Discover the Funko Pop Advent Calendar You Didn‘t Know You Needed This Holiday Season

Are you a proud pop culture junkie? Do you gee out over game, movie, or comic lore? As the holiday season approaches, now you can combine Christmas countdown fun with your favorite fandoms using Funko Pop advent calendars!

Why Are Funko Pop Advent Calendars Popping Off?

Before we highlight the impressive selection of themed calendars, let‘s discuss why these Funko offerings perfectly intersect pop culture fandom and holiday hype.

For starters, Funko itself has secured major fan demonstrance as THE purveyor of pop culture collector items. You know a company has majorly permeated the mainstream when they get name dropped in Billboard charting rap songs!

But their signature toy line – the Funko Pop figurines – rate as one of the hottest collecting crazes over recent years. Let‘s reflect on their meteoric rise.

The Cultural Domination of Funko Pops

When Funko first unleashed their Funko Pop toy line in 2011, they struck viral gold. The figures reimagine beloved pop culture characters and icons with an adorable retro style:

• Oversized heads
• Small, squat bodies
• Big puppy dog eyes

Commonly described as having a "chibi" look in Japan or like "bobbleheads without the bobble", Funko Pops offer cute, quirky interpretations of heroes and personalities from:

• Movies
• TV shows
• Video games
• Music groups
• Sports leagues

And pretty much anything else with a rabid fanbase!

Their affordability (usually $10-15), variety, and display-friendly size make Funko Pops fun to collect.

But Funko did more than just tap into pop culture…they actively fueled fan culture.

By the Numbers: Quantifying Funko Fandom

Since first launching in 1998, Funko experienced decent success but didn‘t set the toy world ablaze right away. That changed FAST once the first Pop figures emerged.

To appreciate their cultural ascent, let‘s break down some Funko stats:

• Funko went public in 2017 at $8 per share, valuing the company at $425 million
• By 2021, Funko‘s market cap soared to over $2 BILLION
• Annual sales revenue grew from $175 million in 2017 to over $1 billion by 2021
• Currently sitting around 1,500+ employees and still hiring aggressively
• Distributed in over 100 countries globally, with footprints across Europe, Asia, Australia, and the Americas

As of 2022, fans have bought well over 1 billion Funko Pops worldwide. And every week multiple new figures get released to satisfy the voracious fan appetite.

Rare exclusives rise quickly on secondary markets too – the rarest, a Patina Batman SDCC exclusive, once auctioned for over $10k!

But what propelled Funko into toy industry titans boils down to pure pop culture potency…

A License to Print Fandom

Funko‘s omnipresence stems from one crucial advantage:

Official licensing deals with virtually EVERY major entertainment brand.

From Marvel superheroes to your favorite 90s sitcom characters, Funko likely holds rights to launch collectible Pops for popular franchises both old and new.

They‘ve partnered with the biggest studios like:

• Disney
• LucasFilm
• Sony Pictures
• Nickelodeon

As well as professional sports leagues such as:

• NBA
• MLB
• NFL
• NHL

And video game publishers including:

• Nintendo
• PlayStation
• Xbox

This vast buffet of licensed IPs allows Funko to instantly capitalize on the latest pop culture crazes or nostalgia trends.

Stranger Things exploded in 2016? Funko launched figures within months.

Space Jam and Looney Tunes enjoying a 90s resurgence? Here comes LeBron and the Tune Squad in Funko form.

The recent Pokémon GO phenomenon made pocket monsters popular again? Scatter Bulbasaurs, Charmanders, and Pikachus across retailers globally!

Funko converts fan frenzy into lucrative PVC plastic.

So when you put this marketing machine behind a tradition like the holidays? You bet your bottom dollar they‘ll devise some fire merch!

Advent Calendar Evolution

Before we highlight standout offerings for 2022, let‘s provide context on advent calendars.

The Advent tradition itself ties back to preparing for the Nativity. Many Christian families honored the lead-up to Christmas with rituals like lighting candles. Opening Advent calendars allowed children to actually count down the 24 days in anticipation of the 25th.

While Advent originates from religious beginnings, the tradition secularized and commercialized over time.

Today you can find Advent calendars centered around:

• Chocolate/candy
• Toys
• Beauty products
• Beer
• Cheese

And pretty much anything you could image a "behind the tiny door" surprise for!

Funko jumped into the calendar game in 2019, testing the waters with just a Harry Potter edition.

But just as pops experienced colossal success , Funko Advent releases became hot sellers THEMSELVES:

• 2020 brought over $7 million in Advent calendar sales
• 2021 topped over $10 million globally

As fans loved opening daily doors to uncover new pocket pop figures.

So with that context understood, let‘s showcase some of the top offerings fans will flock to for Holiday 2022!

Here Are 35 Must-See Funko Pop Advent Calendars

From beloved classics to 2022‘s hottest properties, Funko cooked up another diverse lineup of Advent surprises across fan favorite universes.

I‘ll highlight top options then break down key details in easy-to-digest tables:

• Dimensions
• Number of pieces
• Franchise themes
• Recommended ages
• Price
• And more!

Pop Culture Favorites

These household names offer broad appeal:

Trending 2022 calibrated

These advents feature relevant trending shows, games, and internet popular properties. Great for fans of the latest and greatest pop culture:

Nostalgic Throwbacks

Revisit legendary 80s, 90s, and 2000s favorites that withstood the test of time. Prime picks for millennial holiday hype!

Trendy Collectibles

Finally, we round out the Advent lineup with hit entertainment franchises renowned specifically amongst collectors and hobbyists:

Selecting the Right Funko Advent Calendar

With so many awesome 2022 options for Funko aficionados, how should you approach picking the perfect calendar?

Consider these key criteria when deciding:

Theme or Fandom

Naturally you‘ll want to align with your personal pop culture passion!

Big Star Wars nerd? Snag a calendar with Mandalorians and Jedi. Anime weeb? Grab Demon Slayer or Dragon Ball Z. Love Stranger Things? Join the Hawkins, IN festivities in mini Funko form!

Release Timing

Funko calendars get announced around late summer then launch for sale in October to early November.

Because of extreme demand, the MOST popular calendars sell out fast – often within hours once available!

I cannot stress enough snagging your #1 choice the moment they market available for pre-sale. You don‘t want to get stuck with scraps!

Setting inventory alerts can help guarantee you score before stock runs dry.

Number of Pieces

Nearly all Funko Advents feature 24 pieces – one for each day leading up to Christmas. But specialty sets occasionally have more or less.

While 24 serves as the standard, carefully inspect product descriptions for exact quantities so you know precisely what‘s included!

Display

Consider where and how you want to exhibit the calendar. Will it sit on a shelf? On your office desk?

Pay attention to size dimensions and checkout images to ensure the decor aligns with intended placement.

No fun having a gigantic Star Wars calendar overwhelming your work from home setup!

Protective Packaging

You‘ll want a sturdy external box that prevents damage during shipment…plus safely contains all those delightful Pocket Pops!

Seek calendars listing protective measures or durable packaging to shield from dents and wear after daily handling.

Gift or Personal Use?

Who will actually enjoy the calendar – just you or a pop culture obsessed gift recipient?

Maybe snag two this year if you can‘t bear to part with the Stranger Things set you KNOW your little niece would flip for! No shame doubling up on the delight.

Budget Limits

Funko Advent pricing ranges depending on property popularity and rarity. Rare collab sets fetch higher premiums closer to $100+ in some cases.

But you can find great options between $25 to $50 for iconic evergreen franchises like Star Wars or Harry Potter.

Set reasonable limits then filter choices from there based on other attributes important to you.

Unbox Some Serious Pop Culture Joy

Look, I won‘t pretend to know how 2022 shapes up across the complex landscapes of economy, politics and life in general.

But I DO know how much happier it feels emerging from pandemic-plagued years to finally enjoy holiday magic again with friends, families and friendly festivities.

And scoring pop culture Advent calendars overflowing with nostalgic characters we adore? That‘s just some seriously Heartwarming Wholesome Sauce on top to sweeten the season.

So do yourself a solid and make the investment to countdown with Funko flair! Truly a gift that keeps giving…24 days straight of fandom surprises.

Just promise me you‘ll suppress the urge to binge every door right away haha. Let that antici~~~~pation marinate as long as possible!

Here‘s wishing you and yours a safe and happy holiday season filled with lots of laughter and minimal stress or headaches!

Now if you‘ll excuse me, I suddenly feel inspired to write a strongly worded letter lobbying Funko for a "Dwayne ‘The Rock‘ Johnson 25 Days of Dwanta" Advent calendar…