Christmas Giveaway Ideas: When to Launch and What to Give

Christmas Giveaway Ideas

Last updated 20 Oct 2026

Christmas is on 25 December, but a Christmas giveaway is really about the weeks before it. People start buying gifts in November, and a prize that arrives after the day feels late.

That is why we suggest launching about six weeks ahead, in mid-November, and closing entries in early December. Three weeks of entries gives people time to find the giveaway. The three weeks after it leave room to pick a winner, wait for a reply, draw again if nobody answers, and still ship the prize before the post gets slow.

If you would rather post something every day in December, see the advent calendar and 12 days of Christmas pages. They cover daily series, which need a different plan.

Working out the next date…

Dates

Christmas dates for 2026–2028, with the suggested launch and end of the giveaway
Year	Christmas	Launch by	Giveaway ends
2026	Fri 25 Dec	Fri 13 Nov	Thu 3 Dec
2027	Sat 25 Dec	Sat 13 Nov	Fri 3 Dec
2028	Mon 25 Dec	Mon 13 Nov	Sun 3 Dec

Giveaway ideas

Gift guide giveaway

Post a gift guide with five to ten of your products. Ask people to comment which one they would give and who it is for, first name only. One comment is one entry. When entries close, draw the winner from the comments and send them the item they named.

Prize idea: The item the winner picked from the guide, or a bundle of two or three items from it.

We wrap it and send it

Offer to gift-wrap the prize and post it straight to someone the winner chooses, with a handwritten card. People enter by commenting who they would send it to. This takes the delivery worry off the winner and makes a nice winner post.

Prize idea: A wrapped gift sent to the winner's chosen person, with free delivery inside your country.

December prize wheel at the till

On your two or three busiest Saturdays in December, let visitors spin a prize wheel at the till, with no purchase needed. List every prize and how many of each you have on a sign next to the screen. Remove a slice when its prizes run out.

Prize idea: Mostly small prizes, like a mince pie, a gift tag set or a discount on the next visit, plus one hamper.

Prize wheel

Christmas raffle for a good cause (nonprofits only)

If you are a charity or nonprofit, a ticket raffle with donated prizes can raise money. Paid raffles are regulated; in many places only charities and nonprofits can run them. Check what applies to you before you sell a single ticket. Print numbered tickets, then draw the numbers in public and post the result.

Prize idea: Donated prizes from local businesses, such as a meal for two, a hamper or a spa voucher.

Captions for this event

Ready-made captions for the launch, the reminders and the winner post. Open the caption generator and pick the “Holiday” stage.

Questions and answers

When should a Christmas giveaway end?

In early December if the prize has to be posted. You need time to pick and contact the winner, wait a few days for a reply and send the parcel before the last delivery dates. Our suggested window closes about three weeks before Christmas.

How do I pick a Christmas giveaway winner fairly?

Draw at random from the full list of valid entries and keep a record of the draw. The giveaway picker gives you a link anyone can open to check the result.

What if the winner doesn't reply before Christmas?

Say in the rules how long the winner has to reply, for example 48 hours, and that you will pick another winner after that. Draw one or two alternates at the same time as the winner, so you don't need a second draw.

Can I run one Christmas giveaway on several platforms?

Yes. Collect the entries from each platform into one list, remove duplicates, and draw once. Say in the rules that each person can enter once per platform and win once. If you post on Facebook, ask for comments there, not shares.