Special occasions like Christmas, Thanksgiving, New Year’s Eve,… are a golden opportunity to boost sales and increase revenue. However, there are thousands of holidays and festivals around the world throughout the year. For your convenience, we have already made a short-list of outstanding events and their meanings that you shouldn’t miss. Let’s dive in our eCommerce Calendar 2022 with detailed information for each month to pick the ones that fit you the most! Plus, we also give you some tips contributing to your online business’s success.
January | February | March | April | May | June
July | August | September | October | November | December
Wanna save the calendar for later use? Download the pdf file here.
January
- 1st January – New Year’s Day
For: Customers around the world
This marks a fresh start of the year. You may want to run some campaigns about new year’s resolution, bucket lists and challenges, or sharing for luck.
- 6th January – National Shortbread Day
For: United States, UK, Scotland
Scotland is known as home of shortbread, however, the National Shortbread Day is first celebrated in the US. During this food holiday, people usually treat themselves with decent shortbread that is either handmade or purchased from a bakery. Holding a baking competition on social media would be a good idea to promote your brand image.
- 20th January – Get to know your customer Day
For: Y-O-U
Four times a year on the third Thursday of January, April, July and October, businesses are provided a perfect excuse to offer something special for customers and understand them better. On the very first day in January, you may send a warm wish and ask about their expectations for the new year.
- 26th January – Australia Day
For: Australians
It is the official national day of Australia, when Australians celebrate their achievements over history. Just engage your Australian customers with some special offers to mark their day.
February
- 2th February – Groundhog Day (US, Canada)
For: American and Canadian
It is said that the emergence of groundhog from its burrow can predict the weather in the next 6 weeks. If that day is sunny and animal can see its shadow, the winter weather will remain. On the other hand, if it is a cloudy day, that is a sign of early spring. Although Groundhog Day is not an official holiday, you can still hold some fun promotions and games for your store.
- 5th February – World Nutella Day
For: Nutella lovers
This idea came from Sara Rosso – an American blogger. On February 5, Nutella fans post pictures, recipes, and messages declaring their love and loyalty to the popular spread. Designing some combos with Nutella would be good for your cross-sell strategy on this occasion.
- 6th February – Yorkshire Pudding Day
For: Americans, British
This is a great day originated from Britain but the celebration is now also shared by Americans on the first Sunday of February. People often make a Yorkshire pudding by themselves or buy it from a bakery. They also have a competition with different sizes and shapes.
- 14th February – Valentine’s Day
For: People around the world
Valentine’s is an occasion to honor love and romance. However, you can motivate people to celebrate their friendship and other meaningful relationships. Applying some innovative marketing ideas to make it one of the biggest sales your business can have during the year. For example, a map to mark memorable places together or a calendar for important dates would be appreciated.
March
- 8th March – International Women’s Day
For: Gender equality supporters
International Women’s Day celebrates women’s equality and contributions to the world. If this message is important to your brand, be sure to celebrate it. Tell your story, share a friendly discount, or run a charity campaign to support local or international communities.
- 17th March – St Patrick’s Day
For: people of Irish descent, especially in the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States, Brazil, Argentina, Australia, and New Zealand
St. Patrick’s Day is a celebration of Ireland’s heritage and culture that usually involves parades and festivals. On March 17, people make an effort to wear shamrock-shaped accessories or anything green, really.
St. Patrick’s Day creates a great opportunity for marketing campaigns and allows it to tap into a $5.6 billion market. However, be cautious with your promos and don’t overdo it—some think St. Patrick’s Day is becoming too commercial and misrepresents the Irish.
April
- 1st April – April Fool’s Day
For: people in the West
Most people are used to being on their toes on April 1—the day of pranks and hoaxes.
As a store owner, you can use this day to show your sense of humor. A joke on social media, a GIF, or a short video can be an effective way to build brand awareness and drive engagement.
- 15-24th April – Coachella Festival
For: Music and arts lovers, people in the US
The Coachella Festival is one of the biggest, most famous, and profitable music festivals in the world. Held annually in California, it gathers many talented artists. If you sell items that can be marketed for festivals like these, prepare your store and offer some hot discounts.
- 21st April – Get to know your customer Day
For: Y-O-U
This time, giving your loyal customers an additional loyalty incentive is a good way to say thank you. For example punch cards or gift boxes may help to make them feel special.
- 23rd April – World Book Day
For: book lovers
Books are a really engaging topic for social media. Book lovers adore talking about their favorites and current reads. Create polls, quotes, lists, and ask your audience what they’d like to share. If you discover your audience would buy apparel related to books, offer these products in your store. Just be sure to follow copyright and trademark guidelines.
- 22nd April – Earth Day
For: People around the world
It is an event occurring annually to show support for the environment’s protection. So that you may encourage your customers to be involved in green campaigns and environmental-friendly products.
- 30th April – Honesty Day
For: Americans
Honesty Day is celebrated in the US by cherishing honesty in all relationships, personal or business. On this day, encourage your customers to share what honesty means for them, and perhaps challenge yourself to share a story of your own.
May
- 1st May – International Workers’ Day
For: Labor in over the world
It is a celebration of laborers and the working classes that is promoted by the international labor movement. For this meaning, design a campaign to honor the workers and treat them with special offers.
- 8th May – Mother’s Day
For: people in the US, Canada, most European countries, Australia, New Zealand, India, China, Japan, the Philippines, and South Africa
While the UK celebrates Mother’s Day in March, the rest of the world does it two months later. Just like in the UK, Mother’s Day is an important holiday. In fact, it’s the third biggest spending holiday in the US.
This year, go the extra mile and put together heart-warming campaigns that celebrate the most important women in our lives—our moms. Remember that Mother’s Day isn’t celebrated on the same day around the world, so do your research before running promotions.
- 9th May – Europe Day
For: Europeans
The idea for Europe Day was brought to life by Robert Schuman, the former French statesman and activist. This day celebrates peace and unity in Europe, mostly through political debates and events to raise awareness about the role and history of the European Union. To celebrate, promote Europe-themed designs, or launch a free shipping campaign to Europe.
- 16th May – National Love a Tree Day
For: people in the US, nature lovers
National Love a Tree Day is the day for letting your hippie flag fly. Going out, hugging all the friendly neighborhood trees is the way to go on May 16, so don’t forget to kick it off with some plant-loving designs.
- 23th May – Victoria Day (Canada)
For: Canadians
Victoria Day is a Canadian public holiday that honors Queen Victoria’s birthday. Most cities in Canada mark this day with outdoor events and fireworks. Celebrate this day with your customers by offering a small discount or free shipping to Canada.
June
From this month forward, every store seems to be busier than usual due to summer sales. You can save a lot of time if all the processes are automated. For example, Atom8 would be a wise choice to increase your productivity. It allows your storefront to change the visibility and the price of your product for a certain occasion. And it also helps to keep track of orders and inventory status more easily.
- 1st June – International Children’s Day
For: Everyone
This is an occasion to promote children’s protection and welfare. To show your support on this day, create a social media campaign and offer discounts for kid’s apparel.
- 14th June – American Flag Day
For: people in the US
Flag Day commemorates the adoption of the flag of the United States and appeals to the patriotic side of all Americans.
This is the time to promote and offer discounts to your customers on anything red, white, and blue.
- 19th June – Father’s Day
For: people in the US, Canada, most European countries, India, China and Japan
Even though Father’s Day isn’t as widespread as Mother’s Day, it’s still an event to remember and celebrate. Like with Mother’s Day, different countries celebrate Father’s Day on different dates; so double-check when your target audience celebrates fatherhood.
- 22-26th June – Glastonbury Festival (UK)
For: party people
The Glastonbury Festival 2022 is going to be a huge deal in the UK, especially since the last two were canceled because of Covid-19. Prepare your store with some festival-ready gear: fanny packs, bucket hats, t-shirts, crop tops, and other fun items to make the festival experience for your customers unforgettable!
July
- 7th July – World Chocolate Day
For: chocolate lovers
Chocolate is loved by many; no matter if you’re big or small, there’s a kind of chocolate for all. Dark, milk, white—you name it! This day is a great opportunity to give your customers some sweet discounts or promote choco-themed designs.
- 20th July – National Moon Day
For: Americans, science enthusiasts
In 1969, NASA astronaut Neil Armstrong became the first person to walk on the moon. You know the rest: one small step for man, and a giant leap for humankind. Celebrate this leap with some space-themed products; like backpacks with galaxy prints, or socks with tiny astronauts on them.
- 21st July – Get to know your customer Day
For: Y-O-U
If asking does not motivate your customers to share honestly their thoughts, just give out a gift in exchange for feedback. There is an idea to put them in a reviewing contest, which can be both public or private. Which means you can have a contest on your pages or have them send their feedback to your email.
- 30th July – International Friendship Day
For: people around the world
The world has been celebrating the International Day of Friendship since 2011, when it was introduced by the United Nations. The point of this day is to remind ourselves about the universal necessity for safety, harmony, and peace in a world with never-ending challenges and struggles. Celebrate this day by promoting personalized gifts, and remind your friends how special they are!
August
- 8th August – International Cat Day
For: cat lovers, animal rights supporters
This day was created by the International Fund for Animal Welfare to raise awareness about cat adoption. No matter how tough we might think we are, all of us melt in the paws of our purring four-legged friends. If you’re a cat lover, consider bringing awareness to cat adoption—perhaps your customers have considered getting a new fluffy friend?
- 9th August – Book Lovers Day
For: book lovers
On this day, book lovers celebrate reading and literature. People are encouraged to put away their smart devices and pick up a book instead.
Even if you don’t sell book-related products on your online store; you can use this event to share what you’re currently reading or ask your audience about their favorite books.
- 19th August – World photography Day
For: photographers, art lovers
This day is about celebrating photography and all the talented photographers around the world. It’s a good day for promoting wall art and encouraging your talented customers to share their art on social media.
- 26th August – International Dog Day
For: dog lovers
Dogs are a man’s best friend, and they deserve their own day. They give us unconditional love, pleasant company, and sometimes make us wonder what happened to that pillow we bought last week.
Are your customers dog or cat people? Engage with them to find out!
September
- 8th Sep – International Literacy Day
For: people all over the world
International Literacy Day was created by UNESCO to highlight the importance of education. Showcase charities that support educators and consider creating merch to show your passion for the smarts. If you wish to engage with your audience even more, run a contest and ask them to share a picture of their first day of school.
- 17th September – 3rd October: Oktoberfest
For: Germans and fans of Oktoberfest
Oktoberfest is the world’s largest beer and folk festival held in Germany. Every year, it attracts more than 6 million visitors from around the globe. In 2022, there will be an extra day of Oktoberfest to celebrate! If you can picture your audience unwinding with a cold beverage, build your marketing efforts around fun content, costumes, and beer.
- 21st September – International Day of Peace
For: everyone
This awareness day was created by the United Nations and it’s dedicated to shaping the standards for peace all over the world. You can use your social media platforms to raise awareness as well and show your support to your customers around the globe.
- 27st September – World Tourism Day
For: traveling enthusiasts
The United Nations created this holiday more than 40 years ago to celebrate the joys of traveling. Travel enthusiasts have a lot of hope for 2022. Travel restrictions are gradually lifting, but for now, traveling locally is the safest option. Engage with your customers by asking them to share their favorite travel destinations, stories, or promote products for traveling, like custom fanny packs or spacious backpacks.
October
- 1st October: International Coffee Day
For: coffee lovers
The International Coffee Day celebrates the one drink that helps so many of us combat our inner Monday grouch. Engage with your audience by asking them to share photos of their favorite blends and offer them some personalized magic mugs to enjoy this beloved beverage.
- 7th October: World Smile Day
For: people around the world
Harvey Ball, a commercial artist from the US, invented the yellow smiley face. In 1999, Harley created the World Smile Foundation—a charity supporting different causes for children. The foundation created World Smile Day and is dedicated to good deeds.
Harvey’s yellow smiley face was used in designs for coffee mugs and bumper stickers in the early 1970s, usually in combination with “Have a nice day!”. When creating smiley campaigns, remember that the World Smile Corporation has trademarked “World Smile Day.”
- 20th October – Get to know your customer Day
For: Y-O-U
It’s coming to the end of the year, a perfect time to send your customers a handwritten thank-you mail. Plus, you can ask for their opinions about what you have done well or need to improve.
- 31st October – Halloween
For: people in the West
Halloween originated from an ancient Celtic festival in Ireland that marked the end of the annual harvest season and the coming of winter. Today, with its fun costumes, trick-or-treating, and festive decorations, Halloween is anything but serious. Use this day to breathe some spooky into social media campaigns, run a special promotion on costumes or decorations, or share how your brand celebrates Halloween.
In an occasion with a specific theme like this, your storefront may have to change its theme, content and merchandising. There are so many things to prepare, so it is necessary to ask for technical help. Atom8 is an app that can solve all your problems in a few clicks away. It is also urged to automate your work when the year is ending – the busiest time of the year with big events like Black Friday, Christmas,…
November
- 11th November – Remembrance Day (Australia, Canada, Britain)
For: Canadians, Australians, and British
Remembrance Day in Canada, Australia, and the UK commemorates people who gave their lives in armed conflicts during World War I. Weeks before this day, many people wear red poppies pinned to their clothing as a symbol of remembrance. Once again, be extra sensitive when creating campaigns on public holidays like this.
- 19th November – International Men’s Day
For: men and boys
While not as commercial as Women’s Day, International Men’s Day celebrates the achievements of boys and men in family, work, school, and other areas of life. In fact, International Men’s Day is good for promoting or adding some men’s best-selling products.
- 24th November – Thanksgiving
For: Americans
Celebrated nationally, Thanksgiving originated as a harvest festival when the first pilgrims shared their food with Native Americans. Today, families and friends get together for a meal to give thanks for what they have.
This day is a great time to stop for a moment and appreciate what you have. Many businesses use this day to thank their customers for their loyalty.
- 25th November – Black Friday
For: bargain hunters, holiday shoppers
Black Friday is a shopping day after Thanksgiving that is known for crazy deals and the crowds that go crazy for them. As an eCommerce business owner, you can’t afford to miss Black Friday. The earlier you start preparing your Black Friday marketing campaigns, the better.
This is considered the biggest sales of the year, therefore the rate of out-of-stock items is very high. BackOrder seems to be the best tool to save the situation. When the inventory falls to 0, it will automatically switch to “Back Order” status. So that customers can still purchase the products and you can have a continuous revenue stream. With those on BigCommerce platform, which does not have Back Order as default setting, you can get the app here:
December
- 4th December – International Sock Day
For: anyone who wears socks
Started by an apparel company that sells socks, this day recognizes the rarest of all lasting units, a matching pair of socks. This day is a great opportunity to engage with your audience through fun social media campaigns. You can also suggest other relevant items paired with the socks. And using a product recommendation app may help to boost your sales more than ever.
- 18-26th December – Hanukkah
For: Jewish community
Hanukkah, also known as the Festival of Lights, is celebrated by the Jewish community and lasts 8 days and nights.
If you decide to add Hanukkah to your marketing calendar, be aware that it’s not related to Christmas and make sure you understand what this holiday means. Even though some families still exchange gifts, this time is more about spending quality time with your family. That said, you can use candles, decorations, and other cozy products in your promotions and campaigns.
- 24-25th December – Christmas
For: countries where Christmas is a public holiday
These dates mark a religious and cultural holiday for billions of people around the world who celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. Christmas may be becoming more commercial every year, yet it’s still a family holiday, so base your marketing efforts on heart-warming ideas and wishes.
- 31st December – New Year’s Eve
For: Everyone
The last day of the year is usually celebrated with social gatherings and watching fireworks. It’s also the time to show off your fanciest party outfit. Businesses send New Year’s wishes to their customers, reflect on the past year, or run special promotions, usually on products that can be used in the preparation of the event.
In conclusion, in retail and eCommerce, every day is a celebration. But with so many occasions to mark, it’s important to understand which of these exciting days and events are relevant to your business. We hope this article and the attached calendar may help you to plan for a bright 2022.
