Black Friday and Cyber Monday are in the clear and it’s time for winter strategies to be put into play. Marketers must now plan to finish out the year strong and understand how consumers are shopping the rest of the season. Rakuten Marketing holiday data found that 36% of consumers have still not finished their holiday shopping by mid-December. While there are strategic marketing strategies brands should take to engage and convert the multitude of holiday consumers shopping right now, it’s always nice to have a little bit of fun during such a crazy time of the year.
We’ve created a quick list of marketable December holidays that can help boost post cyber week sales for all those who are still shopping for the holiday season. These days can provide a refreshing new take on holiday shopping for new and returning customers, as well as keep them engaged with your brand throughout December.
December 4: Santa’s List Day
This holiday is rumored to have been created in the North Pole and commemorates the day Santa’s elves have supposedly finished their first draft of Santa’s “Naughty or Nice” list. Use this fun “fact” as a way to engage consumers in a variety of ways. A quick outreach to your consumer or a simple thank you to those who shopped with you earlier in the holiday shopping season, packaged with a phrase like, “Did you know it’s “Santa’s List Day” today? For shopping with us during the busiest time of year, you’ve made our ‘Nice’ list! Unwrap our thank you gift now.” Through appreciating consumers past purchases and an invitation to purchase again, while being packaged in a creative and thoughtful way, brands have a higher chance of creating brand advocates.
December 9: Christmas Card Day 
December 9 is a day dedicated to sending Christmas cards! Continue to be appreciative to your consumers by sending them a festive Christmas greeting. Reaching out to your consumers and wishing them a happy holiday, along with some highlights or deals on products to help make their holidays even happier, will go a long way.
December 10: Human Rights Day
It’s been shown that consumers like to shop with brands that align themselves with a cause. Human Rights Day was created by the United Nations in 1948 where they adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). Human Rights Day 2018 marks the 70th anniversary since the UDHR originated. According to awarenessdays.com, this year celebrates all inalienable rights and freedoms including a right to education, a decent living, health care and a right to live free from any form of discrimination. Cause-driven marketing like this is especially valuable for brands that have a younger audience. According to AdWeek, millennials “consider themselves civic-minded and active participants in today’s world.” Brands that show care for such a notable day worldwide will win the attention of many kind-hearted consumers out there. Particularly during a time of the year where most brands are focused on capitalizing on the busy shopping season, reminding people to be thankful for something that shouldn’t be taken advantage of will only make your brand stand out amongst competitors and increase the likelihood of consumers remembering your brand’s name in the future. If you’re wanting to take a more aggressive approach, running a social campaign, similar to Giving Tuesday, inviting people to donate to a human right’s cause is a great way to raise awareness for your brand. Or, you can keep it more simple and invite people to make a purchase where a certain percentage or dollar amount will be donated to a certain cause. Even tailoring organic consumer-touch bases to highlight this day will highlight your brand’s care of a larger, more important cause than just a brand’s determination to capitalize on consumers’ holiday dollars.
December 21: Humbug Day
Sure, no one really loves to be around a scrooge during the holidays but it’s also a bit unrealistic to not have something to stress over during the busiest shopping time of the year. With Christmas so close, there’s bound to be some frustration for those who are making their last-minute purchases. This day is dedicated for just that, a day where anyone and everyone is allowed to vent their frustrations – giving brands an opportunity to help with this stress.
Think about adapting your marketing content to encourage consumers to take advantage of the holiday’s purpose, but then offer your consumers something to help on this “Bah Humbug” of a day. It’s always a plus when your marketing content is fresh, even if it’s a bit untraditional. With it going out during the most traditional time of the year. It’ll give your consumers a laugh, grow your brand’s voice, and grow the relationship with your consumers.
December 31: Make Up Your Mind Day
Christmas is over, and after all the uncertainties that come with the holidays, this day is to stop asking questions and to make up your mind. Tailor your marketing around empowering your customers to make a choice. Maybe there’s something they didn’t get for Christmas that they had their eye on or maybe they have some gift cards to spend. Whatever the strategy is, use this untraditional holiday as motivation for consumers to make a choice.
These marketable December holidays are more general examples of what marketers can use. There are quirky, fun or lesser-known holidays almost every day that brands can leverage to better serve personalized, enjoyable and unique marketing experiences. Look around, or come up one of your own to celebrate your brand and your customers!