It’s July, and Advent calendars are nearly sold out. Partly driven by operational and financial practicalities and partly to stoke customers’ insatiable craving for the unique and the nostalgic, retailers have liberated Advent calendars from December. With the dawn of June 25, pre-Christmas season debuts with a tide of newfangled Advent calendars. “Retailers and brands are keen to see an advent calendar as a brand engagement mechanism,” he told Straight Arrow. Theresa Nemetz turned to Advent calendars to save her regional travel and tour company, which faced an existential crisis during the pandemic in 2020.