking to treat themselves. But with prices stretching into the hundreds, even thousands, of dollars, consumers expect a lot for their money.

“Shoppers still want to treat themselves,” said Berg. “They want good value, and they want that element of surprise.”

If you’re splashing out big bucks on something like a Dior calendar — which retails at $725 — you might want a bit of reassurance, and that’s where unboxing comes in. It’s huge on social media channels like TikTok and Instagram.

“And that’s, of course, very compatible with an Advent calendar, where you’re taking products out and, you know, giving an honest review of those products,” she added.

It’s not just high-end luxury items — novelty or themed calendars are also a big part of the market. At a Christmas trade show in London, Shona Macdonald from the Bird & Blend Tea Co. explained her firm’s tea Advent calendar, which features blends like green tea with cinnamon, cloves, rose petals and red peppercorns.

“We wanted to do something a lot more experimental,” Macdonald said.

“We send all of our Advent calendars all over the world. We have a lot of tea drinkers who wait all year just to get the Advent calendar because it’s such a nice way to share a cup of tea with somebody.”

For a lot of people, Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without a chocolate Advent calendar. Belgian chocolatier Pierre Marcolini said only the best will do for his offering.

“It’s a very fresh chocolate. Inside there’s caramel, crunchy and praline, hazelnut praline,” he said.

And unlike the Bird & Blend tea calendar, this one isn’t for sharing.