This year has seen Papa John's develop pizza-scented wrapping paper and Starbucks manufacture reusable Christmas coffee cups
The typical UK household spending more than £800 ($1,000) over the festive period (Credit: Pixabay)
Every Christmas, retailers from the across world latch on to the festive fever by developing innovative packaging ripe for the month of December. From the king of coffee cups to tree decorations, Thomas Parker looks at five of the best designs.
Whether it be the gaudy festive jumpers or a last-minute dash to the shops, the Christmas period is filled with cheer, wonder… and an awful lot of presents.
Retailers usually jump headfirst into the holiday season, with brands desperate to make themselves stand out from the crowded festive field.
One way they attempt to do this is through creative packaging designs, with products shaped as Christmas crackers and trees becoming a more common occurrence over the past decade.
From wrapping paper that smells like pizza to the battle of the seasonal coffee cup, NS Packaging takes a look at some some innovative attempts to stand out from the rest.
Christmas-themed innovative packaging designs
Papa John’s wrapping paper smells of pizza
Papa John’s has risen to challenge this December by bringing its own twist on the traditional festivities.
The fast-food chain has rolled out its very own limited edition pizza-scented wrapping paper.
All the money received from the product will go to UK-based homeless charity Crisis.
Papa John’s marketing director Giles Codd said: “The festive range of collectables forms a part of our ‘Christmas is Better Shared’ campaign and is a fun way to help spread the Christmas spirit beyond our delicious pizzas.
“We’re really proud to be working with Crisis, a charity that aims to eradicate homelessness and provides vital services to people in the UK at one of the hardest times of the year.
“We hope that the money raised will help toward Crisis continuing the fantastic work they do not just at Christmas, but throughout the whole year.”
Twinings festive design goes back to company’s origins
UK-based tea company Twinings has flown with the Ghost of Christmas Past to produce this year’s seasonal packaging design.
The spiced chai tea box design depicts a wintry scene in the centre of London in 1706, the year when Twinings was founded.
Housed at the Golden Lyon shop on 216 Strand, the company’s flagship store recently celebrated its 300-year anniversary.
Starbucks ho-ho-holding its own in the battle of the Christmas coffee cup
If Coca-Cola dominates the television over the festive season via its iconic Holidays Are Coming advert, then Starbucks is truly the angel on the top of the tree when it comes to the battle for the best coffee cup design.
Beginning this holiday tradition back in 2005, the company’s red cups have become as much of a Christmas staple as the Pumpkin Spice Latte available over the course of December.
This year’s Merry Coffee, Cold As Ice, Coffee All The Way, Magic Cool and Seasonal Shine designs can be purchased as a reusable cup.
Lindt’s bears provide a Christmas tree chocolate treat
One of the true staples included as part of the assortment of chocolatey treats accumulated over the course of Christmas day is Lindt.
The Swiss company usually pushes the boat out when it comes to its festive packaging, with the firm developing a box stocked full of its Lindor chocolate made to look like a Christmas tree.
Among its arsenal of products ripe and ready for the holiday season is its chocolate designed to be decorations.
Shaped as either ball balls or bears, the products are designed to either sit on a Christmas tree or be placed above a fireplace.
Elemis’ triangular advent calendar
No Christmas season is really truly complete without an advent calendar to build anticipation ahead of the big day.
Although these are commonly stocked full of mini chocolates and given to children, in recent years businesses have developed products for a more grown-up audience.
These range from calendars containing alcoholic drinks like gin and whiskey to Japanese tea.
One company involved in this market is beauty product manufacturer Elemis, which has developed a triangular advent calendar that dispenses skincare products.