Please help ... What is meant by 'in advance of" in this context? Thanks?

Question

Context:

Please encourage them to use their remaining points budgets to recognise deserving peers as far in advance of 10 January as possible.

Answer 1

Favourite answer

literally, before, with the "as far" part combined with *in advance of" indicating the earliest possible time that is still before the deadline.

Answer 2

In ths context, as in others, the phrase means before.

Answer 3

As early as possible, but definitely before 10 January.