Your Christmas Social Media Plan: Start in November, Not December
Every year, the same thing happens. It gets to the second week of December, and business owners realise they haven't posted anything festive, their offer isn't ready and their customers have already spent their money elsewhere.
After 8 years of planning Christmas campaigns for small businesses, here's the golden rule: the businesses that win at Christmas start planning in November.
Here's your week-by-week plan.
Early November: plan and prepare
Decide your festive offer. Gift vouchers, bundles, a seasonal service or a limited-time deal.
Check your key dates, including your last booking, delivery or ordering dates.
Refresh your profiles. Update your bio, highlights and pinned posts with your festive info.
Batch your content. Plan and create as much as you can now, before things get busy.
Mid-November: start the build-up
Tease what's coming. "Something festive is landing next week..."
Share your gift ideas and gift vouchers early for the organised shoppers.
Post reminders of your booking deadlines. "Only a few Christmas slots left" works because it's true.
Late November: Black Friday and beyond
Black Friday is on Friday 27 November 2026. If it suits your brand, run an offer. If it doesn't, that's fine too. Some brands do really well by doing the opposite, like giving back or supporting a cause.
Get ready for Small Business Saturday UK, which usually falls on the first Saturday in December. It's the perfect time to remind people to shop local.
Early December: peak season
Show your festive work. Christmas bakes, festive nails, finished jobs before the big day.
Gift guides. "Gifts for her under £30" or "Treats for your team" make brilliant carousels.
Behind the scenes. The Christmas rush, the team, the decorations.
Share your reviews. People are making quick decisions, and reviews help them decide.
Mid December: last chances
Final deadlines. Last booking dates, last order dates and your Christmas opening hours.
Last-minute gift ideas. Gift vouchers are perfect for last-minute shoppers.
Say thank you. A heartfelt thank-you post to your customers always does well.
Between Christmas and New Year
Keep it light. A thank-you post, a look back at your year and your January availability.
Plan January. New Year is one of the best times to promote bookings and fresh starts.
10 festive content ideas
Your team's favourite Christmas films or songs
A festive makeover of your shop, van or workspace
A gift guide using your products or services
"12 days of" tips, offers or behind-the-scenes posts
A countdown in your Stories
Your Christmas opening hours as a clear, simple graphic
A customer shout-out or thank-you post
Your year in review
A charity or community campaign you're supporting
A festive Reel using a popular trend
Tartan Social tip: always check you have the right to use music in business content. Stick to each platform's commercially licensed music library for your business posts.
Need help with the writing? Our ChatGPT prompts for small business social media will save you hours.
Frequently asked questions
When should small businesses start Christmas marketing?
Start planning in early November, and start posting festive content by mid-November. Many shoppers start early.
What should I post on social media at Christmas?
A mix of offers, gift ideas, behind-the-scenes, reviews and key dates, plus a few fun, festive posts to show your personality.
How often should I post during the festive season?
Keep your usual rhythm and add daily Stories in the busiest weeks.
Want Christmas planned for you?
At Tartan Social, we plan, create and post your festive social media, so you can focus on the busiest time of year. Done-for-you packages start from £399.
Get in touch now, before the festive rush.
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