Many people are aware that this year, Hanukkah begins Dec. 16 and Kwanzaa starts Dec. 26, while Christmas, as always, takes place Dec. 25. But how about less familiar December holidays such as Poinsettia Day, International Children’s Day and Bake Cookies Day?
Poinsettia Day was declared by an Act of Congress to honor American botanist Joel Roberts Poinsett, who served as the first U.S. Minister to Mexico. Poinsett was responsible for first bringing the plant to American soil, and it was subsequently named after him – its botanical name is Euphorbia pulcherrima, but that doesn’t roll off the tongue quite as easily.
The holiday falls on Dec. 12 to mark the anniversary of Poinsett’s death.
Celebrated the second Sunday in December (this year, it will be observed Dec. 14), International Children’s Day is a joint initiative between UNICEF and the International Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. It is described on the UNICEF website as a day to “tune in to kids” by airing programming for and about children.
By the way, that little cutie is one of our Social Media Strategists, Alex Beard. Adorable, huh?
The origin of Bake Cookies Day is actually unclear, but who really cares about that when the point of this day is oh so delicious? Don’t let Dec. 18 pass by this year without acknowledging the sweet glory of this holiday!
Whether that means you’ll be eating cookie dough straight from the bowl (don’t worry, we’d never tell) or stopping by your local bakery for some gourmet treats, celebrate Bake Cookies Day in style.
But what do these December holidays have to do with your seasonal marketing strategy?
All of the above information is fun to know, but how can you parlay it into your December promotions? It’s simple: Look up a list of lesser-known holidays that fall during this month and pick out a few that will be easy to incorporate into your seasonal marketing strategy.
For instance, do you run a bar or club? Celebrate Poinsettia Day by serving an Emeril Lagasse-inspired poinsettia cocktail made with vodka, champagne, juice and orange zest.
Is your company a restaurant, bakery, cafe or something similar? Bake Cookies Day is the perfect opportunity for you to debut new desserts featuring these crumbly delights or to shine the spotlight on old favorites.
As for integrating International Children’s Day into your promotions, family-friendly establishments can entice patrons with kids through their doors by offering children-eat-free deals or temporarily expanding their kids’ menus. If one addition to the menu turns out to be all the rage, you might want to consider keeping it on there permanently – just make sure to keep the young ‘uns away from those poinsettia cocktails!
