Promotional Advent Calendars Are a Huge Business Opportunity

When I was a kid, my parents would force me and my siblings to head to Topanga Canyon so our aunt, who happened to be a professional photographer, could take our photo for our Christmas card. It wasn't my favorite activity. I know it's hard to believe, but I wasn't exactly a fan of the spotlight, and smiling has never come easy for me. I was pretty much the child equivalent to Daria.

Credit: Giphy

Anyway, while the photoshoot was the job, the chocolate Advent calendar was the reward, and it was worth every reshoot.

Now that I'm an adult (or at least pretending to be one), I have long missed the joy of counting down to the holidays with a chocolate system. It built excitement, taught me patience (this is starting to feel like an Ariana Grande song), and gave me a new appreciation for the numerical system.

So you can imagine my surprise and elation when I realized that the 2018 holiday season seems to be all about the Advent calendar. Even crazier is the fact that the Advent calendar has gotten a major update, and it now goes far beyond society's chocolate constraints.

This is huge news for promo because tons of brands are getting in on the Advent calendar action. It's a chance for companies to showcase some of their favorite products, and it turns out consumers are loving them.

Here are a few of my favorites this year:

1. The Yawn Coffee Advent Calendar

https://www.instagram.com/p/BoRAaIQhMBY/?utm_source=ig_embed

I just love this packaging, and I think a coffee advent calendar is a phenomenal idea.

2. Trader Joe's Advent Calendar For Dogs

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bp7XXyZBeHN/?utm_source=ig_embed

Why shouldn't our furry friends get to experience the joy of an advent calendar?

3. Aldi's Wine Calendar

If you want to get your hands on Aldi's first-ever U.S. Advent wine calendar, plan to get to stores early Wednesday. https://t.co/qWYV4AZM1Z

— USA TODAY (@USATODAY) November 7, 2018

Aldi's clever wine calendar sold out almost immediately, and we can see why.

4. Sock Advent Calendars

A ton of brands are getting in on the sock calendar advent calendar, which, of course, is amazing news for our promo apparel distributors.

Disney has one:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BpE-XQkH5Nf/

Target has a "Harry Potter" one:

Target's Harry Potter Sock Advent Calendar Is Back But Selling Out Fast https://t.co/i26MAtNgYm pic.twitter.com/fcgXKaVIs1

— Apartment Therapy (@AptTherapy) November 10, 2018

As you can see, the promotional potential is huge for these Advent calendars. For one thing, they're a great way to show prospective clients all your top offerings, and for another, the branding and product potential is endless.

For promotional apparel suppliers and distributors, there's no need to stop at socks. Neckties, tank tops, hats and more would all be great options for a holiday Advent calendar.