If purchased during the promotional period and kept as an unsent gift, the recipient of a gifted game with an associated promotional item will receive the item regardless of whether or not the promotional period had long-since passed. Players who purchase selected items from Valve or their partners, usually within a specified timeframe, will receive the item(s) advertised.
Promotional items in Team Fortress 2 are exclusive items made available to players through Valve's marketing partnerships with other companies, as well as through their own games.