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Christmas and New Year 2026: dates and promotion ideas for shops

The gift season runs from early December to Christmas on December 25, and in Georgia on to New Year and Orthodox Christmas on January 7. The key dates, what gift buyers need, and promotions that fit.

Dates checked against two independent sources on October 19, 2026.

Key dates for the 2026 gift season

Christmas Day is Friday December 25, 2026, and New Year's Day is Friday January 1, 2027. Many countries also shop heavily on December 26 and in the first week of January.

In Georgia the season runs longer: January 1 and 2 are public holidays, New Year is the main gift-giving day, and Orthodox Christmas is on Thursday January 7, 2027.

What gift buyers need

Gift buyers are buying for someone else, so they need help choosing more than they need a discount. Clear suggestions by person and by budget sell more than a long catalogue.

Their biggest fear is that the gift will not arrive in time. A visible last order date for delivery before the 25th, or before January 1 in Georgia, often matters more than the price.

A December plan

Early December: publish a gift guide, set up gift wrapping and gift cards, and check stock on your best gift items.

Mid December: ask your carrier for their last safe dispatch date and show your own last order date on every page. After it, switch the message to gift cards that arrive instantly.

After Christmas: run a short clearance or a New Year offer, and in Georgia keep gift messaging going until January 7.

Mistakes that cost shops the most

Promising delivery dates the carrier cannot keep. A gift that arrives on the 27th costs you the customer and often a refund.

Discounting best sellers in early December. People buy gifts they want anyway; save discounts for slow stock and for the week after Christmas.

Seven gift-season ideas for a small shop

  1. A gift guide by person and budget

    Group products as "for her", "for him", "for kids" and "under 20". It answers the question every gift buyer has and works well in email and social posts.

  2. A visible last order date

    Show the last day to order for delivery before Christmas on your product and cart pages. It reassures buyers and creates honest urgency as the day approaches.

  3. Gift cards for late buyers

    After the delivery deadline, promote gift cards sent by email. They rescue sales from people who left it too late and bring the recipient to your shop in January.

  4. A daily spin in December

    Let visitors spin a prize wheel once a day during December, like an advent calendar. Small prizes most days and a rare bigger one bring people back without discounting everything.

  5. Free gift wrapping as a prize

    Gift wrapping costs little and matters a lot to gift buyers. Offer it free above an order value, or as one of the prizes on your wheel.

  6. Last-minute local pickup

    If you have a shop or a pickup point, promote collection in the last days before Christmas. It wins the buyers who gave up on delivery.

  7. A January reason to return

    Include a code for January with every December order. Gift receivers and buyers both come back when the post-holiday quiet starts.

A ready prize wheel for the gift season
Prizes that help gift buyers more than a deep discount does. Open it in the free wheel to see how often each lands.
  • 10% off
  • Free gift wrapping
  • Free delivery
  • Free gift

Suggested chance of winning: 35% of spins land on a prize. Gift wrapping and delivery most often, 10% off less often.

Set a budget for the whole month. A daily spin brings many plays, and the budget keeps the total cost fixed however many people come back.

Spin this prize set

Questions

When should I start my Christmas promotions?
Early December for gift guides and gift cards. Many buyers start right after Cyber Monday on November 30, so have your gift pages ready by then.
When is Christmas in Georgia?
Orthodox Christmas in Georgia is on January 7, which is Thursday January 7 in 2027. January 1 and 2 are New Year public holidays, and New Year is the main gift-giving day.
What is the last day to order for Christmas delivery?
It depends on your carrier and where you ship. Ask them for their last safe dispatch date, add a day of margin and show that date as your last order date.
Are gift cards worth offering?
Yes, especially after your delivery deadline. They sell to late buyers, arrive instantly and bring a new customer to your shop in January.
Does a prize wheel suit the Christmas season?
A daily spin during December works like an advent calendar: small prizes most days and a rare bigger one. Set a monthly budget so the cost stays fixed.

Run a prize wheel for this sale

DealCraft puts a prize wheel on your website or at your counter. You choose the prizes, the chance of winning and a hard budget, and every winner gets a single-use code. The free plan gives you 200 plays a month, enough to test it before the sale.

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