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Your ultimate last-minute Christmas content checklist (B2B & B2C)

Picture of Shay Keyworth

Shay Keyworth

Christmas content planning – those three little words that strike fear into the heart of even the most seasoned marketer. You know you need to start early, but somehow November arrives and panic sets in. We’ve all been there. In fact, we’re there right now.

Whether you’re crafting campaigns for B2B clients who need a subtle, classy, very on-brand festive touch or B2C brands going full jingle bells, this checklist will keep you organised, creative, and actually enjoying the process. Cue the cosy Christmas playlist…

  • November is for planning, not panicking. Audit last year's performance, map your content calendar around key dates, and batch create content before December chaos hits.
  • Early December means launching across all channels. Get your social media schedule live, segment and test email campaigns.
  • Mid-December is about momentum and urgency. Push last-minute gift ideas, create "order by X date" content, run competitions, and respond to everything.
  • Don't forget Boxing Day and post-Christmas analysis. Launch Boxing Day sales, share genuine thank-you posts, and document what worked so you don't start from scratch next year.

November: Laying the groundwork

Strategic Planning

  • Audit last year’s performance – what worked? What flopped harder than Home Alone 3? Pull those insights now before you forget
  • Set your festive goals – are you driving sales, building awareness, or just spreading good cheer? (All valid, by the way)
  • Map your content calendar – block out key dates: Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Christmas Eve, Boxing Day, and any industry-specific dates

Content Creation Prep

  • Brainstorm your angles – will you go nostalgic? Humorous? Heartwarming? Pin this down early
  • Plan your photoshoots – book photographers, props, and locations before everyone else does
  • Write your gift guides – whether it’s “Tech Gifts for Remote Teams” (B2B) or “Stocking Fillers Under £20” (B2C), get writing
  • Create email templates – design festive headers and footers you can reuse across campaigns

B2B Specific

  • Plan your year-end content – industry roundups, annual reports, “what we learned” pieces
  • Schedule client thank-you touchpoints – these should feel personal, not automated (even though you absolutely are automating them)
  • Prep any holiday closure communications – be clear about response times over the break

Early December: Launch mode

Social Media

  • Create a posting schedule – aim for 3-5 posts per week minimum, more if you’re running competitions
  • Design branded festive graphics – Christmas-ify your logo, create festive story templates
  • Schedule Stories and Reels – behind-the-scenes content, team celebrations, product features with festive music
  • Set up Instagram/Facebook shopping – make sure your shop is updated and easy to navigate
  • Create shareable content – memes, quotes, festive tips that people actually want to share

Email Campaigns

  • Segment your lists – VIP customers, loyal clients, dormant subscribers each need different messaging
  • Write your email sequence – early bird offers, last-minute gifts, Boxing Day sales
  • Test everything – subject lines, preview text, mobile formatting, ALL the links
  • Add festive elements – GIFs, countdown timers, festive colours (but keep it readable and brand-adjacent!)

Website Updates

  • Add festive banners – announce shipping deadlines, special offers, holiday hours
  • Create landing pages – for gift guides, holiday collections, or special promotions
  • Update your homepage – reflect the season without overwhelming visitors; they need to still instantly recognise your brand
  • Check site speed – traffic spikes during Christmas; make sure your site can handle it

Mid-December: Keep the momentum

Content Publishing

  • Share customer stories – user-generated content, testimonials, case studies with a festive twist
  • Post last-minute gift ideas – these save procrastinators and boost last-minute sales
  • Create urgency content – “order by [date] for Christmas delivery” posts
  • Go live on social – Q&As, gift hauls for B2C (you know you love them), office parties (keep it professional, obviously)

Engagement & Community

  • Run a giveaway or competition – perfect for boosting engagement and spreading cheer
  • Respond to EVERYTHING – DMs, comments, emails – the festive season means higher customer service expectations
  • Share team moments – your office Christmas jumper day, Secret Santa, charitable activities

B2B Content

  • Publish thought leadership pieces – “Trends for 2025” or “What This Year Taught Us” resonate well
  • Send personalised video messages – quick Loom videos to key clients go a long way
  • Update LinkedIn – ‘professional’ doesn’t mean ‘boring’; share wins, and thank your network – it’s the most social season of all!

Post-Christmas: The holiday time blip

Boxing Day & Beyond

  • Launch Boxing Day sales content – have this ready to go on the 26th
  • Share thank-you posts – genuine gratitude to customers, clients, your team
  • Promote gift cards – perfect for those with Christmas money to spend
  • Start New Year content -we know, we know, but “New Year, New You” angles still work, even if you’re challenging the concept!

Analysis & Learning

  • Pull your analytics – what performed best? Where did you see drop-offs?
  • Survey your audience – quick polls about what they enjoyed or what they’d like next year
  • Document your learnings – future you will be SO grateful for these notes
  • Archive your best content – save templates, graphics, and winning copy for next year (no-one’s going to remember, trust us!)

Pro tips from the trenches

For B2B:

Remember your audience is still scrolling on Christmas Eve. Just because they’re businesses doesn’t mean they shut down emotions. Warmth and authenticity win every time, but keep the jingle bells tasteful.

For B2C:

Start early, but don’t peak too soon. Pace your offers so you’re not burnt out by mid-December. And please, for the love of marketing, have a contingency plan for shipping delays.

For Everyone:

Batch create content in November. You’ll thank yourself when December hits and you’re not trying to shoot festive content in fluorescent office lighting while everyone’s at the pub.

Go forth and create some Christmas magic. You've got this!

The festive season can be exhausting, but it's also when we see some of our best creative work. Take this checklist, adapt it to your brand, and most importantly, enjoy yourself!
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