There are the holidays we all know and love, typically marked by a much-anticipated day off of work. Then there are the quirky designated days that can add some oomph to your social media strategy.
Also known as hashtag holidays, these aren’t your typical days of celebration. If it exists in the public sphere, odds are there’s a social media holiday to honor it. That means they can get a tad ridiculous – yes, National Umbrella Day is in fact a real holiday – but they’re still a lot of fun to sprinkle into your content calendar. They can also be lifesavers when you’re running dry on social content ideas.
The trick is to avoid going overboard, deliberately choosing the ones that are actually relevant for your brand and current marketing campaigns. When used well, these wacky holidays can add brand personality to your social media presence and generate exciting levels of engagement from your audience.
Ready to celebrate? Here are some social media holidays worthy of adding to your content calendar.
Click here for a copy of this list in spreadsheet and calendar formats!
January
Jan. 4: National Trivia Day
This one is easy for any brand to use – just post interesting facts or trivia questions that are pertinent to your products, services or industry. You can even create a contest and reward your followers with prizes or discounts to drive engagement.
In a real stretch of our mathematical abilities we’ve worked out that if we combined the average weight of our members they would weigh the same as 1,289 elephants! #NationalTriviaDay pic.twitter.com/DpJbjVOpvk
— CIPD (@CIPD) January 5, 2018
Jan. 20: Cheese Lover’s Day
I love cheese so much I could eat it with every meal of every day – and there’s a chance your followers are just as obsessed. This one might be a bit tricky to work into your social media content calendar if you’re targeting a vegan audience, but otherwise you’re free to have fun with this wacky holiday.
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Happy #NationalCheeseLoversDay to everyone who gets as excited about cheddar as Josh does.
February
Feb. 9: National Pizza Day
Is pizza part of your social media strategy? It certainly could be. Everyone loves a good slice, so grab their attention with a quirky post about pizza.
Feb. 17: Random Acts of Kindness Day
Show your followers your socially conscious side with a #RandomActsofKindessDay post.
It’s #RandomActsOfKindnessDay? Let’s give some stuff away! pic.twitter.com/mmdVa5hhnP
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) February 17, 2017
March
March 1 (2019): National Employee Appreciation Day
The first Friday of the month goes to your fantastic employees.
March 18: Awkward Moments Day
This one definitely falls into the category of wacky holidays. It’s a celebration of the awkward and embarrassing moments that we all know way too well.
When you realise you’re the mother-in-law of a 1000+ year old Time Lord…#AwkwardMomentsDay #DoctorWho pic.twitter.com/Ival1C66dp
— Doctor Who Official (@bbcdoctorwho) March 18, 2016
April
April 7: National Beer Day
This is a given for brewers and restaurateurs, but it can also make for a fun post that any brand’s audience can relate to.
This cuneiform tablet was made 5,000 years ago in ancient Mesopotamia. It records workers being given beer as part of their daily rations! #NationalBeerDay pic.twitter.com/tT1SxQktbW
— British Museum (@britishmuseum) June 15, 2018
April 22: Earth Day
What does your company do to help our precious planet? This is the perfect time to share with your audience. At the very least, you can simply show Earth some love.
May
May 2 (2019): World Password Day
Celebrated on the first Thursday of May each year, this social media holiday promotes better password habits. It may seem super niche, but it’s incredibly relevant in the age of scary data breaches.
Twitter is telling all users to change their passwords after a storage glitch. Seems like a funny way to celebrate #WorldPasswordDay, but here’s how to do it: https://t.co/nWEUchGqWQ
— WIRED Gadget Lab (@gadgetlab) May 3, 2018
May 17 (2019): Endangered Species Day
Join the efforts to protect animals and habitats that are in danger. You’re definitely obligated to share a post if your products, services or mission are even remotely connected to the environment.
June
June 7 (2019): National Doughnut Day
This fan favorite is the perfect excuse to have doughnuts for breakfast in the office – and share the fun with social media users.
It’s #NationalDoughnutDay. Yum yum. @JimGaffiganpic.twitter.com/Eb0cdnzKEd
— Comedy Central (@ComedyCentral) November 5, 2018
June 8: World Oceans Day
Here’s another opportunity to share your love for Mother Nature.
July
July 1: International Joke Day
Time to drop your best one-liners – or ask your audience to crack some jokes. Don’t forget to add graphics, GIFs, emojis and videos to the fun.
The face you make when you know the joke in your wedding speech is going to crush. #InternationalJokeDay #Batrimony pic.twitter.com/MuNl0w0lRZ
— DC (@DCComics) July 1, 2018
July 15: National Give Something Away Day
What better time to treat your followers to a cheeky gift or get your hands dirty volunteering in your local community? Make room in your social media content calendar to share the experience.
In honor of #GiveSomethingAwayDay, retweet this for a chance to win this set. ⛵️ Winner will be announced on 7/17. #goodluck pic.twitter.com/TddMhPELN7
— Alex and Ani (@alexandani) July 15, 2017
August
Aug. 9: Book Lovers Day
This day is about honoring the written word. If you have a book to promote, this is a no-brainer post. Otherwise, it’s time to get creative and tie reading into your social media strategy for the day.
Aug. 26: National Dog Day
As if you even needed an excuse to share pictures of adorable dogs … Extra points if they belong to your employees!
CIA has its own staff of #K9 officers & trainers who are a part of our Security Protective Service. #NationalDogDay pic.twitter.com/3hT6VUPhZY
— CIA (@CIA) August 26, 2015
September
Sep. 28: National Good Neighbor Day
This social media holiday is perfect if you’re in the business of real estate, home improvement or travel. For any brand, though, it’s another opportunity to showcase that socially conscious side again and highlight involvement in the community.
Being a good neighbor goes beyond helping the house next to yours. It means helping people who wouldn’t expect it. In honor of #GoodNeighborDay, we challenge you to volunteer your time to help others who are less fortunate. Let’s fight hunger together. https://t.co/wYHmL4lSCc pic.twitter.com/VbevO9d1IW
— Feeding America (@FeedingAmerica) September 28, 2018
Sep. 30: International Podcast Day
Share your favorite podcasts with your followers – or better yet, toot your own horn a little with a #PodcastDay post featuring a link to your own show.
October
Oct. 1: International Coffee Day
The majority of the world is addicted to this caffeinated beverage, so why not share a #relatable post about #InternationalCoffeeDay?
Oct. 30: Checklist Day
We’ll admit that this one is totally strange, but it certainly opens up plenty of possibilities for various brands.
Here’s the ultimate Canadian checklist for your next trip. You’re welcome #ChecklistDay https://t.co/cPIJiR0jUN pic.twitter.com/JFi69KZAmZ
— Canada (@Canada) October 30, 2016
November
Nov. 21: National Entrepreneurs Day
Take a break from the Turkey Day and Black Friday mentions to celebrate the innovative professionals (aka your bosses) who made your business a reality. You can also give a shout out to the partners, customers or role models your company values.
Happy #NationalEntrepreneursDay! Here’s to changing the world, one student at a time. pic.twitter.com/tju8zzvVoN
— ProjectEd (@_ProjectEd) November 21, 2017
Nov. 27 (2019): Giving Tuesday
Send out some good vibes on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving with another giveaway. If you’re a startup or charity in need of donations, this is also a good way to ask for them through engaging social content. Alternatively, share ideas for ways people can give back. Bonus points if at least one of those methods involves your product or service.
November 27 is #GivingTuesday and this year, more than ever, it is important we take bold steps in the fight against suicide. Give today and mark your calendars for November 27 so that you can declare #iGiveBoldly to AFSP.https://t.co/TQNMipC4cm pic.twitter.com/c4FGaByL0c
— AFSP Los Angeles/Central Coast (@AFSPLACenCoast) November 3, 2018
December
Dec. 10: Nobel Prize Day
Odds are there’s at least one person in your industry who’s earned a Nobel Prize. Use this social media holiday as an opportunity to share a fun post about them.
Dec. 26: Thank You Note Day
Time to thank the people who make it possible to keep your doors open. Consider making separate posts for your customers and employees. It’s also the perfect opportunity to promote your products or services if they’re relevant to writing thank you notes.
Get in the holiday spirit and start planning a social media calendar filled with the perfect amount of wacky holidays.
