10 Holiday Newsletter Ideas That Drive Sales (+ Templates)

When should I start sending holiday newsletters?

The earlier you begin, the more time you’ll have to warm up and nurture your audience. Ideally, you want to start sending warm-up emails to your audience around September.

Our web analytics data shows that brands start researching holiday campaign ideas as early as July.

One of the reasons merchants start getting ready 6 months before the end of the year is how noisy people’s inboxes get around the holidays. This makes it difficult to stand out against your competitors, especially when you’re competing against big brands.

And while you don’t have to send out holiday-themed discounts or promos in the summer, you can certainly start engaging your audience, so when they’re ready to do their holiday shopping, you’ll be right there, at the forefront of their thoughts

10 Holiday newsletter ideas for ecommerce

If you’ve decided to get an early start on your holiday newsletters, you’re in luck.

Below is a sample sequence you can use to start building awareness and hype around your brand. This promo sequence was designed to be used in this order. However, feel free to experiment with it, adjusting it according to your goals and what feels right for your brand.

1. Send a “100 days till Christmas” reminder

For some audiences, the countdown to Christmas starts as early as September — especially in industries like parenting, hobbies, cooking, and hosting. In these categories, people prepare well in advance because they need time to budget, plan, and make thoughtful decisions.

If you belong to one of these industries, use the “100 days until Christmas” email to remind customers about your products and signal that it's time to start planning their holiday shopping. This year, MindWare, a kids' developmental toy brand, did exactly that by sending a countdown reminder.

Why this works

• The playful countdown sparks excitement without pushing for a sale
• Incentive (like free shipping) sweetens the deal for early shoppers
• Early notice helps conscious buyers plan and budget ahead

2. Tease your upcoming holiday collection

If you're launching a holiday-specific collection or limited-edition items, a teaser campaign builds excitement and gets subscribers ready to buy the moment it drops. For example, SKIMS announced their Holiday Shop launch with a teaser email in late October. It’s a perfect example of a festive holiday email campaign that builds anticipation before the official shopping rush.

Why this works

• Teaser copy and launch date build anticipation and urgency
• Waitlist CTA captures ready buyers before the collection goes live
• Product previews make the upcoming drop feel tangible and exclusive

3. Launch an end-of-year sale

After Black Friday, keep the momentum going with an early-December end-of-year sale. It’s the perfect way to re-engage subscribers who didn’t buy during the big weekend and clear leftover inventory before holiday shipping deadlines.

This type of campaign does double duty: it lets customers grab great deals on products they’ve been eyeing, while building excitement about your upcoming holiday collections.

This is how True Classic, a men fashion brand did it last year.

Why this works

• Featuring bestselling products drives quick conversions
• Steep discounts and scarcity messaging create urgency to buy
• Framing inventory clearance as “making room for new arrivals” turns necessity into opportunity

4. Run an early gifting flash sale

Speaking of early savings – go against the grain and run an early limited-time holiday flash sale for the people in your email list who are ready to get their shopping done early.

In your holiday newsletter, you can talk about the benefits of getting your gift-buying out of the way early. One of the benefits is that they won’t stress over last-minute shopping or worry about the items on their list being out of stock.

That’s exactly what Ferko’s did last year.

Why this works

• Curated gift suggestions reduce decision fatigue
• Clear “shop early” message appeals to organized buyers
• Limited-time offer creates urgency without last-minute pressure

5. Curate a holiday gift guide

Holiday gift guides are one of the most effective ways to help your subscribers make purchasing decisions for their loved ones. They reduce overwhelm by curating your best products into organized, shoppable categories.

You have several options for how to do this. First, you can create a page on your website to house the gift guide, then link to that page in your promo emails. Second, you can create a gift guide as a separate holiday newsletter.

Why this works

• Organized categories make gift browsing effortless
• Product visuals and “shop now” links remove buying friction
• Gift guide emails serve as inspiration and instant shopping tool

6. Run a themed giveaway

The holidays are the perfect time for gift-giving – not just for your customers, but for your brand, too.

Giveaways are an easy way to drive email engagement and remind your subscribers about your products right before the gift-shopping season. For example, this is what a giveaway email by Linjer looked like last year.

Why this works

• Simple entry mechanics drive both email and social engagement
• People visiting the giveaway page get to browse bestsellers as well
• Pre-season giveaways improve open and click rates before major promos

7. Put your team on display

What are holidays, if not a time to connect on a human level?

In addition to your regular email promos, take some time to feature your team in your holiday newsletters. You’ll remind your subscribers that real people run your brand.

People love to buy from people they like. So give your subscribers a chance to like your people!

Don’t hesitate to showcase tons of personality in these emails. Just look at Hobbii’s email featuring their team member Gea.

Why this works

• Personal product picks feel genuine, not sales-driven
• Adds a human touch that builds trust and emotional connection
• Highlights real people and authentic personalities behind the brand

8. Send shipping deadline reminders

As Christmas approaches, shipping deadline reminders become your most important emails. These emails serve two purposes: they create urgency for fence-sitters and help organized shoppers plan their final purchases. This is one of those emails where you might want to add an animated countdown timer GIF.

Made by Mary, in the example below, sends a clear shipping deadline reminder in mid-December.

Why this works

• Clear “last call” messaging creates urgency without stress
• Visual date blocks make shipping deadlines easy to grasp
• Focus on ready-to-ship items reassures buyers and drives quick action

9. Share your year-in-review

A year-in-review email lets you celebrate what you built together with your customers. It's less about pushing products and more about reflecting on the journey — while naturally reminding subscribers of highlights they may have missed.

Below is a great example of a year-in-review email from a New York-based fashion brand, Mixed by Nasrin, celebrating their 2024 with customers through community moments.

Why this works

• Visual highlights and milestones create the sense of belonging
• Celebrates customers and community instead of focusing on sales
• Genuine gratitude strengthens loyalty and reinforces brand values

10. Send a personal holiday message

After weeks of promotional emails, surprise your subscribers with a heartfelt, non-promotional message. This isn't about driving immediate sales — it's about showing you value the relationship beyond transactions.

A clothing brand The Line by K sends a short, personal holiday message from the founder. The email features playful photos and just a few words, yet it instantly creates a warm, human connection with subscribers.

Why this works

• Simplicity stands out amid sales-heavy emails
• Personal message from the founder feels authentic
• Genuine gratitude replaces promotion, creating emotional impact

💡 Note how the handwritten-style text in the header adds a personal touch to the email. You can recreate this effect using a free calligraphy signature generator and adding your brand name, founder’s signature, or a holiday greeting in elegant script.

Recap: holiday newsletter ideas by industry

If you sell in a specific niche, tailor your email strategy to your audience. Here are some focused holiday newsletter ideas for different ecommerce industries.

December holidays and dates to keep note of

So, what are the main holidays you can add to your newsletter promo calendar in December?

First off, remember to take Black Friday into account. Afterward, look for these specific dates in 2025:

• December 1 – Cyber Monday
• December 4 – Santa’s List Day
• December 14 – Beginning of Hanukkah
• December 21 – Winter Solstice
• December 24 – Christmas Eve (and Last-Minute Shopper’s Day)
• December 25 – Christmas
• December 31 – New Year’s Eve
• January 1 – New Year’s Day

Believe it or not, this isn’t even a complete list. You can look at Holiday Calendar website for a full overview of special days.

Beyond the major holidays, a few strategic dates can help you fine-tune your campaign timing:

• December 15 – Free Shipping Day: highlight shipping incentives and final delivery cut-offs
• December 17 – Last day for standard shipping: send “last call” reminders
• December 21 – Last day for expedited shipping: promote e-gift cards or local pickup options
• January 2–5 – Post-holiday sales peak: run clearance campaigns and “new year, new you” offers

Make this holiday season count

You’ve just seen 10 practical holiday newsletter ideas and examples any ecommerce brand can adapt — from early countdowns to heartfelt thank-you notes.

The stakes are high. Online sales during the 2024 holiday season grew 8-9%, reaching nearly $297 billion — accounting for about 30% of all holiday shopping, according to Digital Commerce 360. That's why the key to a successful holiday email campaign isn't just creativity; it's timing and consistency.

Plan ahead, send with intention, and make every message feel personal and festive.

Want to take one task off your list? Try Getsitecontrol — the perfect email marketing suite for ecommerce brands looking for style and simplicity. Design beautiful festive email templates, automate seasonal sequences, and send up to 2,000 emails for free.