Calendar is window of opportunity to share Christmas story

Calendar is window of opportunity to share Christmas story

A slap-up festive dinner is deemed by the general public as the best-loved tradition at Christmas, while attending a carol service or going to church on Christmas Day don’t even make the Top 20, according to recent surveys.*

‘It goes to show how getting an advent calendar, rated in 10th position, becomes an important opportunity to share the Christmas story,’ said David Marshall, founder of the Meaningful Chocolate Company. It is estimated more than 16 million advent calendars are sold in the UK each year. Well over half (61 per cent) of all UK adults buy one and four out of five contain  chocolate. 

‘Advert calendars stay around for the whole of the Christmas period,’ said David. ‘Back in 2013 I came up with the idea of a calendar which was Fairtrade, included a 24-page story book with a line of the Christmas story behind each window. For 24 days families could share and get to know the Christmas story. This new research shows that advent calendars are a great opportunity to do this.’

You can watch how the Real Advent Calendar is made on a short video here. Each calendar costs £4.50 and will be available on the KCLCT bookshop (stand W3) at CRE National (11-13 Oct 2022). 

Britain’s favourite Christmas traditions

1. Christmas dinner
2. Giving and receiving presents 
3. Putting the Christmas tree up
4. Eating with all the family on Christmas Day
5. Putting up Christmas decorations
6. Watching traditional Christmas films
7. Eating Turkey on Christmas Day
8. Listening to Christmas songs on the radio
9. Sending Christmas cards
10. Getting an advent calendar
11. Eating Turkey sandwiches on Boxing Day
12. Wearing Christmas jumpers
13. Going out for a Christmas meal with friends
14. Watching the monarch’s speech
15. Getting dressed up on Christmas Day
16. Hanging a wreath
17. Putting a mince pie and glass out for Santa, and carrots for Santa’s reindeer
18. Drinking Bucks Fizz on Christmas morning
19. Lounging around in your Christmas pyjamas
20. Going to a pantomime

* Survey carried out by 72 Point between 19/11/21 – 23/11/21 on behalf of Save the Children UK. Representative sample of 2,000 UK adults who celebrate Christmas. 

** YouGov Results – Advent Calendars, Sample size: 2,024 UK adults, Fieldwork: 6th – 8Th November 2019

Our next exhibition