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Holiday content calendar 2026: what to post every day from Nov 10 to Dec 20

The holiday season is six weeks of posting. Here's the plan by phase, with the 2026 dates that matter and what to post on each platform.

By ForgeKits · Updated October 31, 2026 · 2 min read

2026 key dates: Singles Day Nov 11 · Thanksgiving Nov 26 · Black Friday Nov 27 · Small Business Saturday Nov 28 · Cyber Monday Nov 30 · Giving Tuesday Dec 1 · Hanukkah starts Dec 4 · Green Monday Dec 14 · Super Saturday Dec 19 · Christmas Fri Dec 25.

The 5 phases

DatesPhaseGoalPost
Nov 10–20Warm-upGet attention, grow followersBehind the scenes, tips, sneak peeks, "what's coming"
Nov 21–26Early accessBuild your waitlistCountdown, early-access sign-ups, gift guide teasers
Nov 27–30Black Friday to Cyber MondaySellOffer posts, reviews, "it's live", "ends tonight"
Dec 1–14GiftsGift buyersGift guides, "for her / under $25", shipping cutoffs
Dec 15–24Last minuteLate buyersDigital gifts, gift cards, "arrives by Christmas"

Week-by-week posting plan

Week of Nov 9 (warm-up)

  • Instagram: 3 feed posts (a tip, a process video, a product close-up) and daily stories.
  • TikTok: 4–5 short videos. Answer one question per video.
  • Pinterest: 5 fresh pins a day pointing to gift and holiday pages. Pinterest has a long lead time, so pin early.

Week of Nov 16

  • Tell people a sale is coming without giving the discount yet.
  • Post your gift guide (see how to make one).
  • Start collecting emails for early access.

Week of Nov 23 (BFCM week)

  • Wed Nov 25: early access for your list.
  • Fri Nov 27: "It's live" post, story countdown, pin the post to the top of your profile.
  • Sat Nov 28: Small Business Saturday story about who you are.
  • Mon Nov 30: "Last day" posts in the morning and the evening.

Weeks of Nov 30 and Dec 7

  • Gift guides by budget and recipient.
  • Shipping cutoffs if you sell physical products.
  • Green Monday (Dec 14) is a good day for a second, smaller offer.

Weeks of Dec 14 and Dec 21

  • Digital products and gift cards are your best last-minute sellers. Say "instant download" in the first line.
  • After Dec 25: thank-you post, and a teaser for January (planners and goal-setting sell then).

How much to post

Consistency matters more than volume. A realistic plan for one person: Instagram 4 feed posts a week plus daily stories, TikTok 4 videos a week, Pinterest 3–5 pins a day scheduled in one sitting. Batch a week of captions on Sunday.

Skip the blank page: Holiday Content OS · $39

Nov 10 to Dec 20 calendar, 60 captions, 30 ready-to-post graphics. Instant download. 20% off with BFCM20 until Dec 1.

See the Holiday Content OS

Caption starters for the season

  • "Three things I'd buy for {person} this year (and one I'd skip)"
  • "The sale starts Friday. Here's what's in it, so you can plan"
  • "If it has to arrive by Christmas, order by {date}"
  • "Last-minute? This one is an instant download"

FAQ

When is Black Friday 2026?

Friday November 27, 2026. Cyber Monday is November 30 and Giving Tuesday is December 1.

When should I start posting holiday content?

Around November 10. That gives you two weeks of warm-up before Black Friday and lets Pinterest pins start ranking.

How often should I post during the holidays?

For one person: about 4 Instagram feed posts and 4 TikToks a week, daily stories, and 3–5 Pinterest pins a day. Batch the work weekly.

Is there a done-for-you holiday content calendar?

Yes. Holiday Content OS has the day-by-day calendar from Nov 10 to Dec 20, 60 captions and 30 ready-to-post graphics.

Free: 50 holiday Instagram captions

Ten holiday moments from the Black Friday warm-up to New Year's Eve, five captions each. Copy, fill the brackets, post.

Get the free captions