The festive rush is nearly here, and for local retailers and restaurants, Christmas is one of the biggest opportunities of the year to connect with your community. To help you stay organised, visible, and genuinely engaging, here’s a practical checklist designed for multi-location brands—with examples you can post straight away.
1. Keep Your Local Community in the Loop
Christmas is peak activity time on social media. People are hunting for last-minute gifts, dinner plans, festive treats, and updated store hours. Your location pages should feel like the local noticeboard—but festive and fun.
What to share:
🎁 Local promotions
🕒 Christmas & New Year’s opening hours
🍽️ Seasonal menus or specials (restaurants)
💡 Helpful reminders (order cut-offs, last delivery dates, closing time today)
❄️ Light, festive content that keeps your page warm and active
Post examples:
“🎅 Holiday Hours Update — We’re open late tonight for those last-minute bits! Drop in until 9pm.”
“🎄 New Festive Menu Now Live! From spiced hot chocolate to our Christmas roast bap, pop in and get cosy with us.”
“✨ Did you know? We sold over 300 mince pies last Christmas… can we top it this year?”
2. Show Off What’s Actually Available In-Store
Customers love festive atmosphere online—but what moves the needle is showing what they can actually buy locally.
Ideas for retailers:
Gift sets
Stocking fillers
Christmas decorations
Hot chocolate kits
Firelogs & winter supplies
Christmas cakes, puddings, biscuits
Ideas for restaurants:
Festive takeaways & meal deals
Christmas party platters
Limited-edition desserts
Hot drink specials
Post examples:
“🎁 Gift Idea: Our festive hamper is packed with Christmas biscuits, truffles, and hot cocoa mix. Perfect for teachers or neighbours!”
“🔥 Cold nights call for cosy fires! Grab your firelogs & lighters in-store today.”
“🍰 New Arrival: Gingerbread cheesecake… trust us, it’s irresistible.”
3. Reward Shoppers With Local Offers
Christmas buyers are deal-hungry. Planned, well-timed offers give your page a boost and drive in-store footfall.
Quick wins:
Offer a local-only discount
Create simple hamper bundles
Reward returning customers
Promote “meal for two” deals (restaurants)
Run “1-day flash offers” in your quietest hours
Post examples:
“🎄 Festive Flash Deal! Buy any 2 desserts, get the 3rd half price — today only!”
“🎁 Hampers now available! Build your own from any 3 festive products.”
4. Create Holiday-Themed Content (and Schedule It Early!)
Christmas gives you full permission to be warm, human, and creative. Mix brand-approved graphics with real, local content—your followers engage most when they see your store, your team, and your community.
Easy content ideas:
Festive product flat-lays
Team photos (jumpers, decorations, charity initiatives)
Behind-the-scenes of prepping Christmas stock or menus
Customer favourites
Countdown posts
User-generated content reposts
Ready-made post ideas that work every year:
🎄 Merry Christmas from the Team
✨ Happy New Year!
💥 Your Big Christmas Promotion
🕒 Opening Hours for Christmas & New Year
And remember—you can schedule everything in advance using SocioConnect, so you’re not scrambling on Christmas week.
5. Don't Forget Festive Engagement
People do browse social over Christmas—often more than you expect. They’re scrolling while relaxing at home, messaging friends, or searching for last-minute outings.
Posting consistently (even simple updates) keeps your location visible when people are actively planning.
6. Post-Christmas: Capture NYE Spending
Once Christmas Day passes, there’s still a strong shopping and dining window.
Post-Christmas strategies:
Continue discounts into the New Year period
Promote ready-made NYE snacks, drinks, or platters
Share “back open today!” updates
Push clearance or limited-stock items
Highlight comfort-food specials for restaurant locations
Post examples:
“✨ Back in action! Pop in today for NYE snacks & party essentials.”
“🥂 Our NYE Party Platter is now available to pre-order!”
“🔥 Winter Warmers: Soup & sandwich meal deal now live.”