Holiday Marketing Videos for Small Business: 2026-27 Calendar

Holidays are the few days a year when your customers are already thinking about the people and places they care about. But for most owners, the holiday post gets made the night before, or not at all.

It's hard to know which holidays matter for a plumber versus a dentist. Most guides to holiday video marketing are written for online stores, and they stop at Christmas.

The good news is you don't need a video for every holiday. Most local businesses do well with 4-6 a year, picked for their trade and posted a week or two early. This guide to holiday marketing videos for small business gives you a 2026-27 calendar with real dates, a use-or-skip table for 10 trades, and a simple way to plan a year of videos in one afternoon.

Key takeaways

• Most local businesses need 4-6 holiday videos a year, not 15.
• Pick holidays that match a real need in your trade, and skip the rest.
• Post 7-14 days early, and start Halloween and winter videos in early October.
• Every closure day needs a short holiday hours video with your phone number.
• Plan the year in one afternoon, then reuse each video in five places.

Why holiday videos work for local businesses

People already use video to size up local businesses. BrightLocal's 2025 survey found that over three-quarters of US consumers watch video when researching a local business, and more than a third prefer videos a business posted about its own services.

Short works best. In HubSpot's 2026 data, 51% of people say 30-60 seconds is the best length for a video.

The HVAC company that sent a warm Thanksgiving video is often the one people remember when the furnace quits in January.

A holiday video builds goodwill and reminds people you exist. It won't replace reviews or ads.

How many holiday videos does a small business need?

Here's a simple rule. Most local businesses need a "core 4-6":

• A greeting on each big holiday your customers celebrate.
• A holiday hours video for each day you close.
• 1-2 "money" videos tied to a real need, like a booking rush, a benefits deadline, gift cards or tune-up season.

Pick the plan that fits how busy you are.

Say you run a cleaning company. Your core plan could be Easter spring cleans, a Mother's Day gift card, booking reminders before Thanksgiving and Christmas, a New Year reset and one hours video. That's six videos a year.

Which holidays to use (and skip) for your trade

Pick holidays tied to a real customer need. Skipping a holiday is fine, and it's often smarter than forcing a joke.

Not sure about a day? Skip it if:

• You can't say one true, useful thing about your trade on that day.
• It's a jokey holiday and you work in a serious trade.
• It would force you into a discount you don't want to give.

Pro tip: Put your phone number on the end card of every holiday video, even the warm greetings. Leave it on screen for at least 3 seconds.

Your 2026-27 holiday video calendar

Start earlier than feels natural. The National Retail Federation found that 49% of shoppers plan to start Halloween shopping in September or earlier, so your Halloween video should be up by mid-October.

For most holidays, post 7-14 days before. Here are the dates that matter from now through the end of 2027.

Dates come from OPM federal holidays, Office Holidays 2027, Hebcal for Hanukkah 2026 and 2027, and the SBA for Small Business Saturday.

Two quirks to plan for:

• Christmas 2027 is a Saturday, and Hanukkah starts the night before. A "Happy Holidays" video fits well that year.
• July 4, 2027 is a Sunday, so many businesses close Monday, July 5. That long weekend needs an hours video.

For the full November and December detail, see our Christmas video ideas.

8 holiday videos most businesses miss

Winter gets all the attention. The spring and summer holidays are quieter, so your video has less competition in the feed.

1. Fill Valentine's weekend tables and chairs (Sun, Feb 14, 2027)

In the NRF's 2026 Valentine's survey, 39% of people planned an evening out. With the day on a Sunday, the whole weekend books up.

• On screen: a table for two with your logo.
• Example script: "Valentine's is on a Sunday this year. Book Saturday or Sunday now, before we're full."
• Best for: restaurants, cafés and salons.

2. Turn Easter into a spring-cleaning reminder (Sun, Mar 28, 2027)

People clean before family visits, even if they don't celebrate.

• On screen: a bright living room with the windows open.
• Example script: "Family coming for Easter? We have a few spring cleans left the week before."
• Best for: house, window and carpet cleaners.

3. Sell gift cards for Mother's Day (Sun, May 9, 2027)

In the NRF's 2026 survey, 55% of people planned to give gift cards for Mother's Day.

• On screen: a gift card with a bow.
• Example script: "Give Mom a morning off. Gift cards at the front desk or online."
• Best for: salons, spas, restaurants and cleaners.

4. Book AC tune-ups before Memorial Day (Mon, May 31, 2027)

The first hot weekend is when air conditioners fail. Booking early fills your quiet weeks.

• On screen: a thermometer climbing, then your number.
• Example script: "Summer starts Memorial Day weekend. Get your AC checked now, before the rush."
• Best for: HVAC. Gyms can make a "summer ready" version.

5. Say thanks on Father's Day (Sun, Jun 20, 2027)

It's quieter than Mother's Day, so fewer businesses post.

• On screen: a barber chair or a grill, with a warm voiceover.
• Example script: "Happy Father's Day from [Business]. Treat Dad to a fresh cut this week."
• Best for: barbers, restaurants and retail.

6. Post a July 4 hours and heat tip (observed Mon, Jul 5, 2027)

It's a long weekend in the heat. One video covers your hours and a quick tip.

• On screen: fireworks, then "Closed Mon, Jul 5" and your emergency number.
• Example script: "Happy Fourth from [Business]. Keep your AC filter clean in this heat. We're closed Monday and back Tuesday."
• Best for: anyone who closes, plus HVAC and caterers.

7. Switch to furnace checks on Labor Day (Mon, Sep 6, 2027)

For most people, Labor Day is the end of summer and the start of a new routine.

• On screen: falling leaves, a furnace, then your number.
• Example script: "Summer's over. Book your furnace check now, before the first cold night."
• Best for: HVAC, gyms ("back to routine") and cleaners.

8. Send a quiet thank-you on Veterans Day (Wed, Nov 11, 2026)

It's respectful, needs no offer, and suits serious trades.

• On screen: a flag, your logo and a calm voiceover.
• Example script: "To every veteran we serve, thank you. From all of us at [Business]."
• Best for: law firms, accountants, realtors and teams with veterans on staff.

If you'd rather not make each greeting yourself, the Holiday Video Club makes branded 3D holiday videos with your logo, colors, voiceover and music. Each one arrives at least 7 days before the holiday.

Make holiday hours videos for every closure

This is the boring video that saves you phone calls. These closure days trip people up in 2027:

• Fri, Jan 1 (New Year's Day)
• Mon, May 31 (Memorial Day)
• Mon, Jul 5 (July 4, observed)
• Mon, Sep 6 (Labor Day)
• Thu, Nov 25 and Fri, Nov 26 (Thanksgiving)
• Fri, Dec 24 (Christmas, observed)

Build one hours template and swap the dates each time. Open with a 3-5 second greeting, put the dates on screen, and end on your phone number for at least 3 seconds.

Say you run a plumbing company. Here's a 10-second script for the July 4 weekend:

"Happy Fourth of July from [Business]. We're closed Monday, July 5, and back Tuesday at 8. Emergency? Call [number]."

Update your Google hours the same day you post. Our guide to Google Business Profile for contractors shows where to set holiday hours.

Plan a year of holiday videos in one afternoon

Holiday videos go wrong when each one is made the week of the holiday. Plan them all in one sitting.

1. Pick your holidays from the trade table above. This takes about 15 minutes.
2. Add every "post by" date to your calendar, with a reminder 3 days before.
3. Write a 3-line script for each one. Use the same formula from our Christmas guide: thank them, say one real thing, tell them what's next.
4. Make the branded greetings in one go, then film your phone clips (tips, team waves) in the same afternoon.
5. Schedule the posts. Sprout Social's 2026 data shows Facebook does best on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 12-8 p.m. When a holiday falls on a Sunday, like Valentine's, Easter and Mother's Day in 2027, post on the Tuesday or Wednesday before.
6. Reuse each video in five places: a Reel, a pinned Facebook post, your Google Business Profile, an email and a text to regulars.

Our social media content calendar guide shows how to lay it all out.

Pro tip: Keep one master file with your logo, colors, phone number and scripts. Next year you only change the dates.

Make them yourself, hire a freelancer, or join a club?

Phone videos are great for tips, team waves and quick time-lapses. The branded greetings are the ones that get skipped when you're busy. Here's how the options compare over a whole year.

Say you're a dentist who wants six branded greetings a year. With a freelancer, that's six briefs and six rounds of feedback. With a club, you send your logo once.

My take: film the quick clips yourself and hand off the branded greetings. The Holiday Video Club is $6.95 for the first month, then $39 a month, and you can cancel anytime.

Holiday video deep dives

Want ideas for one holiday? Each of these goes deeper:

• Halloween video ideas for small business: 10 ideas that aren't cheesy, plus a 5-week plan.
• Thanksgiving video ideas for small business: thank-you ideas and Small Business Saturday.
• Christmas video ideas for small business: 12 ideas by trade, holiday hours and a 3-line script.
• New Year video ideas for small business: 11 ideas and January 2027 dates.

Frequently asked questions

How many holiday videos should a small business post a year?

Most local businesses do well with 4-6: a greeting on the big holidays, an hours video for each closure, and 1-2 videos tied to a real need in your trade. Salons, gyms, restaurants and shops can do 12 or more.

How early should I post a holiday video?

Post 7-14 days before most holidays. Halloween needs more lead time, since 49% of shoppers start in September or earlier. Post hours videos 3-7 days before you close, and pin them.

Which holidays should a service business skip?

Skip any day where you can't say one true, useful thing about your trade. Law firms, accountants and medical offices should skip jokey days like April Fools' and keep to calm greetings.

How long should a holiday marketing video be?

Keep a greeting to 15-30 seconds and an hours video to 10-15. HubSpot found 51% of people say 30-60 seconds is ideal, so stay at or under that.

Can I use the same holiday video every year?

A greeting with no dates in it can come back, but anything with dates or hours needs updating. A fresh greeting each year looks more cared-for.

Ready to start?

Pick your 4-6 holidays from the trade table and put the post-by dates in your calendar today. Your next one is Halloween, and the post-by window opens Oct 10.

If you want the branded greetings handled, the Holiday Video Club sends you 15+ branded animated holiday videos a year with your logo and brand colors. Each one has 3D animation, voiceover and music. Your first video arrives within 48 hours of sending your logo, and every video after that arrives at least 7 days before the holiday.

Revisions are included, and the first month comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee. We've made 14,000+ videos for 13,500+ businesses since 2013. See how the Holiday Video Club works.