The short version
- Holidays are easy posts because your customers are already thinking about them. Tie each one to something real you do.
- The most useful holiday post is a clear hours notice. People check your page before they call.
- Mix 4 kinds: hours, thank-you, gift or special, and local event. Skip the generic greeting graphic.
- Plan the year once. Put the holidays that matter to your trade on your calendar and reuse the posts every year.
Your last post says "Happy 4th of July." It's October. Holidays make people post once and then go quiet, because the greeting graphic was the whole plan.
These holiday post ideas for small business are different. Each one does a job for a customer: tells them when you're open, thanks them, or gives them a reason to book.
The 4 jobs a holiday post can do
A greeting alone is nice but forgettable. Pair it with something useful and it earns its spot on the page. Shops that sell gifts can find more in boutique post ideas.
| Job | What it does | Works best for |
|---|---|---|
| Hours notice | Tells people when you're open or closed | Every business |
| Thank-you | Shows customers you noticed them | Service and food businesses |
| Gift or special | Gives a reason to buy or book | Retail, bakeries, salons, restaurants |
| Local event | Ties you to your town | Anyone with a storefront or a service area |
A holiday-by-holiday table for the year
Dates for floating holidays move every year, so check your calendar. This table shows the month and what a local business can post.
| Month | Holiday or moment | What to post |
|---|---|---|
| January | New Year | Thank-you for last year, new hours, a goal for the year |
| February | Valentine's Day | Gift ideas, couple's specials, a love-your-neighbors post |
| March | Spring start | Seasonal tune-up, clean-up or menu change |
| April | Easter and spring cleaning | Order cutoffs, hours, spring specials |
| May | Mother's Day and Memorial Day | Gift ideas, hours notice, a thank-you to veterans |
| June | Father's Day and graduation | Gift cards, congrats to local grads, summer hours |
| July | Independence Day | Hours notice and a thank-you |
| August | Back to school | Schedule changes, school-year specials |
| September | Labor Day and fall start | Hours notice, a thank-you to your crew |
| October | Halloween and fall events | Fun crew photo, seasonal special, local events |
| November | Thanksgiving and early gift season | Hours notice, thank-you, order deadlines |
| December | Holidays and year end | Gift ideas, holiday hours, year-end thank-you |
Holiday post ideas for small business: hours and thank-yous
Holiday hours
Holiday hours: we're closed [day] and back [day] at [time]. For emergencies, call [phone]. Thank you for a great year, [town].
Photo: Your door sign or the crew out front.
Open on the holiday
Yes, we're open [holiday]. [Hours]. Come by for [special], or call ahead and we'll have it ready.
Photo: Your storefront with the lights on.
Crew thank-you
To the people who show up at 6am and stay late when the phone rings: thank you. Happy [holiday] from all of us at [business].
Photo: The crew together, not posed.
Customer thank-you
Thank you to every customer who trusted us this year. You're the reason we're here. Hope your [holiday] is full of good people and good food.
Photo: Your best job photo of the year.
For a bigger bank of ideas, see what to post on your business Facebook Page.
Gift and special posts
Gift card
Stuck on a gift? A [business] gift card works for anyone. Message us or stop by and we'll set it up.
Photo: A gift card with a ribbon on your counter.
Gift idea list
3 gift ideas from our shop for under [price]: [item 1], [item 2], [item 3]. Stop by and we'll wrap them.
Photo: The 3 items side by side.
Order deadline
Holiday orders close [date]. After that we can't promise delivery in time. Message us to place yours.
Photo: Your order board or calendar.
Give-back special
This month, we're giving [amount or item] to [local group] for every [thing] sold. Thanks for helping us help the town.
Photo: A photo with the group, with permission.
Keep any special honest and dated. If it ends Friday, say so. Electricians can add a holiday lighting safety tip, like the ones in electrician post ideas.
Local event posts that tie you to town
Fairs, parades, school games and farmers markets are free material. Post before the event with your hours, and after with a photo. Groomers fill their holiday books early, as in dog grooming post ideas.
Before the event
[Event] is this [day] in [town]. We'll be [open late / closed / set up on Main Street]. Come say hi.
Photo: A photo from last year's event.
After the event
Thanks to everyone who stopped by at [event]. We met a lot of great neighbors. See you next year.
Photo: Your booth or crew at the event.
Supporting a local team
Good luck to the [team] this season. We're proud to sponsor them. Show up and cheer.
Photo: The team or your banner at the field.
Local posts also help get more local followers on your Facebook Page, because neighbors tag neighbors.
How to plan holiday posts in 20 minutes
Circle the holidays that matter to your trade
Pick 6 to 8, not all 12. A heating company cares about the first cold snap. A bakery cares about order cutoffs.
Pick one job per holiday
Hours, thank-you, gift or event. Don't try to do all 4.
Schedule the hours post 1 to 2 weeks ahead
Put it on your content calendar so it doesn't get missed.
Save the posts for next year
Change the dates and reuse them. Keep a folder or notes file.
The slow weeks after the holidays are a chance to fill your schedule. See slow season marketing ideas. Restaurants can plan their holiday hours with restaurant post ideas.
