The concept of seasonal Apple Watch achievements isn't strictly new. Apple introduced a Thanksgiving Day 5K challenge on November 24th with similar rewards. However, the Cupertino crew is being more aggressive about notifying users. Also, you're much more likely to realize that you can get achievements like this -- there's now a dedicated section in your iPhone's Activity app that shows seasonal medals, including a placeholder for the not-yet-active New Year's competition.

Not every Apple Watch owner is going to appreciate the campaign, to be sure. The alert could easily rub you the wrong way if you can't (or just don't care to) take up the challenge. However, it's not shocking to see Apple go this route. In addition to promoting good health, the seasonal events offer an incentive to keep wearing your watch. You may be more likely to use the Apple Watch every day if you know that you'll have something to show for that commitment, and that increases the chances that you'll be interested in a future model instead of letting your current watch languish in a drawer.