As we approach peak holiday season, here is a look at a few Christmas-themed properties whose focus on the year-round world of the North Pole gives their licensors an opportunity to potentially expand beyond the finite annual selling seasons typical of most holiday properties. While they are in various stages of their life spans, all have launched associated entertainment, experiential, digital, and consumer products initiatives, with plans for expansion:
- Elf on the Shelf. As this classic Christmas property turns 20 in 2025, it has been adding new characters and storylines, as well as new geographies and licensees to its already well-established consumer products program. In 2023, property owner The Lumistella Company debuted its Santaverse, which highlights the year-round world of the North Pole and features a variety of new characters, such as Noorah the Arctic Fox, as well as the classic Scout Elves. The company signed a deal with HarperCollins that includes a seven-title series of middle-grade novels to debut in 2025, and it has a content partnership with Netflix. Sub-brands based on new character sets that have launched over the life of the property include Elf Pets, Elf Mates, SnoBiggie, Frost Pips, and Bogie. Licensee signings have included General Mills for Pillsbury Funfetti baking mixes; The Frozen Farmer for ice cream and ice cream novelties; Kellogg’s for cereal; I’m The Chef Too! for kids’ baking kits; Kennedy Publishing and Farshore for magazines and books; and McDonald’s for Happy Meal promotions, among many others. The company plans to expand into digital gaming in 2025 through partnerships with Outright Games and Toikido (the latter for a presence on Roblox). Lumistella is also very active in location-based entertainment in the U.K., U.S., and other markets; all told, The Elf on the Shelf and the Santaverse are available in more than 25 different countries.
- Pomp, Snow, and CIRQUEumstance. Licensed by Variety Arts Management, this property, which is centered on a theatrical holiday experience incorporating digital effects and live entertainment as well as a book series, debuted in 2021 and was introduced to the licensing community at Licensing Expo in 2024. The property is about three best friends who learn magic, music, and circus skills at a secret university in a brightly colored North Pole-like land. Once they earn their diplomas, given to them by Santa, they embark on a mission of spreading the joy and wonder of Christmas and the holidays of other religious traditions. Since the Expo, the property has launched a holiday special with Armed Forces Entertainment, led by a new character called RoboClaus and accompanied by licensed products including plush, apparel, and other goods; signed with Haaseline Entertainment to develop retail entertainment experiences; and partnered with the Crayola Experience for a weekend-long immersive “A Magical Circus Adventure,” which debuted in Orlando this month.
- Santa.com. This IP, developed by Curiosity, Inc., a unit of Grom Social Enterprises, puts a technological spin on the world of the North Pole. An animated feature film is in production with Toons2Tango and other partners in a deal announced in 2023; a release date of fall 2025 was once publicized but currently no set date for release is listed. The story is about a cyberattack at the modernized North Pole’s Santa.com and an elf called YoYo who leads the charge to save Christmas. Meanwhile, the brand includes websites for adults and children. The latter includes Christmas content (based on some of the characters from the film and occasionally outside characters such as Cepia’s Cats vs. Pickles) as well as A.I.-driven interactive components; the former features tips and tools to ensure families have a merry Christmas. Products including stationery, candy, and cookies are available through the sites from licensees Sweet Tooth Fairy and Denik, both announced as partners in November 2023. Santa.com also inspired a series of books in 2022 and 2023 based on characters tied to the franchise, all with Dynamite Entertainment. Titles included Snow Boy, Baldwin’s Big Christmas Delivery, and How the North Pole Works. Previously, a hardcover called Santa.com was published by Familius.
The Elf on the Shelf and potentially the two newer IPs join a group of perennial holiday-themed licensed properties, from Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer to The Nightmare Before Christmas, and beyond, that seem to earn a stronger collective presence on store shelves each year.
In case you missed it, Raugust Communications has published its annual look at the top trends of significance to the licensing community in the past year. Read the “The Year in Review: 2024,” which features 30 trends to ponder as the business moves into 2025, here.
And a note that RaugustReports will be taking a short break for the holidays, with this being the last post for 2024. We’ll be back with twice-weekly insights on the licensing business on Thursday, January 2, 2025. In the meantime, we wish everyone a happy, healthy, and prosperous new year!
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