Overview
- Retailers and brands now compete in a booming, highly segmented market that spans budget chocolate boxes to niche luxury editions, according to IFH Köln.
- Pricey examples underline the shift, including a €96 wine calendar, a €209 sex‑toy version and a €495 perfume box.
- Consumer advocates report presentation inflates costs, with contents sometimes exceeding twice the price of regular packaging, says Verbraucherzentrale Bremen.
- Surveys show strong ownership and gifting, yet many shoppers wait for early‑December markdowns—often around 4–6 December—accepting the risk of sell‑outs.
- Cost and commercialization concerns are steering families toward reusable, shared or DIY calendars and toward experience‑based options promoted by churches and child‑development experts.