August 2, 2023

Christmas Email Marketing: Examples & Ideas to Captivate Customers

Reading time about 12 min

Christmas is both a great time for business and a chance to connect with customers. Add some cheer to your Christmas email marketing campaigns to warm your customers’ hearts and drive sales this holiday season.

There’s no question that Christmas is a huge time for sales. Last year consumers planned to spend an average of $950.5 on gifts and other holiday-related items.

Christmas is also a time for giving and togetherness. For many who celebrate the holiday, Christmas is full of nostalgia and happy memories. Some of the best Christmas email marketing campaigns tap into these emotions to engage subscribers.

This strategy is great for generating customer loyalty — 82% of consumers with a strong emotional bond with a company are likely to buy the same products again and again.

To drive sales, boost open rates, and build stronger customer relationships, try getting into the holiday spirit! Here are a few Christmas email examples and ideas to get you started. 

Christmas email examples and ideas

Christmas email marketing campaigns are a great way to connect with customers and drive sales during the busy holiday season. 

To inspire your campaigns, here are a few Christmas newsletter ideas and examples of emails that play up the Christmas spirit to engage subscribers.

Make it about the giftee

The Christmas season is a time of giving. Nothing beats the look of joy on your giftee’s face when they open your present.

Christmas shoppers are always looking for the perfect holiday gift to make their loved ones smile. Target them in your Christmas email marketing campaigns by centering your messaging around the giftee like this Christmas email example by Everlane.

Christmas email example for business and marketing.

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Offer a Christmas gift

Customers also like to get presents, right? Offer your customers a Christmas gift during this festive season to make their Christmas shopping even more rewarding. 

Like any Christmas gift, a special discount or freebie is a small gesture that goes a long way. It’s a token of appreciation that your customers will thank you for.

It also brings a delightful surprise to your subscriber’s inbox. This will make them more likely to support your business even after the Christmas season ends. Take a look at this Christmas email idea by Starbucks to see how it’s done.

Christmas email example

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Send season’s greetings

Sending season’s greetings is one of the easiest and most effective ways to spread Christmas cheer during this festive time of the year.

Think of this Christmas email campaign as a Christmas card. It’s one way to wish your customers Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays. You can also thank them for their support over the past year.

Christmas email example with Santa Claus hugging a snowman on a red background.

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This Christmas email example is a short and sweet holiday email that simply wishes subscribers a happy new year and some holiday cheer. They make it personal with a couple of emojis and a handwritten sign-off by the owners.

Grant your customer’s wishes

Nothing brings out your inner child like writing up your Christmas wishlist. Play the part of Santa Claus this year and use your Christmas email campaign to grant your customers’ Christmas wishes.

Start by asking your customers what’s on their wishlist, like in the example below.

Christmas email example

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Share a yearly roundup

Christmas takes place at the end of the year. It’s a time for looking back at the months before, as well as looking forward to the new year ahead.

In your Christmas email newsletter, try sending a yearly roundup. Share any milestones you or your customers might have reached. Christmas is full of holiday nostalgia, so don’t be afraid to thank your customers for joining you on your journey.

a Christmas email example showing end of year achievements for an environmental company.

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Focus on Christmas memories

Christmas isn’t just about the gifts. Often, it’s about the memories you make with your loved ones while gathered around a Christmas tree.

For many families, Christmas is one of the few holidays in the year when everyone can be together. Christmas memories are precious to all — try putting them front and center of your Christmas email marketing campaigns (and don’t forget to show your special offer).

Christmas email example showing family photos in a calendar.

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Bring customers together around a cause

Christmas is a time of giving. It’s also a time to give back. This holiday season, try partnering with an organization or cause that’s important to you and your business.

Your Christmas email campaign is a great way to share the cause with your customers as well as encourage their support.

Christmas email example for a nonprofit.

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Related: Holiday and Christmas Email Subject Lines for Higher Open Rates

Enjoying these Christmas email ideas? Download our free calendar for more important tips and dates in 2024.

Christmas email marketing strategies

This time of year, Christmas deals, greetings, and promotions flood our inboxes. The last thing you want is to miss out on a chance to connect with customers.

Make your Christmas email stand out with these tried-and-true holiday email marketing strategies.

Offer Christmas gift cards

Gift cards are one of the most popular Christmas presents for a reason. They’re great as last-minute gifts and are sure to please even the pickiest giftees.

Use your holiday email campaign to promote your gift cards to Christmas shoppers. This Christmas email from Friends or Friends is a great example.

Christmas email example for last-minute gift cards by Friends or Friends.

Created with Brevo

Target last-minute shoppers

Between Christmas travel and never-ending shopping lists, the winter holidays are hectic for everyone. If you offer last-minute deals on Christmas gifts, you’re sure to win your customers’ hearts.

This campaign from JK Adams gives last-minute gift ideas to inspire subscribers and take the stress out of the holiday shopping experience.

Christmas email last-minute ideas showing decorations.

Created with Brevo

Count down the 12 days of Christmas

Unlike some other holidays, Christmas has a special countdown. Build excitement by counting down the 12 days of Christmas and sharing a holiday discount or limited-time deal one day at a time.

Christmas email example by a clothing company. This email shows 12 days of deals and is in all pink.

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Share gift guides

One of the hardest parts of Christmas is finding the perfect gift to offer your loved ones. Why not save your subscribers the hassle?

In your Christmas email marketing campaign, try sharing a gift guide like in this email from Lily & Roo. It’s the perfect way to showcase your products — and your customers will thank you for it!

A business Christmas email example showing a gift guide.

Created with Brevo

Offer free shipping

One of the most enticing Christmas gifts you can offer your customers is free shipping. It’s one way to stand out against the competition — and win a place in your customers’ hearts.

Looking at last year’s trends 91% of customers considered free shipping to be the most important incentive for online shopping during the holiday season.

To avoid missing out on these sales, promote free shipping in your Christmas email campaigns.

Christmas email for marketing offering free shipping.

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Promote gifts according to different budgets

Most customers want to give thoughtful Christmas gifts without breaking the bank. Make it easier for them this holiday season. Share gift ideas according to different budgets. (For example, gifts under $25.)

A Christmas newsletter is a great way to share your budget-friendly gift lists, like in this example from Be Everthine.

Marketing Christmas email showing budget gift ideas.

Created with Brevo

Hold a limited-time sale

The holidays are a time for sales and offers. Compete with other offers without devaluing your product by running a limited-time sale. 


Share the dates of your sale and include a coupon code so your subscribers have everything they need to bring their gifts home. Top it off with a CTA that creates a sense of urgency, like in this Christmas email example by Rifle Paper Co.

This is a marketing Christmas email that shows a sale for 30% off. The image has Santa Claus on a sleigh over a snowy village.

Run a post-Christmas sale

The festivities don’t have to end on December 25th! Make the holidays last a little longer with a post-Christmas sale.

Offer additional discounts and last chance deals — don’t forget to send a post-Christmas email campaign to warn customers not to miss out.

A marketing email, specifically a post-Christmas email for a sale.

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Make Christmas puns

When it comes to holiday email marketing campaigns, clever email copy goes a long way in driving sales and boosting open rates.

The Christmas season offers countless opportunities for puns and wordplay. When in doubt, look to typical holiday greetings and Christmas music lyrics for inspiration.

A marketing Christmas email example selling beverages.

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Further reading: A How-to Guide for The Perfect Holiday Marketing Strategy

Get your Christmas email ready

No holiday marketing campaign is complete without a festive Christmas email design.

With Brevo, create the perfect Christmas email marketing campaign with the easy-to-use drag-and-drop email editor or customize it in HTML. And if you need inspiration, choose a free Christmas email template from our library of free holiday email marketing templates and get your campaign running in no time.

Launch your Christmas email marketing campaign with Brevo

Get started sending email campaigns with Brevo. Free plan includes core email marketing features, unlimited contacts, 300 emails/day, and over 40 email templates.

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