An advent calendar for every day in the UAE. Why not?

Alamy via Reuters

It was a cold and lazy December morning when an unexpected YouTube video drew my attention. An influencer was meticulously unboxing a massive theme-based advent calendar, revealing 24 tiny gift boxes filled with miniature wonders. A dollop of luxury skincare, jasmine-scented “slime”, a fancy bath bomb, a vial of delicate lip tint, and more.

With each box my curiosity peaked, and I was soon captivated. After an hour, I realised that these unboxing videos were tantalising me despite their high cost. I was now convinced that a fancy calendar was a “must-have” and was already planning to give one to a favourite nephew.

Advent calendars are not just seasonal products given to children in the run-up to Christmas; marketers have noticed that they can be engineered as psychological triggers to deliver daily excitement.

They create anticipation, raise dopamine levels, and provide a sense of limited indulgence, according to the marketing specialists. 

Sergei Vinogradov, CEO of WGG advertising agency, has years of experience creating calendars for clients. 

“When thoughtful design meets a decent budget, advent calendars create a compelling holiday connection,” Vinogradov says. They “also project that the brand is active, responsive to trends and attention-worthy, thus building credibility.”

He points to Cartier, whose advent calendar has received 6.5 million views and 400 million likes on TikTok.

Giving advent calendars has extended to the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Over half (53 percent) of UAE shoppers spent more during Ramadan than the rest of the year, especially online, according to research released in 2022 by YouGov. While exact market stats for 2024 are not yet in, the advent calendar market has grown beyond the beauty products and confectionery trial packs.  

Platforms like Noon and Amazon now offer diverse options, with prices ranging from budget-friendly AED50 to luxurious editions costing over AED1,000. 

According to Google Trends, “advent calendar” searches in the UAE rose by 17 percent from 2023 to 2024, peaking during Christmas, Ramadan and Halloween. 

Katerina Dixon, AVP for marketing at Shangri-La Group, UAE, confirms this. “The demand for our advent calendars has grown yearly, with families increasingly adopting them as festive traditions,” she says. “The options, ranging from accessible to VIP editions, suit everyone, keeping the experience luxurious and inclusive.”

The strategic long-term potential

While advent calendars are common in Europe and the US, they represent an untapped opportunity in the UAE. By going beyond simple product sampling, brands can transform short trials into long-term consumer relationships.

Dixon explains that changing customer behaviour has influenced Shangri-La’s calendar. “In recent years, customers have sought gifts beyond material value and want to create meaningful experiences and memories.

“This shift has influenced our 2024 Airship calendar, featuring experiential vouchers, handcrafted keepsakes and treats.”

Vinogradov sees potential beyond traditional holiday marketing. UAE consumers are “premiumising” – seeking curated, high-quality experiences which blend European influences and local luxury, he says.

“Businesses targeting experimental expatriate audiences can thrive. Imagine a beauty salon offering a year-long advent calendar with monthly services like hair treatments, manicures, massages, and facials.”

Birthday-specific calendars provide personalised experiences, while Eid and Ramadan editions may include community engagement challenges and cultural experiences without controversy. Training institutes and recruitment firms can create skill-learning countdowns.

If things go awry, the advent calendar trend may create another cycle of hyper consumerism which benefits brands more than customers. 

Advent calendars can cleverly disguise brands’ intentions. By presenting an attractive design, they can offload excess inventory and move overpriced or underperforming products.

Additionally, including sample-sized items raises an important question: if brands distribute them freely in stores, why would anyone pay a high price for them in a calendar?

There’s also a nascent resale market emerging. Consumers resell items like Star Wars socks – originally priced at AED 300 – for as low as AED 80. This indicates that consumers are either eager to share these items, or looking to part with them. 

The environmental consequences are significant too. Many calendars generate excessive plastic waste. Tiny stickers, one-time-use tools and throwaway packaging add to clutter.

This strategy not only stimulates impulsive buying but also subtly encourages hoarding behaviours, potentially leading to increased holiday debt.

Advent calendars hold promise for 2025 as long as brands create anticipation. If they can deliver a daily moment of surprise which creates genuine value and long-term memorable experiences for customers, the trend is here to stay. 

Akshata Kamath is a business and finance journalist based in Abu Dhabi