Naming Hostess Penguins for a $2,500 Gift Card

Gift cards will be a big part of holiday shopping this year, whether people buy them for gifts or add them to their wish lists in the hopes of receiving one from someone else.

In keeping with that theme, Hostess is using a gift card as a grand prize in a new contest that it says will “brighten the holiday season” for the winner.

The “Name the Penguins” contest begins Nov. 22 on Hostess’s Facebook page, which recently reached 100,000 fans. There, players can suggest names for four new penguins that will appear on seasonal Donettes packaging. A different penguin is featured on each of four Donettes varieties: Powdered, Frosted, new Frosted Devil's Food and limited-edition holiday Gingerbread Spice.

Five finalists will be announced and then from Dec. 17 to Dec. 31, people can vote for their favorite names. In addition to the gift card, the winner will also receive free Donettes for a year.

"Hopefully this will bring some Hostess holiday cheer not only to our finalists, but to everyone who participates," Amy Clark, director of snack marketing for Hostess, said in a release.

In addition to the contest, Hostess has changed up its packaging for the holidays. Penguins will appear on seasonal packages of Donettes and Hostess multi-pack Chocolate CupCakes and Twinkies will show Hostess mascots Curly and Twinkie the Kid all bundled up for winter.