The holiday season isn’t just about twinkling lights, family dinners, and Mariah Carey on repeat—it’s also the busiest shopping period of the year. For e-commerce brands, this is the Super Bowl of sales.
Think about it: between Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Christmas, and New Year’s, shoppers are actively searching for the perfect gifts, deals, and experiences. With more than 30% of retail sales occurring online during the holidays in the U.S., your Shopify store (or any e-commerce business) has a significant opportunity.
But here’s the catch: everyone is fighting for attention. Discounts, flash sales, and promotions are everywhere. So, how do you ensure your brand doesn’t just blend into the noise?
The answer is creativity. The brands that stand out are the ones that go beyond price slashing—they connect with people on a deeper, more human level.
To help you get inspired, here are 6 creative holiday marketing ideas you can use this season to boost engagement, drive sales, and leave a lasting impression on your audience.
#1: Run a Holiday-Themed Giveaway
Holidays and giveaways are a match made in heaven. People love the excitement of winning free goodies—and brands love the exposure and engagement they bring.
Giveaways are powerful because they can:
- Proper planning is necessary to run a suIncrease your Instagram following
- Boost brand awareness
- Promote specific products
- Drive tons of user interaction
How it works in practice:
Let’s say you’re a skincare brand launching a holiday glow set. Your giveaway could look like this:
- Follow your account
- Like the giveaway post
- Tag two friends in the comments.
- Share the post on their Story for bonus entries
Now, instead of your campaign reaching just your current followers, it starts snowballing across new audiences.
Want to make it even more impactful? Team up with a complementary brand or influencer. If you sell candles, partner with a tea brand for a cozy holiday giveaway. Both audiences win, and so do you.
Pro tip: Don’t just think about short-term followers. Frame your giveaway around something aligned with your long-term brand goals—like encouraging people to join your email list or check out your new product page.
#2: Launch a Customer Appreciation Campaign
The holidays are the perfect time to say thank you. And in marketing, gratitude is more than a nice gesture—it’s a strategy that builds loyalty.
You don’t need a big budget to make customers feel valued. Even small actions can go a long way:
- Share user-generated content (UGC): Repost customer photos or videos and tag them.
- Create a fun thank-you Reel: A behind-the-scenes look at your team sharing appreciation.
- Offer exclusive promo codes:A special discount just for Instagram followers or email subscribers.
Example: Curology often shares customer results and stories, giving its users the spotlight. Not only does this make customers feel appreciated, but it also serves as authentic social proof.
Want to take it further? Drop “surprise and delight” moments. Maybe you could send a handwritten note or throw in a free mini product with orders placed in December. Small gestures like these create memorable experiences that customers love to talk about.
Because here’s the truth: loyal customers are more valuable than one-off holiday buyers. And showing gratitude now helps you keep those customers into the new year and beyond.
These customer appreciation campaigns also act as a “soft promotion” for businesses and products, as done by a skincare brand Curology.
Also read – 25 Social Media Content Ideas To Level Up Your Strategy
#3: Create Holiday-Inspired Products or Bundles
People are already in a buying mood during the holidays—give them something new and festive to get excited about.
That could mean:
- Limited-edition holiday packaging
- Seasonal flavors or scents
- Gift-ready bundles with special pricing
Example: Lush is famous for its seasonal launches. Their Christmas bath bombs and gift sets are so iconic that shoppers wait for them every year.
And it doesn’t have to be complicated. If you sell candles, create a “Holiday Cozy Trio.” If you sell fashion, bundle a scarf and gloves into a “Winter Warmth Set.” Even simple changes like adding festive packaging can create that sense of exclusivity.
Pro tip: Start teasing your holiday product early. Use Instagram Stories to drop hints, share behind-the-scenes clips of production, or post a countdown. Anticipation is half the magic.
#4: Give Back With a Holiday Cause Campaign
Let’s be real: people don’t just want to buy products anymore—they want to support brands that stand for something.
The holidays are about giving, which makes it the perfect time to show your values by giving back.
Some simple ways to do this:
- Donate a portion of holiday sales to a charity.
- Run a “buy one, give one” campaign (for every item sold, one gets donated).
- Use Instagram’s donation sticker in Stories to raise awareness.
Example: Clothing brand Kotn doesn’t do Black Friday sales. Instead, they donate their proceeds to fund schools in Egypt where their cotton is sourced. It perfectly aligns with their mission and builds deep trust with customers.
And here’s the best part: cause campaigns don’t just make an impact—they also strengthen customer loyalty. Shoppers feel good knowing their purchase supports a bigger mission.
In fact, studies show that 90% of shoppers would switch to a brand that supports a cause if price and quality were equal.
So, this holiday season, think beyond discounts. Think about impact.
#5: Collaborate With Influencers
The holiday season is a noisy time, and influencer collaborations are a great way to cut through that clutter. Influencers can introduce your brand to new audiences, authentically showcase your products, and create excitement around your holiday offers.
Ideas for holiday influencer campaigns:
- Gift guide Reels featuring your products
- “Day in the life” content showing your products in action
- Unboxing videos with festive packaging
- Styling or how-to videos tied to holiday trends
Example: Imagine a home décor brand teaming up with lifestyle influencers to do a “Holiday Home Makeover” Reel. The influencer shows how your products make their space cozy for the holidays—instant relatability.
Pro tip: Don’t just chase big names. Micro-influencers (with smaller but highly engaged audiences) can sometimes bring better ROI because their recommendations feel more personal.
Also read – Social Media Business Strategies
