Advent calendar: not just for Christmas, but for every occasion in life.

Universal and Unique: The Secret of Popularity

The Advent calendar is not just a calendar, but a way to make the anticipation of the holidays even more exciting and joyful. Psychologist Marina Derkach identifies the main reason for the immense popularity of Advent calendars as their ability to simultaneously fulfill emotional needs and address gift-giving with minimal effort.

The modern version of the Advent calendar, featuring surprises behind little doors, was introduced by German publisher Gerhard Lang in the 1920s. His mother would bake meringues before Christmas and attach pastries to cardboard so that her son could count down the days to the holiday. When Gerhard grew up and became a printing house owner, his company released the world’s first Advent calendar with 24 colorful Christmas-themed pictures.

What Advent Calendars Are Available in Stores in Ukraine

The classic Advent calendar resembles a house-shaped box with 24 windows or doors, each hiding a small gift. Most often, these are sweets, but they can be anything. From December 1st to 24th, a child opens a new window each day, receives a small gift, and can precisely know how many days are left until the eagerly awaited and joyful Christmas.

Avent calendars can serve not only as entertainment but also help develop logical thinking. The calendar can include tasks, games, riddles, questions, interesting facts, and such ideas are already being integrated into the educational process.

There are numerous types of Advent calendars: from the familiar ones filled with chocolates, candies, and other sweets to sets with toys, children's decorations, tea and coffee, cosmetics and perfumes, alcohol, and intimate toys, among others. Adults also open new doors daily with just as much excitement as children do. These surprises create a sense of a small celebration, regardless of age, which is more important today than ever.

Not Just Entertainment: How the Calendar Helps Learn

Advent calendars can serve not only as entertainment but also as tools for developing logical thinking. The calendar can consist of tasks, games, riddles, questions, interesting facts, and such ideas are already being implemented in the educational process. For example, the New Ukrainian School shared ideas for creating a mathematical Advent calendar for teachers seeking creative educational concepts for their lessons.

Short and engaging activities allow students to learn something new, practice, complete unconventional tasks, solve puzzles, decode, and unravel. And, of course, they can test their knowledge, although it doesn’t feel like a test since everything happens in a playful manner.

Mathematical Advent calendars can be used to foster both mathematical and financial literacy. A unique financial calendar can be created independently. For instance, young children can expand their vocabulary with words like "money," "bank," "bill," "budget," "salary," "cash," and "cashless payment" using such a calendar.

For elementary school students, one can play "family budget." The task for the first day could be to analyze the family's expenses, on the second—to create a shopping list for the day, on the third—to visit the store with parents, and on the fourth—to prepare a dish together from the planned and purchased ingredients. The Advent calendar will help systematize the acquired knowledge and reinforce it.

Mathematical Advent calendars can be utilized for developing both mathematical and financial literacy.

The feeling of an exciting game can be enhanced by using pockets or envelopes, which arouses interest and motivates task completion. And it's impossible to get tired here, as the Advent calendar has its own rules: one day—one task. Working with the Advent calendar teaches ingenuity, creative thinking, planning activities, and evaluating results.

Business Ideas: From Introducing New Products to Sales Funnels

While Advent calendars are a delightful element of the pre-Christmas period for consumers, they serve as a powerful marketing tool for businesses, attracting and retaining customers. Many large companies, such as Dior, Chanel, and LEGO, employ the concept of calendars to promote their products. This not only boosts sales during the holiday season but also provides an opportunity to showcase new items to a broad audience.

In small businesses, an Advent calendar can become an excellent "sales funnel"—a journey for potential customers from discovering a product or service to making a purchase. Marketers say there are no strict rules here—it's your product, your rules, and your marketing strategy. Moreover, such a calendar can be created not just for a month but for an entire year.

For example, one could create a calendar with 12 windows (one for each month of the year) and include 12 gifts. In the beauty industry, for instance, this might include a free manicure, a gift cream, discounts on services, scented candles, and more. However, to make such a calendar a true "sales funnel," careful consideration is needed regarding the order of gift distribution and what is most in demand each month.

Another benefit of such a calendar is that during the Christmas and New Year holidays, nearly everything is sold at maximum capacity. By selling calendars, businesses not only gain customers for at least a year but also expand their customer base, as Advent calendars are often bought as gifts.