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Aldi Advent Calendar Day is Coming Soon… What to Know About This Popular Holiday Frenzy

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Advent calendar day might as well be an event for devoted Aldi shoppers as they always sell out right away in Champaign-Urbana (and around the country). This year there are new details on your best chance to snag a specialty Advent calendar

Aldi’s Advent calendar line-up includes hard seltzer, beer, wine, cat and dog treats, cheeses, chocolates and more

Have you ever heard about the frenzy at Aldi the day it releases holiday Advent calendars?

Well, we can confirm this is a thing and that it happens in Champaign-Urbana.

As recently as 2019, we know the wine calendar was completely sold out at all three Aldi stores in the area (Champaign, Urbana and Savoy) less than 60 minutes after opening. Wow!

What you need to know

Aldi has designated the first Wednesday in November as “National Advent Calendar Day.”

That means that Advent calendar day will be Wednesday, November 4, 2020.

This year, there will be protocols to manage the crowds that generally descend on Aldi for this event. That’s a good decision in any year, but especially in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. (Don’t forget to bring masks and social distance.)

aldi champaign
The Aldi on North Prospect is getting ready for Advent calendar day on November 4.

What is an Advent calendar? 

Advent calendars typically begin on December 1 and mark the 24 days before Christmas.  The tradition dates to the mid-19th century, but has evolved significantly – especially in recent years.

Where is Aldi located?

There are three Aldi stores in the Champaign-Urbana area. The stores in Urbana and Champaign are located, not by accident, right next to Walmart. The Savoy store – the newest of the three – is located off Dunlap Avenue, a few blocks south of Curtis Ave.

What are the new procedures for “National Advent Calendar Day”? 

All three of the Aldi stores in Champaign-Urbana open at 9 a.m., so conventional wisdom says that those wanting calendars should be in line at 8 a.m. for their best chance to get one. Remember, limited quantities are available and they are first come, first serve.

One important thing to note for customers who are interested in purchasing an alcohol Advent calendar (this year, those include wine, beer, and hard seltzer): they will receive a ticket at the store entrance in the order they arrive at the store. Ticketing begins one full hour before the store opens.

Customers will redeem tickets for Advent calendars near the stock room entrance, NOT at the register where customers check out.

What am I going to get?

Aldi rolls out quite the selection of Advent calendars every year, and this year it actually catalogs the 20-plus calendars on its website. This year’s choices includes some of the following “calendars”:

  • Advent calendars for kids: crafts, Disney or Marvel story books, Barbies, Little People, Hot Wheels and Paw Patrol
  • Advent calendars for pets: dog treats and cat treats
  • coffee, cheese and assorted traditional chocolate
  • and of course, the grown-up Advent calendars like wine, beer and hard seltzer (hard seltzer is new for 2020)

An Aldi team member in Champaign told us there were “pallets and pallets” of holiday items, including the Advent calendars, just waiting in the back for Advent calendar day. We saw a whole lot of shelves cleared in anticipation of the big event, too.

Limits on calendar purchase

According to Aldi.com, the Merry & Bright Wine Advent Calendar, Beer Advent Calendar, and Vista Bay Hard Seltzer Calendar are each limited to 2 per customer. The Emporium Selection Cheese Advent Calendar is limited to 6 per customer.

There are no quantity limits on the remaining holiday Advent calendars. However, in the event of unexpectedly high demands, each store reserves the right to limit quantities.

Aldi Advent calendars will not be restocked, according to the website.

How much do they cost?

Aldi Advent calendars range in price from $1.39 (a traditional chocolate calendar) up to $69.99 for the wine calendar. Most calendars are in the $9.99 – $14.99 range, with the boozy calendars being the most expensive. Prices can be found on the Aldi website.

Shelves have been cleared at the Champaign ALDI in anticipation of “National Advent Calendar Day.”

Looking for all kinds of info for the 2020 holiday season in Champaign-Urbana?

Click here for everything related to the winter holiday season in and around Champaign-Urbana