Holiday season facts/FAQs 2025

Holiday season is the busiest (and noisiest) time of year for email marketers. December brings a unique mix of gifting behavior, last-minute shopping, shipping cutoffs, and New Year motivation spikes that shape how subscribers interact with your lifecycle programs. In this post, we’ll cover key metrics, interesting facts, and FAQs about email performance during the December and New Year period to help CRM teams plan smarter, optimize segmentation, and maximize end-of-year revenue.

Interesting facts about holiday email behavior

Mobile drives significant holiday-season engagement

Litmus reports that mobile and webmail together account for more than 70 percent of all email opens globally, making mobile-optimized design essential during holiday shopping periods.

Morning sends consistently perform better

Studies from Mailchimp, Omnisend and CoSchedule show stronger engagement for campaigns sent in the morning, with open rates peaking between 8 a.m. and 11 a.m. on weekdays.

Curated product recommendations outperform generic promos

Klaviyo and Iterable report that personalized and curated product recommendation blocks consistently generate higher engagement than generic promotional hero images.

New Year-related content aligns with strong consumer intent

Google Trends shows a recurring spike every January in searches related to “fitness,” “workout,” “health goals,” “gym membership,” “weight loss,” and similar self-improvement topics, signaling strong consumer intent around wellness and routines at the start of the year.

The metrics that matter most in December and early January

1. Open rates stabilize after BFCM

While specific post-BFCM lift percentages are not published in industry research, multiple benchmark reports show that average email open rates return to normal levels in December after the BFCM surge in inbox volume decreases. Litmus and Mailchimp note that open rates fluctuate heavily during Black Friday weekend and then revert to standard benchmarks afterward.

Takeaway: Inbox clutter tends to improve after BFCM. December is a strong moment for targeted reactivation and gift-driven segmentation.

2. Click rates peak around shipping deadlines

Although there is no universal industry percentage for “20 to 30 percent higher CTR,” real data shows that intent-driven, time-sensitive campaigns see higher click activity. Klaviyo reports that emails tied to deadlines and urgency consistently outperform evergreen campaigns, and Omnisend notes that holiday period CTR increases for event-driven sends.

Takeaway: Use countdown timers, cutoff reminders, and curated gift guides to capture high-intent clicks.

3. Post-holiday email revenue stays strong

Klaviyo, Shopify, and Salesforce all report a post-Christmas buying rebound, driven by gift card redemptions, exchanges, and New Year motivation. Shopify shows significant sales growth between December 26 and early January in wellness, apparel, and self-improvement categories.

Takeaway: Build automations for gift card activation, exchanges, replenishment, and New Year routines.

4. SMS + email synergy gets even stronger

Klaviyo reports that brands using SMS + email together see significantly higher attributed revenue versus email-only programs, especially during peak shopping windows. Omnisend also found that multi-channel workflows generate up to 30 percent more orders than single-channel emails during holiday periods.

Takeaway: Use SMS for timely reminders and email for deeper product storytelling during high-travel dates like Dec 23–Jan 2.

FAQs about December and New Year email marketing

How often should brands send during December?
Most brands send 1 to 2 emails per day during peak gifting weeks. The important part is dynamic segmentation: don’t send everyone everything.

What types of content convert best?
Gift guides, last-minute reminders, limited bundles, shipping cutoff alerts, and New Year-themed product positioning consistently lead December conversions.

Should brands keep discounting after Christmas?
Yes. December 26 to January 5 is a high-intent shopping period. Post-holiday clearance can drive strong revenue if paired with gift card-friendly messaging.

Is it worth sending emails during holidays?
Yes, but selectively. Christmas Day and New Year’s Day see lower overall volume but surprisingly high CTR for content that is simple, short, and relevant.

Do automations still perform well in December?
Absolutely. Abandoned cart, browse abandonment, and post-purchase flows often generate 50 percent or more of total lifecycle revenue in December.

What this means for lifecycle marketers

December and New Year marketing isn’t just about promotions. It’s about understanding shifting intent, optimizing high-pressure moments like shipping cutoffs, and using personalization to stand out when inboxes get crowded again. Strong lifecycle strategies balance automation, segmentation, and seasonal storytelling to drive consistent end-of-year revenue.

If you want support planning your December and New Year lifecycle strategy, Scalero can help with flows, campaign orchestration, audience strategy, and creative.