33 Holiday Marketing Ideas To Sell More in 2024

You can’t ignore it: There’s a festive buzz in the air. While some shoppers are gearing up for Black Friday sales, others are already checking off their holiday gift lists. 

It’s a huge opportunity for your business. During last year’s Black Friday Cyber Monday weekend, Shopify merchants hit record sales of $9.3 billion—24% more than the previous year. The trend continues upward: Bain projects US retail sales could reach $75 billion this holiday season. 

Ready to capture your share? Now’s the time to start planning your holiday campaigns. Here’s a mega-list of proven holiday marketing strategies, including gift guides, email marketing examples, and festive apps to get your online store ready and drive more holiday sales. 

33 holiday marketing ideas

1. Turn existing products into holiday gifts
2. Develop seasonal product variants
3. Offer digital gift cards
4. Consider timed holiday-themed “drops”
5. Create holiday collections
6. Develop holiday gift guides
7. Add gift wrapping as a product
8. Promote holiday sales and promotions on social media
9. Use content marketing to drive traffic
10. Host a holiday giveaway
11. Update social media headers or avatars
12. Send a holiday-themed newsletter
13. Incentivize new subscribers with a discount
14. Launched a timed email campaign
15. Add festive lifestyle images
16. Dress up your homepage
17. Add a holiday-themed announcement bar
18. Create a gift registry or wish list
19. Add a countdown bar
20. Create a shareable shipping calendar
21. Promote last-minute delivery and pick-up options
22. Enable multiple-address shipping
23. Update your holiday returns policy
24. Collaborate on an offline holiday marketing campaign
25. Host an in-store event for loyal customers
26. Sell at holiday markets
27. Host a workshop or class
28. Promote last-minute gifts
29. Say thanks
30. Plan Boxing Day promotions
31. Partner with nonprofits
32. Offer personalized gifts
33. Set up cart recovery campaigns

1. Turn existing products into holiday gifts

Your core products can generate new interest when bundled as holiday gifts. Festive touches like To/From tags or ribbons to standard packaging, and include gift wrapping as an option right on the product page or at checkout. 

2. Develop seasonal product variants

While it might be late to develop entirely new products unless you’re a dropshipper or use print-on-demand, you can still create holiday variants. Simple updates like festive sock colors or holiday labels for scented candles can refresh your existing catalog.

For example, coffee brand Detour creates a special holiday blend with seasonal branding and winter-inspired flavors. 

3. Offer digital gift cards

Digital gift cards are perfect if you want to add a holiday product but lack time. Feature them prominently on your site and in gift collections. You can promote them on social media after shipping deadlines pass to keep sales flowing through Christmas Eve. Update the gift card design to match the season and market them as perfect last-minute gifts.

4. Consider timed holiday-themed “drops”

Build anticipation around new products by teasing “drops” to your social media audience or email subscribers. Try running a 12 Days of Christmas campaign, introducing a new featured product each day until your shipping deadline. Or create a virtual advent calendar revealing a new holiday promotion each day.

5. Create holiday collections

Build collections around holiday themes, categories, or gift recipients to help visitors navigate your site. Curate your core products into collections like Holiday Party Dresses, Gifts for Dad, or Toys for Toddlers. This is a simple, free marketing strategy when you’re tight on time or budget.

Yeti Coolers, for example, has a Stocking Stuffers collection, making it easy for shoppers to find curated holiday products. 

6. Develop a holiday gift guide

Help customers navigate your store from a gift-buying perspective. Create gift guides on your blog, in email marketing campaigns, or through social media. For a simple alternative, link from social media or your homepage to holiday collections renamed as gift guides.

7. Add gift wrapping as a product

Gift wrapping add-ons offer convenience during the busy holiday season. Selling gift wrapping as a separate product means it appears in searches and collections. Baby brand Numpfer offers free gift wrapping as part of its offerings—especially valuable during the holidays.

Instead of creating a separate product, you can also use an app that integrates with your store. Wrapped adds gift-wrapping options directly to product pages and checkout, letting customers select wrapping styles and add gift messages before checkout.

8. Promote your holiday sales and promotions on social

Try timed or limited daily deals to create anticipation and urgency. Share exclusive discounts with your social followers. Use a discount app to offer gifts with purchase, BOGO holiday deals, or tiered discounts that encourage higher cart totals. 

9. Use content marketing to drive traffic

A strong holiday SEO strategy can help drive shoppers to your site when they’re actively searching for products like yours. 

Think about what your customers need during the holiday season. If they’re looking for festive recipes, unique gift ideas, or DIY content, create valuable content that connects with these interests. Share it through downloadable guides or how-to videos.

10. Host a holiday giveaway

Spread holiday cheer with a social media giveaway. Ask followers to share your post or join your newsletter to enter. This can expand your reach while building your email list if newsletter signup is part of entry requirements.

You can also add fun to the shopping experience with giveaway apps like Wheelio. Visitors spin to win bonuses like free shipping, discount codes, or free gifts.

11. Update social media headers or avatars

Show visitors your social profiles are ready for the holidays. Create seasonal logos and assets using Hatchful or Canva, add holiday messaging to your bio, and turn your header into a festive banner.

12. Send a holiday-themed newsletter 

Connect with subscribers through targeted email marketing campaigns. Your subject lines need to stand out— holiday inboxes are crowded. 

Take inspiration from Happi Chocolate, who built anticipation for Black Friday:

13. Incentivize new subscribers with a discount

Attract holiday subscribers with seasonal offers. Set up welcome emails with unique coupon codes, or use a pop-up that reveals the discount when visitors sign up.

14. Launch a timed email campaign

Keep subscribers engaged with daily or weekly holiday promotions. Feature daily deals, discount codes, gifts with purchase, and new products that build excitement as the holiday approaches.

15. Add festive lifestyle images

Show your products in a holiday context with seasonal lifestyle photos. If new photography isn’t possible, find free stock photos on sites like Burst for collection headers.

📌Pro tip: Shopify Magic can change product image backgrounds in a few clicks—no reshoots needed.

16. Dress up your homepage

Add festive elements to show visitors you’re ready for holiday shopping. Several apps in the Shopify App Store make it simple:

• Christmas Snowfall Effects creates falling snow
• HolidaySpark adds animated holiday icons
• MX MP3 Background Holiday Player greets customers with a seasonal soundtrack

17. Add a holiday-themed announcement bar

Add an announcement bar to highlight specials and shipping deadlines. Apps like Hextom let you add custom banners quickly. Guitar brand Loog uses this space to promote its 40%-off sale across the site.

18. Create a gift registry or wish list

Wish lists help build your customer list and boost sales. Customers create accounts to save products, letting you notify them about sales on their saved items. Try apps like Wishlist Plus and Gift Reggie to manage registries and send targeted marketing messages. 

19. Add a countdown bar 

Show shipping cut-off dates clearly to create urgency. Apps like POWR and Order Deadline embed countdown times on product pages to remind customers about purchase deadlines.

20. Create a shareable shipping calendar

Make holiday shipping deadlines easy to find. Share a calendar graphic or chart with key dates across your FAQ pages, emails, and social media. 

21. Promote last-minute delivery and pick-up options

If you serve local customers, consider offering pickup beyond shipping deadlines. Allow curbside pickup from your store, studio, or office. You might even add local delivery just for the holidays.

22. Enable multiple-address shipping

Let customers ship items from a single order to different addresses with Giftship—perfect for shoppers buying multiple gifts.

23. Update your holiday returns policy

Set clear refund and exchange terms early, especially if they change for the holidays. A simple returns process can boost purchase confidence. Clothing brand For Love and Lemons includes instructions for returning gifts, helping gift recipients navigate returns smoothly. 

24. Collaborate on an offline holiday marketing campaign

For physical stores, partner with neighboring businesses on holiday promotions. Consider Main Street bingo cards, brand collaborations, scavenger hunts, or special shopping events. The Junction business association in Toronto created a window wonderland with local shops. 

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A post shared by Toronto Junction (@torontojunction)

25. Host an in-store event for loyal customers

Welcome local customers to an exclusive after-hours event with food, music, and special offers. These experiences help shoppers connect with your brand while exploring products in person. 

26. Sell at holiday markets

Test retail selling by joining existing holiday markets or hosting your own. Meet your local community, network with other business owners, and direct shoppers to your online store.

27. Host a workshop or class

Plan in-store events around holiday campaigns. If you’re promoting a new product, incorporate it into a DIY project. A craft store might lead a wreath-making workshop using their flowers, string, and tinsel—giving customers hands-on experience with the products.

28. Promote last-minute gifts

After shipping deadlines pass, focus marketing on gift cards and digital products for late shoppers.

29. Say thanks

Once the holiday rush ends, send thank you notes or follow-up offers to keep customers engaged. PostPilot helps you reach customers through personalized postcards instead of crowded inboxes.

30. Plan Boxing Day promotions

Continue past Christmas with Boxing Day or Boxing Week deals. Send previews before Christmas—shoppers may have gift cards to spend or items to exchange. 

31. Partner with nonprofits

More than 20% of consumers plan to shop sustainably this holiday season. Consider partnering with nonprofits to donate from each order. 

Adventurist Backpack Co. donates 25 meals for every product sold. Last holiday season, it expanded its Feeding America partnership by also donating backpacks to local students. 

“They are really happy to be able to give back both on a national level and locally here in the community,” says co-founder Matilda Sandstroem. “There’s always a burst of sales.”

32. Offer personalized gifts

With personalized gifts expected to reach $34.3 billion in annual sales by 2026, consider adding customization options. Baby brand MORI adds a “Personalize me” button on product pages, letting gift shoppers add names to sleepsuits for an extra £5.

33. Set up cart recovery campaigns

Cart abandonment rises during Black Friday Cyber Monday as shoppers wait for better deals. Cart recovery emails showing abandoned items with personalized checkout links can bring these customers back.

6 tips to launch a successful holiday marketing campaign

Now you’re loaded up with inspiration, use these tips to turn your holiday marketing ideas into results this season: 

1. Start planning early

One-third of online shoppers start holiday shopping in October, so begin your Black Friday planning now. Create holiday posts, graphics, or email copy ahead of time to avoid last-minute stress. 

Build excitement through October with teasers. By Thanksgiving, your customers will be ready to buy—and you’ll be ready to serve them.

2. Set goals for holiday sales

Measure your holiday marketing success by setting clear goals before planning your campaigns. Review last year’s performance to set realistic targets that align with your business objectives. 

Make your goals SMART: specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-based. “Generate 10% more sales in December through email” works better than “Get more leads.” 

3. Create a holiday marketing strategy

Choose marketing ideas that fit your brand and audience rather than trying everything. Plan your content, channels, and timing carefully. Combine emails, social media promotions, and website updates to reach more customers. 

4. Personalize your marketing

Customers buy more from brands that understand them. Use previous shopping data to personalize your holiday messages, from product recommendations to special offers for loyal customers.

5. Show your personality 

With 70% of purchasing decisions driven by emotion, let your brand personality shine in your holiday campaigns. Be personable and human by cracking jokes, using a casual tone of voice, and sharing your unique values. 

6. Consider extra funding

Holiday advertising costs rise as brands compete for limited customer attention. Focus your budget on channels with proven returns.

You might need funding beyond marketing. Passion Footwear used Shopify Capital to airship 20% of its seasonal inventory instead of slower sea freight.

“I’m not confident we would have been able to bring in our holiday shipment [without Shopify Capital],” said CEO and founder Haley Pavone. “Capital was vital in getting us the holiday inventory on hand that we needed to support that 375% sales growth. I don’t think we would have seen anything close to that growth figure without it.”

End 2024 with a bang using these holiday marketing ideas 

Holiday marketing requires a different approach. Your customers are shopping for others, not themselves, and shipping deadlines create natural urgency. 

Use these holiday marketing tips and tools to adapt your marketing for the holiday season. Create positive shopping experiences that turn holiday customers into year-round buyers in 2025.