Winter Appeal: How to Keep Your Products Relevant Beyond Christmas

 

Here’s a surprising tip for the week before Christmas: stop making Christmas-themed products and packaging. It may sound a bit crazy but hear us out! Focusing on winter-themed items instead (think snowmen, snowflakes, cozy winter scenes) can make your products more versatile and appealing beyond Christmas, lasting into the New Year.

Why This Shift Works

Holiday-specific packaging and designs can lose their appeal as soon as Christmas is over. By pivoting to a general winter theme, you make your products suitable for both holiday gifting and as thoughtful treats into January. A snowflake-covered box or a snowman-themed treat feels just as festive now as it does in the depths of winter.

Ideas for Winter-Themed Confections

Photo credit: O’Shea’s Candies

Snow-Dusted Chocolates 

A sprinkle of luster dust or powdered sugar on top adds a "snow-dusted" touch, making your chocolate confections feel both seasonal and special. We love how RCI member, O’Shea’s Candies, transforms a chocolate-covered caramel marshmallow into a “Snowball” by coating it in shredded coconut.

Photo credit: Glerup Revere Packaging

Peppermint Bark in Snowflake Packaging

Peppermint bark is a classic, and when wrapped in simple, clear packaging with red and white ribbons, it looks festive without being holiday-specific. Place them in snowflake bags or boxes to make them great gifts through the winter.

Photo Credit: Mitchell’s Fine Chocolates

Hot Cocoa
Hot cocoa is perfect for chilly days and can be packaged in boxes with cozy knit patterns or winter themes. This warm, inviting look is ideal for the season and works well as a stocking stuffer or New Year’s treat.

Photo credits: Snowman Marshmallow Pops by Bomboy’s Home Made Candy; White Chocolates Snowflakes by Abdallah Chocolates

Snowmen and Winter Shapes
Moulded chocolate snowmen or snowflakes can be festive both before and after the holidays. Package them in clear or frosted bags tied with silver or blue ribbon.

Making this small switch can help keep your products relevant longer and cater to those last-minute shoppers looking for thoughtful gifts that go beyond the holiday rush.

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Best of Christmas: Top Christmas Posts from the RCI Blog

This “most wonderful time of the year” is officially here! We’re sharing a holiday-inspired compilation of tips and inspiration to help make this holiday season your merriest yet! 

10 Ways to Feature Candy Canes this Christmas

What better way to celebrate the holidays than with candy canes? These classic red and white striped treats are a staple of Christmas and can be used in a variety of ways to add a festive touch to your confectionery creations. In this blog post, we share 10 creative and easy ideas for incorporating candy canes into your product mix and presentation for the holidays. Read more.

Stand Out with Instagram-Worthy Holiday Treats

How Instagram-worthy are your holiday treats? Social media, like Instagram and Facebook, have proven to be effective tools for reaching consumers, however if A.) you’re not sharing photos of your products on your social media sites daily or B.) they don’t stand out from other holiday gifts, you could be missing out on a massive opportunity to gain new customers this season. Click here to snag creative ideas to transform some of your potentially existing treats (like chocolate-covered cookies and rice cereal treats) into new holiday favorites.

How to Sell More Stocking Stuffers

With gentle nudging, you can help ensure stockings (and your bottom line) overflow with sweetness this holiday season! Stockings stuffers are the ultimate impulse purchase, representing the opportunity to add a few extra dollars to in-store and online purchases. In post, we explore two key components that make for great stocking stuffers and how to increase sales with effective marketing and merchandising. Read more.

5 Quick & Easy Treats to Add to your Stocking Stuffer Display

Add extra dollars to in-store and online purchases by selling more stocking stuffers this holiday season. Above, we shared how to sell more stocking stuffers by identifying products that meet two key components. Next up, we’ve got five quick and easy ideas for products to beef up your stocking stuffer display. Read more. 

How to Make a Very Merry Christmas Truffle Tree

While truffles make for a sweet holiday gift, a stunning truffle tree is sure to make any Christmas celebration unforgettable! This post highlights steps to make your own truffle tree from an RCI member, plus inspiration for creating a very merry holiday showpiece. Read more.

We hope that these posts inspire you to get creative this holiday season and make it one to remember.

Crave more? Click here to subscribe and start receiving weekly tips, like this, delivered straight to your email inbox. RCI's blog is just one of the many resources we offer to help candy makers refine their craft and build upon their business and marketing practices. Follow us on Facebook for even more sweet inspiration.

Not a member? Click here to learn how RCI can help you build your sweet business.