Looking for Social Media Ideas for Holidays that will stick out from the crowd and pop? We’ve got you covered!
In honor of this month being the only month without any major holidays, I’ve provided a list some U.S. holidays, with corresponding social media ideas for your school!
I’ve also included some examples from Gracie PAC MMA, to give you an idea of what a martial arts school can do specifically.
January 1 – New Year’s Day
There are a few things you can post. You can post something fun, jovial and celebratory- it is a fresh and exciting new start! However, for martial arts schools, I think having a new years resolution component will be powerful and engaging.
Exercising more and losing weight are two of the most common resolutions, and this is a perfect opportunity for your school to capitalize on that. It can also be a great time for an engagement post asking what people’s resolutions are. Or, you can post something encouraging or inspiring to welcome the new year with positivity. There is so much here, it’s up to your best judgement and brand!
Third Monday in January– Martin Luther King Jr Day
A reverential, respectful post about his legacy and impact is ideal. If there is any connection to your location or school to anything he did, you can feel free to share. Otherwise, a respectful post is enough.
I featured the post Gracie PAC put on MLK day below.
February 14- Valentine’s Day
For martial arts schools, I would focus more on the themes and imagery around Valentine’s day than the holiday itself. Hearts, valentines, candy hearts and other descriptions associated with the holiday would be good.
You can also create an engagement post and ask your audience relevant questions like “Who is your valentine?” However, I would steer clear of going too far into the love component. Keep it light-hearted.
Another thing you could do is show appreciation for your members and how much you LOVE them!
March 17- St Patrick’s Day
This is an optional post, as it is not a huge holiday. However, it is a fun way to spruce up your content in March! Anything fun, green and light-hearted are great ways to celebrate the holiday on social media.
Below, you’ll find an example post from Gracie PAC for St. Patrick’s Day. It’s fun, themed and engaging!
April 1– April Fool’s Day
Do something fun! A prank on your students, or an engagement post asking for funny stories.
Last Monday in May– Memorial Day
In my work managing social media, memorial day was always a challenge. There are two directions you can take, and they are almost polar opposites tonally. These directions are:
- Reverential, respectful, patriotic tribute posts to those who sacrificed their life fighting for the country
- Fun, light-hearted posts about the long weekend, barbecues and pool parties
For this holiday, your post will depend on your brand and audience. If you have a more kid-friendly page, you may want to go to the second option. If your school is in a military town, go for the first.
Ultimately, it is up to your best judgment. I featured Gracie PAC’s post for Memorial Day this year, which definitely falls in the first category.
Veterans Day (November 11) is a similar concept but is generally less somber than Memorial Day. For veteran’s day, I would recommend making a post related to the first option, but with a more thankful tone instead of remembrance.
July 4– Independence Day
Independence Day is an opportunity to celebrate the country and the long weekend! Posts with fireworks, sparklers, red white and blue color schemes and flags are ideal for this holiday. The tone can vary and still be appropriate. However, I would recommend either light-hearted and fun or educational.
You can share fun facts about the founding fathers, appreciate the country in your post, or ask your audience how they are celebrating!
First Monday in September– Labor Day
This holiday is the most optional of the list, but this is a great opportunity to thank and/or highlight your staff.
Posts about staff members humanize your school, showcasing the people behind the account and letting your audience have a deeper insight on who you are as a school.
Therefore, at Grow Pro, we always recommend featuring your staff on social media. Labor Day is a great opportunity to do so.
October 31- Halloween
Halloween provides so many opportunities for social media. You can share how your school is celebrating Halloween, showcase fun costumes, or give trick-or-treating tips!
If your school has more kids, I would steer clear of any genuinely scary things and keep it light and fun. A few spooky elements never hurt anyone, though!
At Gracie PAC, they live-streamed their Halloween party to commemorate the holiday. Any opportunity to showcase your students and costumes is excellent content for your social media.
Fourth Thursday in November- Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is all about family, food, and remembering what you are thankful for. Generally, a brown/orange color scheme is standard (corresponding with the fall season) for this holiday.
Posts wishing your audience a happy Thanksgiving, stressing the importance of family, or asking your audience what their favorite Thanksgiving food is works well.
In the Gracie PAC example, they emphasize the value of family by saying, “From our PAC to yours.” A fantastic play on words that concisely illustrates the importance of family and friends during this holiday. It also follows the recommended color scheme and features a turkey in martial arts gear. This imagery is a combination of the brand and the holiday itself, a smart way to add a personal touch.
December 25- Christmas
The most wonderful time of the year!
Red and green color schemes work best for this festive holiday. Imagery of candy canes, hot chocolate, snow, Christmas trees, Christmas lights, Santa and more are all great to use.
An important note about Christmas is that it does not carry the same meaning for everyone. Some people do not celebrate it at all and have another holiday around the same time. Others only celebrate it culturally and not religiously.
Never make any explicitly religious post during Christmas unless it directly aligns with your brand and your audience (i.e., Christianity is a component of your school or lessons). You have to understand your audience demographics before creating a Christmas post. For example, if your school is mostly Jewish, maybe a Hanukkah post would be more appropriate.
Appreciate and understand cultural differences when speaking on behalf of your brand through social media. For this holiday, keep it light-hearted, sweet, fun and about the festive season instead of the actual origin of Christmas.
December 31- New Year’s Eve
Although it’s similar to New Year’s Day, NYE is more celebratory and reflective. Engagement posts asking about goals for the next year, favorite memories from the past year, or other questions work well.
Final thoughts
Holidays are also a fantastic way to promote your products (e.g., Fourth of July special, Christmas special, etc etc). So the value of holidays extend beyond one social media post.
In addition to calendar holidays, social media holidays are also a fantastic source of ideas for your social media content.
From national ice cream day to national grandparents day, this calendar is an exhaustive list of what you can use to spruce up your content.
If you are looking to offload social media altogether, we can do that at Grow Pro Agency. Check out our programs and services here!
Did I miss your favorite holiday? Let me know if there other holidays you’d like social media advice for in the comments below!
