Advent calendar holiday shopping craze: Why luxury brands are cashing in

Well, we are starting to see signs of Christmas everywhere and that includes promotions for new advent calendars. What started as a religious tradition to count down to Christmas Eve has quickly grown into this massive retail phenomenon with even luxury brands getting on board. All right, Fox 5's Jody Goldberg takes a closer look at the evolution of the advent calendar. For generations, advent calendars gave families a quiet and simple countdown to Christmas. When I was young, it was just a calendar and you just marked the days off. That was it. That was then, and this is now. Perfume, wine, toys, designer tea, luxury makeup, and yes, there's even something for the four-legged family members. I get them for my cats. Comes with a collar, different little balls. But these days, unwrapping each morning door packs more than just a daily surprise. It comes with serious sticker shock. I paid $148 for this. Kim Kardashian Skims calendar nearly $150. And some department store. versions easily cost hundreds more. It's a collaboration with Swarovski. So why are shoppers buying into the holiday hype? They offer the consumer a really nice daily delight. And for big box retailers and boutique brands, it's a chance to keep shoppers coming back for more. Actually over a third of shoppers in the U.S. I really like it when brands release limited edition seasonal products. According to market research, more than one in four adults plan to take part in the Advent calendar tradition last year, up 22% from the year before. But as these calendars are getting more popular, are we losing sight of what we're counting down to? Advent is that time preparing for... But for many, the excitement never lived inside the packaging. It was the tradition itself. You kind of remember you're getting closer to Christmas, so it was a nice memory. I went to Catholic school, so it was a big deal. Who got picked to open up the door for that day? Brother David says luxury brand or cardboard flap, the heart of the season, doesn't carry a barcode. Christ is coming. And it's coming for everybody. Proof that while commercial hype can package almost anything into 24 little boxes, Holiday Spirit still isn't for sale. On Long Island, Jody Goldberg, Fox 5 News.