Jingle All the Way: 6 Christmas Campaign Ideas to Plan Before the Holidays
- Jacinta Lal
- Oct 21
- 5 min read
Updated: Nov 6
Dear DVYA Diary,
Christmas is only two months away and the festive season waits for no one. Now is the perfect time to get your campaigns planned, scheduled, and ready to sparkle. Waiting until the last minute usually leads to stress, messy visuals, and missed opportunities to connect with your audience. By starting early, you can craft campaigns that feel thoughtful, engaging, and perfectly on-brand.
Even if this is your first Christmas campaign, there’s no need to panic. You can start small, stay consistent, and create content that makes your audience smile while guiding them toward your products or services. Planning ahead also gives you the freedom to test ideas, refine messaging, and ensure every post and email shines in time for the holidays.
Here are six festive, fun, and fully actionable Christmas campaign ideas to help you slay your seasonal marketing!
1. The 12 Days of Festive Surprises 🎁
Countdown campaigns are an excellent way to keep your audience engaged in the lead-up to Christmas. Whether it’s a “12 Days of Christmas” giveaway, daily tips, or mini surprises like free downloads and discount codes, it creates excitement and anticipation. People love checking back to see what’s new, and a well-structured countdown encourages them to interact with your brand every day.
Why it works: Countdown campaigns combine predictability with surprise. Daily treats build habit, excitement, and engagement, and they are ideal for showcasing products, tips, or festive resources without feeling overly salesy.
Creative examples:
Day 1: Free downloadable “Holiday Planning Checklist”
Day 3: Highlight a best-selling product with a limited-time discount
Day 5: Instagram poll: “Which festive treat do you love most?”
Day 8: Share a short tutorial showing a product in a holiday setting
Day 12: Offer a free digital gift like a mini guide or festive wallpaper
Timeline:
8 weeks before Christmas: Plan daily content and mini-offers
6 weeks before Christmas: Design graphics, draft copy, and schedule posts
4 weeks before Christmas: Pre-launch teaser to generate excitement
2 weeks before Christmas: Start countdown and send daily updates
2. Build the Ultimate Holiday Gift Guide 🛍️
Gift guides simplify the shopping experience by curating products based on themes, personas, or price points. They save your audience time while positioning your products as the perfect gift. You could create guides like “Gifts Under $50”, “For the Homebody”, or “For the One Who Has Everything”. Pair visuals with clear CTAs to make shopping effortless.
Why it works: A curated gift guide reduces decision fatigue and increases conversions. It also gives you multiple touchpoints to showcase products across emails, social media, and your website.
Creative examples:
Gifts for the homebody who loves cosy and comforting items
Stocking fillers under £50 with direct purchase links
Eco-friendly gifts with tips for sustainable shopping
Bundles combining complementary products for a complete festive experience
Timeline:
7 weeks before Christmas: Select products and categories for the guide
5 weeks before Christmas: Draft copy, design visuals, and create PDF/landing page
3 weeks before Christmas: Launch guide on website and via email
1 week before Christmas: Send reminder highlighting last-minute options
3. Launch a “Thank You” Loyalty Campaign 💌
The festive season is the perfect time to show appreciation to existing customers. Personalised emails, early access, and surprise gifts make loyal customers feel valued and strengthen brand relationships. Even small gestures, like a warm “thank you” message, go a long way in fostering goodwill and repeat purchases.
Why it works: Loyalty campaigns build emotional trust and strengthen connections. Customers are more likely to engage and spend when they feel recognised and appreciated during the holidays.
Creative examples:
Early access to your holiday collection
Personalised discount codes via email
Surprise gifts with purchases for top customers
Timeline:
6 weeks before Christmas: Segment your audience and create loyalty offers
4 weeks before Christmas: Send first personalised email offering early access or discounts
1 week before Christmas: Send reminder with festive messaging to encourage repeat purchases
4. Create Interactive Christmas Campaign Content ✨
Interactive content such as quizzes, polls, and gift-finder tools is engaging and shareable. Your audience can have fun discovering personalised results while you learn more about their preferences. Examples include festive quizzes, “this or that” polls, or interactive Instagram Stories.
Why it works: People love content that feels personal and entertaining. It encourages sharing, builds engagement, and gives insights that can be used for future campaigns.
Creative examples:
Quiz: “Which Christmas Gift Matches Your Personality?” with product recommendations
Instagram poll: “Vote for your favourite festive recipe or decoration”
Gift-finder tool: Suggests the perfect gift based on a few simple questions
Timeline:
6 weeks before Christmas: Build interactive quiz/poll tool and test functionality
4 weeks before Christmas: Launch on Instagram and email, track engagement
2 weeks before Christmas: Share results and personalised suggestions with audience
5. Run Limited-Edition Festive Offers 📦
Limited-time offers create urgency and drive immediate action. You could offer holiday bundles, early bird specials, or short flash sales with festive branding. Scarcity and exclusivity make your products feel more desirable, while seasonal imagery and messaging enhance the experience.
Why it works: Scarcity encourages quicker decisions and boosts sales. Festive branding makes offers feel exciting and relevant, while countdown timers create additional urgency.
Creative examples:
24-hour flash sale with a countdown timer
Holiday bundles featuring best-sellers and festive packaging
Early bird discounts for purchases made before a specific date
Timeline:
5 weeks before Christmas: Decide on offers, draft emails, and design graphics
3 weeks before Christmas: Tease offers on social media
2 weeks before Christmas: Launch first limited-time offer
1 week before Christmas: Run final flash sale with last-minute shipping options
6. Share User-Generated Christmas Magic 🎅
Invite your audience to share their festive moments featuring your brand. This could be a photo contest, a hashtag challenge, or a request for holiday décor inspiration. Reward creativity with prizes or feature winners on your social media channels.
Why it works: User-generated content builds trust, authenticity, and community. Your audience feels involved, while you gain authentic marketing material to share across channels.
Creative examples:
“Show Us Your Holiday Setup”: Share festive photos with your products
Recipe or décor challenge: Submit images or videos using your products
Branded hashtag: Feature top posts on your channels
Timeline:
6 weeks before Christmas: Announce contest and set rules on social media
4 weeks before Christmas: Encourage entries and share weekly submissions
2 weeks before Christmas: Close entries, announce winners, and feature top content
Campaign | Timeline |
12 Days of Festive Surprises | 8w: plan, 6w: prep, 4w: teaser, 2w: countdown |
Gift Guides | 7w: plan, 5w: draft, 3w: launch, 1w: reminder |
Loyalty Campaigns | 6w: segment & create, 4w: first send, 1w: reminder |
Interactive Content | 6w: build & test, 4w: launch, 2w: results |
Limited Offers | 5w: prep, 3w: tease, 2w: launch, 1w: final push |
UGC Contests | 6w: announce, 4w: collect & share, 2w: feature winners |
Wrapping It All Up 🎀
Get your Christmas campaigns rolling now and watch the magic unfold! Planning ahead gives you time to sprinkle creativity, craft festive content, and delight your audience at every touchpoint.
So light the fairy lights, cue your favourite Christmas tunes, and start bringing your festive campaigns to life. Your audience will be dazzled, and your brand will be the star on top of the Christmas tree.
Until next time besties! 🦋
Want to deck your inbox with festive cheer?
Plan, schedule and wow your audience this season with ready-made Christmas email templates.