slow gifting noun [U]
UK /sləʊ ˈgɪft.ɪŋ/ US /sloʊ ˈgɪft.ɪŋ/
the activity of shopping carefully and thoughtfully for gifts, and buying high-quality, often hand-made items from small shops or individual sellers

[S]low gifting has been hailed as one of this year’s top Christmas trends. Personal shoppers are reporting a surge in popularity of gifts from small independent brands. They claim their clients are increasingly looking for products that tell a story, and they are willing to spend big.
[The Times, 19 November 2017]

Christmas creep noun [U]
/ˈkrɪs.məs.kriːp/
the act of advertising and selling Christmas-related goods before the traditional start of the Christmas season

The phenomenon of Christmas creep is nothing new, of course. It’s been a cultural touchpoint at least since Charlie Brown walked into a department store during a 1974 Easter special to find that the aisles were already decked with wreaths. But the migration to online shopping has upped the stakes in recent years and made the final months of the year on which retailers rely most all the more crucial.
[mashable.com, 1 November 2017]

reverse advent calendar noun [C]
UK /rɪˈvɜːs ˈæd.vent ˌkæl.ən.dᵊr/ US /rɪˈvɝːs ˈæd.vent ˌkæl.ən.dɚ/
an activity that involves putting aside one food item per day during December and then taking all the items to a food bank on Christmas Eve to help people in need

Increasingly, ideas such as the reverse advent calendar are gaining in popularity. It’s a simple concept that encourages the public to give, not receive as they count down to Christmas. People collect one food bank item each day and, on Christmas Eve, the whole calendar is donated … Reverse advent calendars are a great idea, and yet another example of how local communities are taking action to stop their neighbours going hungry.
[The Guardian, 1 December 2017]

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