The holiday season is a time of giving, celebrating, and… branding? That’s right! For small businesses, the holidays offer a golden (or should we say, gold-foiled?) opportunity to capture customer attention with festive design. Whether you’re a coffee shop owner launching seasonal promotions or a digital marketer curating holiday email campaigns, getting your holiday design just right can mean the difference between blending in or standing out.
But what’s “in” this holiday season? This article will walk through the latest holiday design trends to help dazzle your audiences and make their season merry AND memorable.
Holiday Design Trends for Small Business Marketing
The holiday season isn’t just one singular event; it begins with the glittering lights of Christmas, intensifies with chilly winter vibes, and ends with the Grand Finale celebrations of New Year’s Eve. It’s a time when everyone feels a little more cheerful, nostalgic, and open to making new connections—the perfect setting for standout marketing!
So, grab your hot cocoa and get inspired as we explore six key areas of design when it comes to marketing for the holidays.
1. Color Palettes that Wow
No holiday design is complete without the right color palette. This year’s trending holiday colors blend the classic with the contemporary.
Traditional Favorites
Some colors never go out of style—think rich reds, deep greens, lustrous gold, and snowy whites. These timeless hues evoke feelings of warmth and nostalgia, making them a go-to choice for brands wanting to stay rooted in tradition. Starbucks’ signature red holiday cups, for instance, leverage classic tones to ignite festive feels year after year.
Modern Palettes
This season, expect to see muted tones (like sage greens and dusty roses) and playful pastels (soft lilacs paired with cream). Modern palettes, like the ones used in Anthropologie’s dreamy holiday campaigns, provide a fresh twist on tradition while remaining elegant and eye-catching.
The Psychology of Color
Colors don’t just look festive—they can influence consumer behavior. Red can create urgency, green embodies harmony, and gold spells luxury. Use these insights to make thoughtful design choices that subconsciously encourage clicks, conversions, or purchases.
2. Typography with Personality
Festive fonts do more than look pretty—they communicate vibes, evoke emotions, and establish hierarchy.
Festive Fonts
Script fonts often steal the holiday show, resembling handwritten letters to Santa or calligraphy on snow-dusted invitations. Adobe Fonts has a “Holidays” tag that includes dozens of fonts like Al Fresco, Bounce Script, or Adorn Engraved that will elevate any seasonal design.
Visual Hierarchy
Don’t overdo the fonts! Contrast bold headers with simpler body text to guide viewers’ eyes. Think of Apple’s minimalist, holiday-themed landing pages that use a clear hierarchy to showcase products and offers effortlessly.
Typography as Emotion
Pair the vibe of your typeface with your message. For instance, playful rounded fonts match cheery campaigns (like children’s holiday toy shops), while sleek sans-serifs like “Montserrat” give off luxe, modern vibes that high-end brands love. Click here to read more about the psychology of fonts.
3. Imagery and Graphics That Pop
Holiday designs thrive on visual storytelling. This year, authenticity and personalization are leading the pack.
Custom Illustrations vs. Stock Photos
Want to stand out? Forgo stock imagery for bespoke illustrations. Brands like Mailchimp use custom illustrations to add personality and originality to their designs. If you do use stock photos, look for niche imagery that feels intentional and fresh. Better yet, shoot your own photography.
Incorporating Real People
From Gap’s cheerful holiday ads featuring smiling families to Coca-Cola’s iconic holiday jingles, relatable people in seasonal settings forge emotional connections. Layer in warm, relatable characters for a human touch that resonates.
Wintery Magic
You can’t go wrong with snowy trees, twinkling lights, and rustic pinecones! Include classic seasonal elements to create a cozy, celebratory atmosphere that hooks emotions. If your customers are local, be sure to reflect your area in your imagery—because, let’s face it, a snowy winter wonderland probably won’t feel relatable in Florida, but a palm tree wrapped in twinkling lights or Santa kicking back on a sandy beach just might!
4. Web Design Trends for the Holidays
Boost your website traffic this season with holiday design trends that invite engagement.
Home Page Takeover
Why deck just the halls when you can deck your entire home page? A full-scale holiday-themed homepage makeover can set the tone for festive shopping right from the first click. The Foggy Dog mastered this, transforming their website with holiday banners, product showcases, and graphics that practically scream, “It’s the season to fetch something special!”
Go Big on Visuals
Swap out your usual hero banner for something merry and magical—think festive product photography, cozy vibes, or even animations like snow gently falling across the screen. Pro tip? Add a touch of subtle motion to draw attention, but keep it classy. No one wants to feel like they’ve accidentally opened an ‘Elf Yourself’ tab.
Spotlight Seasonal Products
Your homepage is prime real estate to show off holiday-specific products or promotions. Whether you’re offering limited-edition gift sets or exclusive deals, make them the star of the show! And don’t forget to sprinkle in some “Hurry! Limited-time only!” urgency. Because what’s more festive than FOMO?
5. Social Media Design Trends
Your audience is skimming through Instagram faster than a reindeer on caffeine—what’ll make them stop the scroll?
Short-form Videos
Short-form videos are ruling social media feeds. TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook Reels featuring holiday DIYs, behind-the-scenes videos & blooper reels, or festive giveaways not only grab attention but drive engagement.
User-Generated Content
Encourage fans to share their holiday moments with your brand. Think “Show Us Your Funniest Holiday Moment” or “Post Your Favorite Selfie with our Product” contests. Not only is this a gold mine for content, but it also fosters community.
Interactive Stories & Polls
Instagram Stories offer nearly endless opportunities for creative, interactive fun—holiday trivia polls, swipe-up gift guides, and countdowns to Christmas and New Year’s. Use Stories to keep followers clicking and engaging!
6. Email Marketing Design Trends
Email campaigns are still central to marketing for the holidays. Boost open and click-through rates with these fun trends.
Personalization Rules
Who doesn’t love to see their name in lights? Personalizing emails with customer names, preferences, and data-driven product suggestions builds trust and clicks. Amazon does it best with its highly tailored product recs.
Interactive Emails
Embed interactivity directly into email designs with elements like rollover effects, quizzes, or “Scratch To Reveal Your Discount” graphics—it’s the digital equivalent of unwrapping a gift!
Countdown Timers
Instill holiday FOMO with countdown timers for flash holiday sales, 24-hour-only coupon codes, or next-day Christmas delivery deadlines. Many email service providers can incorporate these seamlessly for small businesses.
Cheers to a Trendy Holiday Season!
The holidays are the perfect time to have fun with your designs while engaging your customers. From dreamy color palettes to interactive web experiences, this year’s holiday design trends offer plenty of ways to stand out.
Whether you’re a small business owner launching a holiday campaign or a graphic designer looking to level up festive projects, experiment with these ideas to craft designs that delight and inspire.
Need a hand to make your vision come to life? Drop us a line at Moonlit Media! Our team of designers and marketers is here to help you sleigh (pun fully intended) your holiday marketing this year.
