Winter Marketing Calendar: The Most Exciting Seasonal Holidays and Content Collections

We’re nearing one of the most anticipated times of the year for many people. After all, no other season offers so many holidays and occasions for fun and pleasant leisure time. Winter is traditionally associated with home comfort, warm gatherings with family and friends, and gift exchanges.

For most brands, the beginning of winter is a time of the most intense marketing activity with large-scale campaigns and creative projects. While customers are looking for the best gift options, marketers are faced with the task of attracting their attention with favorable offers. You can achieve this through atmospheric holiday content that will resonate with the mood of your audience.

To help you attract customers, we have prepared a list of key newsworthy winter events and a collection of trending themed files for your seasonal campaigns. You will find both the most popular holidays and occasions that will allow you to stand out from the competition and establish a stronger bond with your audience. Keep reading to find ideas for efficient communication!

1. Saint Nicholas Day (6 December in Western Christian countries, 19 December in Eastern Christian countries)

The series of winter holidays starts with Saint Nicholas Day. On this day, people usually give gifts to children. Use this opportunity if you have something to offer adults who want to treat their kids. However, you should remember that many people hope to find a gift under their pillow regardless of age, because most people remain children in their hearts and continue to believe in fairytales. So, share some gift options for the adult audience. One more idea: conduct a survey among your social media followers and find out what gifts they wish to receive for the holidays. This information will come in handy when preparing holiday offers for Christmas and New Year. And to get your audience into the right mood, choose photos with gifts or people receiving and preparing them.

2. Human Rights Day (December 10)

Your audience most likely consists of very different people, and the problems that concern them are also quite different. These issues can pertain to civil rights, women’s rights, national minorities, people with disabilities, representatives of the LGBT community, and many others. Not to mention the rights to life, peace, and freedom, which assume particular importance in view of our current reality. If you support human rights initiatives, take the opportunity to talk about your position. You can also ask your audience what rights they are ready to defend. This is a great chance to learn about their values and “pains”, and strengthen your bond with them by showing personal involvement.

3. Hanukkah (December 18)

Another holiday that also falls within the second half of December is Hanukkah, one of the most important Jewish holidays. People in Jewish homes light candles (one for each night), and that is why Hanukkah is also called the Festival of Lights. It symbolizes the victory of light over darkness and good over evil. This is a celebration of hope that people need so much, especially now. On this day, families traditionally gather at the festive table with sufganiyah donuts and latkes potato pancakes. Another symbol of Hanukkah is the dreidel, a wooden spinning top that children play with. We suggest you include the Festival of Lights in your marketing calendar because this holiday is likely to be important for a section of your audience. They will definitely be pleased with warm greetings on this occasion. Complement your holiday messages and wishes with themed photos or cute illustrations from our Hanukkah collections.

4. Christmas (25 December in Western Christian countries, 7 January in Eastern Christian countries)

Christmas is the undisputed leader in the ranking of the most popular holidays among Christians. According to statistics, 65% of Christmas budgets in the United States are assigned to gift purchases. The figures may vary from country to country, but the tradition of giving presents for Christmas is ever popular. Quite naturally, this is one of the most important newsbreaks for brands. They focus maximum efforts on Christmas because it provides them with many opportunities to increase sales. In addition to usual promotional discounts and sales, you can offer customers a gift guide, holiday set, or an Advent calendar, where they will find special bonuses every day. Explore more seasonal marketing ideas in our article. And to make your holiday campaigns stand out, opt for trendy minimalist photos or atmospheric videos that perfectly convey the Christmas spirit.

5. New Year (January 1)

New Year also offers many opportunities for marketers. First, it’s a time full of holidays and vacations, when people spend even more time surfing the Internet and seeing holiday offers. Second, many people associate the arrival of the new year with the beginning of a new life. You can inspire your followers by asking them what they want to achieve in the new year. Better yet, offer them to write New Year’s resolutions and share them. You will have a chance to analyze the information received and think about how your product or service can help them. Here is a tip: statistics show that the most popular New Year’s resolutions are a healthy lifestyle, personal development or happiness, and weight loss. Complement your holiday offers with visual content that conveys the magic of the holiday season and restores faith in dreams coming true.

6. World Snow Day (January 15)

Many people eagerly await snow covered landscapes. This is especially true for children and outdoor enthusiasts. There’s even a special holiday for them called World Snow Day, which is observed on the third Sunday of January. It is aimed at promoting winter sports, so usually on this day, people organize various sports events and outdoor competitions, such as ice sculpture festivals. Encourage your audience to engage in winter outdoor activities. And it does not have to be skiing or snowboarding. There are many fun and exciting activities that will appeal to both children and adults. You can sled down hills, play snowballs, make snowmen and snow angels, or take a walk with the family in a forest or park. Such activities bring people closer to each other and give them the warmest memories.

7. Hugging Day (January 21)

In winter, the feelings of warmth and comfort are especially valuable. The festive spirit and time spent with loved ones puts people in a romantic mood. We strive to give others even more attention and positive emotions. This is what International Day of Hugs, observed on January 21, encourages us to do. Traditionally, on this day, you can hug anyone, even strangers who are open to it. There is a dedicated social movement called Free Hugs; its members offer strangers hugs as selfless acts of kindness and support. Of course, not everyone is ready to hug a stranger, but you can always remind your loved ones how important they are by using this sincere action. Tell your followers about this holiday or encourage them to share photos and stories about their sweetest and most precious hugs.

8. Chinese New Year (January 22)

Chinese New Year is one of the most important holidays for East Asians. It is also the longest one, as the New Year celebrations last 15 days. The dates of the Chinese New Year celebration are determined by the lunar calendar and therefore are different every year. But the tradition of gathering the whole family at a festive table for the annual “reunion dinner” stays unchanged. The most recognizable and important symbols of the holiday are the color red to bring luck, massive fireworks that conclude celebrations, and the patron animal according to the Chinese zodiac system (in 2023 it will be the Black Water Rabbit). Chinese New Year is becoming more and more popular worldwide, so do not miss this opportunity.

9. International Dessert Day (February 1)

International Dessert Day is dedicated to our favorite sweets. The secret behind people’s love for sweets is the hormone dopamine, which gives us a feeling of pleasure. And although excessive sugar consumption can have adverse health consequences, sometimes, you can treat yourself to something sweet and tasty. In addition, there are many recipes for “healthy” sweets today. This is especially relevant for those who promised themselves to eat healthy or lose weight in the new year. Offer your followers healthy dessert recipes or ask them to share their own. And to attract their attention, choose mouth-watering pictures of delicious sweets from our themed collection.

10. Venetian and Brazilian Carnivals (from February 4 to February 25)

February is the month of the world’s most famous and brightest carnivals. Venice will be the first to hold the costumed festival in 2023 (from February 4 to February 21). This carnival is justly considered to be the most mysterious and elegant. Its integral attributes are exquisite masks and outfits. The spectacular carnival in Rio de Janeiro, held from February 19 to February 25 this year, attracts no less attention. This large-scale festival involves celebrations in the streets and squares of the city, as well as Brazilian samba schools competing. More than a million tourists from different countries visit the carnival in Rio every year. Your followers will also be happy to plunge into the atmosphere of these popular festivals.

11. World Cancer Day (February 4)

Fun holidays aren’t the only reason to communicate with your audience. There are many events aimed to draw attention to serious issues. World Cancer Day is among such events. This awareness day is dedicated to cancer, a disease that remains one of the most common causes of death. This topic is very sensitive and requires a well-thought-out approach. We recommend you focus your communication with the audience on the importance of taking care of health and healthy living, since a significant part of cancer cases can be prevented by quitting smoking, engaging in physical activity, eating a balanced diet, and avoiding the intense sun. Get these simple rules across to your followers to show your care.

12. Fashion weeks (from February 7 to March 5)

In February, the most prominent events in the world of high fashion take place: top fashion brands demonstrate new collections to a wide audience. The main fashion shows are held in four “fashion capitals” — New York (February 7–15), London (February 15–19), Milan (February 19–25), and Paris (February 25 — March 5). These shows attract not only fashion lovers, but also anyone interested in modern trends in general. After all, fashion brands reflect public sentiment and shape modern aesthetics that influence many areas of our lives. So, it is likely that fashion weeks will attract the attention of your audience, especially if you use stylish photos from our collection.

13. Super Bowl (February 12)

The Super Bowl is a match that goes far beyond sports. Over a billion people worldwide watch the championship game of the NFL season, making it an important media event. The Super Bowl is justly considered to be an unofficial holiday, since on this day (usually the first Sunday of February), there’s a tradition to gather with family and friends to watch the main match of the season. In addition to the sports rivalry, there is also competition between brands; companies spend millions of dollars on advertising during the match, in hopes to reach the largest audience possible. We encourage you to use this opportunity for communication and choose content from a collection dedicated to the Super Bowl.

14. Saint Valentine’s Day (February 14)

Although Valentine’s Day is often criticized for becoming too commercial, this does not affect its popularity. People around the world continue to celebrate it and buy gifts for their loved ones. But since many brands are planning campaigns for the holiday, and the competition for customer attention is growing strongly, we recommend you focus on creative, unconventional content. You can stand out from generic images by using bright, themed illustrations and photos with classic symbols of Valentine’s Day reimagined by authors. We recommend opting for authentic photos with sincere emotions and showing love in all its diversity. Another great idea for the holiday: remind your audience how important it is to love yourself.

15. World Slow Day (February 26)

The modern world is constantly changing; working at a frantic pace and willing to do everything in time leads to permanent stress, which may result in health problems and kill all the joy of life. As an alternative to hustle culture based on excessive workaholism, there is the slow living movement all about slowing down and enjoying life. There is even a special holiday — World Slow Day — aimed to remind us to enjoy simple things. Use this opportunity to motivate your audience to take time for themselves. The more so because winter is the perfect time to wrap yourself in a warm throw, take a book or turn on your favorite movie, and spend the whole day like this. You can also turn tea drinking into a true ceremony or prepare a gourmet dinner. The main point is to do what really brings you pleasure and not rush. You will find even more ideas in our thematic collection.

To wrap up

Whatever newsbreaks you choose for launching marketing campaigns in the new season, try to show your audience you care and give them bright, positive emotions. Remember that nowadays, people really need it. Try to fill your communication with symbols of optimism and, of course, with trending content that you will find in our collections. We wish you successful winter campaigns!

Other articles that may interest you:

Christmas Holiday Marketing Kit: Photos, Videos, Templates, and Ideas

Outstanding Christmas Ads and Greetings Ideas

Winter Images and Videos: 9 Collections You Need This Holiday Season

Winter Color Palettes for Seasonal Ads and Campaigns