Christmas 2026 on WhatsApp: a November-to-January sales calendar, ready-made templates and Meta costs
The WhatsApp holiday season runs from Black Friday on November 27 to the New Year. The busiest window is the first three weeks of December, when shoppers race shipping deadlines. To sell those weeks you need an opted-in customer list, templates approved in November and a plan for answering chats over the holidays.
Updated: October 9, 2026
When should a Christmas WhatsApp campaign start?
Prepare in October and start sending right after Black Friday and Cyber Monday (November 27 and 30, 2026). Submit templates to Meta weeks ahead, segment your list and put your strongest offers in the first half of December, before carriers' last shipping dates.
What should I send customers on WhatsApp at Christmas?
Three kinds of messages work: a gift guide by budget, a clear shipping deadline ("order by X to receive before the 24th") and a thank-you with a January offer. Send only to people who opted in, and make each message complete instead of several short ones.
How much does a Christmas WhatsApp campaign cost?
In the US and Canada each marketing template costs US$0.025 from October 1, 2026: 1,000 customers cost about US$25. Each reply inside the 24-hour window costs US$0.0034. Conversations from Click-to-WhatsApp ads are free for 72 hours.
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Calendar from November to January
- October: clean your list (opted-in only), create and submit your templates.
- November 27–30: Black Friday and Cyber Monday, then switch to holiday messaging.
- December 1–15: gift guides and your strongest offers.
- Mid-December: carriers' last shipping dates; announce yours clearly.
- December 24–26: last-minute gifts, holiday hours, Boxing Day in the UK and Commonwealth.
- December 27–January 6: returns, exchanges, thank-you messages and New Year offers.
Ready-made holiday templates
Holiday shipping deadline
Hi {{1}}! To get your gifts before December 24, place your order by {{2}}.
We keep shipping after that date, but the carrier can't guarantee delivery before Christmas. Questions about delivery times to your zip code? Just reply here.
Gift guide by budget
Hi {{1}}! Still looking for gifts? We picked our best sellers under {{2}} and under {{3}}. Reply with who it's for and we'll suggest three options.
Thank-you message
Hi {{1}}, thank you for choosing {{2}} this year. As a thank-you, here's {{3}} off your first order in January. Reply STOP to opt out.
Support over the holidays
- An away message with your holiday hours and shipping deadline.
- An AI assistant that answers prices, stock and shipping at any hour and leaves orders ready for your team.
- Clear shifts on the 24th, 25th and 31st.
- Saved replies for returns and exchanges after the 25th.
Mistakes that cost December sales
- Submitting templates for approval on December 15.
- Not announcing a shipping deadline and promising impossible deliveries.
- Sending offers to people who didn't opt in.
- Leaving WhatsApp unanswered on the 24th and 25th.
Selling in Latin America? Mexico's aguinaldo bonus is paid before December 20 and Brazil's 13th salary by December 20; see the Spanish and Portuguese versions.
Paying another WhatsApp platform? Pay half or less
You pay the lower of 50% of what you pay today or the list price of the ChatSales plan that matches or beats yours, for life while you stay subscribed, and pay Meta directly with 0% markup.
Ideas to sell more on WhatsApp, in your inbox
What's new in WhatsApp and Meta, AI for business, sales and marketing, with verified data and ready-made templates. Free, no spam, unsubscribe in one click.
We'll email you to confirm. Read our privacy notice.
Sources
Meta: WhatsApp Business Platform pricing. Holiday dates: common calendar. Checked October 9, 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Can I send holiday greetings to all my contacts?
Only to people who opted in, and with an approved marketing template.
Are holiday greetings marketing or utility?
Marketing: they don't respond to a customer action such as an order or payment.
How early should I submit templates?
Weeks ahead. Review takes up to 24 hours, but if one is rejected you need time to fix it.
What about customers who message on the 25th?
An away message and an AI assistant that handles the basics; your team picks up on the 26th.
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