• by Danielle Oster , November 22, 2023

While typically associated with chocolate, advent calendars counting down the days until Christmas are not limited to that confectionary staple, which didn’t become associated with the countdown practice until the mid-20th century. Experiencing a resurgence in popularity in recent years, advent calendars have expanded in variety.

This year, one brand is introducing the advent calendar nobody could have seen coming, taking the practice somewhere it’s never been before: the sea.

Bumble Bee Seafood is offering consumers the advent calendar it admits absolutely nobody asked for (but your cat probably wants), while promoting tuna as the perfect “snack meal” for the “Girl Dinner” era. The brand’s Tuna Lovers' Advent Calendar is available now at worldsbestsnackmeal.com.

“While no one asked us to create a tuna advent calendar, we’re all about having a little fun and showing people it’s okay to be a proud tuna lover,” Bumble Bee Brand Marketing Director Jeremy Zavoral said in a statement. “Tuna sales usually slump during the holiday season, but we’re trying to change that trend by showing how tuna makes a great snack meal before the main meal.”

Because 30 days of tuna is too much for anybody, Bumble Bee’s “Tuna Lovers' Advent Calendar” features tuna surprises delivered over the course of a dozen days. (“12 Days of Tuna” was right there, but okay.)

In addition to the various varieties of snack-sized 2.5 ounce pouches -- including Lemon Pepper, Cracked Pepper & Sea Salt, Mediterranean Herbs & Spices and Applewood Smoke -- the brand is also including a “surprise gift” in each package of the Tuna Lovers' Advent Calendar it’s selling on its website for $29.99 each. Beginning Nov. 27  through Dec. 4, there’s also a sweepstakes running across the brand’s Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok channels for a calendar giveaway.