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Advent calendars and holiday shopping trends for 2026
Consumer trends for the 2026 holiday season highlight a diverse market for advent calendars and shifting shopping habits. A survey indicates that 69 percent of consumers intend to purchase at least one advent calendar, with 57 percent buying them as gifts for others and 44 percent for themselves. While chocolate remains the most popular content at 60 percent, there is significant variety in toy, beauty, and savory options.
In the beauty sector, brands like Junglück and essence are seeing high demand, with some calendars offering high-value skincare sets. In the US, Shein customers report a trend toward self-gifting, with 61 percent purchasing holiday items for themselves, primarily focusing on clothing and accessories.
Retailers are also seeing niche products, such as beer advent calendars. However, some consumers have expressed confusion regarding products like Kaufland’s beer calendar, which is sold as an empty cardboard structure intended for self-filling rather than containing pre-filled beverages.
Entities
Essence · Gerhard Lang · Germany · Junglück · Kaufland · Manucurist · Munich · Shein · United States
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 4 SOURCES] 57 percent of respondents plan to buy advent calendars for other people. www.berlin-live.de · www.moin.de · www.thueringen24.de
- [● 4 SOURCES] 60 percent of buyers choose chocolate or sweets as the content of their calendars. www.berlin-live.de · www.moin.de · www.thueringen24.de
- [● 4 SOURCES] A majority of consumers are dissatisfied with the price and performance of advent calendars. www.berlin-live.de · www.moin.de · www.thueringen24.de
- [● 4 SOURCES] Gerhard Lang from Munich released the first printed advent calendar in 1908. www.berlin-live.de · www.moin.de · www.thueringen24.de
- [● 4 SOURCES] 69 percent of surveyed individuals intend to buy at least one advent calendar this year. www.berlin-live.de · www.moin.de · www.thueringen24.de