Holiday Email Examples: Black Friday, Thanksgiving + More
Holiday email examples and templates for ecommerce: the Black Friday sequence, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Mother's Day and EOFY, with subject lines and structure.
Table of contents
- The anatomy of a holiday email that converts
- Black Friday email examples (the full sequence)
- 1. The teaser (3–4 weeks out)
- 2. The VIP early-access email (2–5 days before)
- 3. The launch email (Black Friday morning)
- 4. The tiered offer (spend more, save more)
- 5. The gift guide
- 6. The weekend reminder (Saturday/Sunday)
- 7. The Cyber Monday email
- 8. The last-chance email (final hours)
- 9. The extension (optional)
- Black Friday sequence at a glance
- Thanksgiving email examples
- The gratitude email (no offer)
- The giving-back email
- The early-access bridge
- Christmas and holiday email templates
- The holiday gift guide
- The shipping cut-off email
- The digital gift card email (after the cut-off)
- The holiday greeting
- The Boxing Day sale (Australia) / post-Christmas sale (US)
- The New Year email
- Mother’s Day email examples
- The opt-out email (send in April)
- The gift guide
- The last-minute email
- The self-gifting angle
- Other seasonal templates
- Valentine’s Day (14 February)
- Father’s Day (US 20 June, AU 5 September 2027)
- EOFY (Australia, 30 June)
- Click Frenzy (Australia, May and November)
- Pairing holiday emails with SMS
- Holiday email mistakes to avoid
- Make the holiday season a system
- Sources
Holiday emails fail in two predictable ways: they look like every other brand’s holiday email, or they arrive in an inbox that has stopped trusting the sender. The first is a creative problem. The second is a planning and deliverability problem, and it is the one that costs more.
This post is the creative half: holiday email examples and templates for ecommerce, with the structure of each email, the sequence it belongs in, subject lines and sample copy you can adapt. For the planning half (the timeline, segmentation and deliverability), read our BFCM email marketing strategy and our 2027 email marketing calendar.
The examples below are templates we have written for this guide, not screenshots of other brands’ emails. If you want to see real brand examples for inspiration, Klaviyo and Really Good Emails publish large galleries.
The anatomy of a holiday email that converts
Every good holiday campaign email has the same five parts:
| Part | What it does | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Subject line + preview text | States the offer or reason to open | The offer or the deadline belongs here, not hidden |
| First screen | Confirms the offer instantly | Headline, offer, button, all visible on a phone without scrolling |
| Proof or detail | Shows what to buy | Three to six products, or categories, or a gift guide |
| Deadline | Creates a reason to act now | A real end date, stated plainly |
| One call to action | Tells them what to do | Repeated, but one destination |
Holiday emails also need the unglamorous details right: shipping cut-off dates per market, returns policy for gifts, and a working discount link that applies the code automatically.
Black Friday email examples (the full sequence)
Black Friday is not one email. It is a sequence, and each email has a different job and a different audience. 2027 dates: Black Friday is 26 November, Cyber Monday 29 November.
1. The teaser (3–4 weeks out)
Audience: full engaged list. Job: build anticipation and capture VIP sign-ups.
Subject: Something’s coming on 26 November Preview: Get on the list for early access
Our biggest sale of the year is almost here. Sign up for early access and you’ll shop 24 hours before everyone else.
[Get early access]
2. The VIP early-access email (2–5 days before)
Audience: VIPs, repeat customers and early-access sign-ups. Job: reward loyalty, spread volume, and get revenue in before the inbox floods.
Subject: You’re in. Black Friday starts now (for you) Preview: 24 hours before everyone else
As one of our best customers, you get first access. The full sale, 24 hours early, while everything’s in stock.
[Shop early access]
3. The launch email (Black Friday morning)
Audience: full engaged list. Job: announce the offer with zero ambiguity.
Subject: Black Friday: 25% off everything Preview: Ends Monday at midnight
Headline: 25% off sitewide. Four product tiles: best-sellers and gift picks. Button: Shop the sale. Footer line: “Ends Monday 29 November, 11:59pm.”
4. The tiered offer (spend more, save more)
Audience: engaged list, or customers with higher historical AOV. Job: lift order value.
Subject: The more you add, the more you save
Spend $75, save 15%. Spend $150, save 20%. Spend $250, save 25%.
[Build your order]
Tiers work best when the first threshold sits just above your normal AOV.
5. The gift guide
Audience: full list, with gift-buyer segments if you have them. Job: help shoppers buy for other people.
Structure by recipient (“for her”, “for the gym obsessive”, “for the coffee snob”) or by budget (under $30, under $60, over $100). Include the sale price and the shipping cut-off.
6. The weekend reminder (Saturday/Sunday)
Audience: engaged non-purchasers. Job: remind without repeating.
Subject: Still deciding? Here’s what everyone’s buying
Best-sellers from Friday, social proof, and the deadline.
7. The Cyber Monday email
Audience: engaged non-purchasers, plus buyers for a different category. Job: a fresh reason to open on the final day.
Subject: Cyber Monday: final day of 25% off Preview: Plus free shipping, today only
Add something new (free shipping, a bonus gift, a new product unlocked) so it is not the Black Friday email again.
8. The last-chance email (final hours)
Audience: engaged non-purchasers, clicked but did not buy. Job: close.
Subject: Ends at midnight Preview: Last chance for 25% off
Short. Countdown. One button.
9. The extension (optional)
Only if you mean it. Extending every year teaches customers the deadline is fake.
Black Friday sequence at a glance
| Timing (2027) | Audience | SMS? | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Teaser | Late October | Engaged list | No |
| VIP early access | 22–25 November | VIPs, sign-ups | Yes |
| Launch | Fri 26 Nov, morning | Engaged list | Yes |
| Tiered / gift guide | Fri 26 – Sat 27 Nov | Engaged segments | No |
| Weekend reminder | Sat 27 – Sun 28 Nov | Non-purchasers | No |
| Cyber Monday | Mon 29 Nov, morning | Non-purchasers | Yes |
| Last chance | Mon 29 Nov, evening | Clicked, not purchased | Yes |
For how Pete runs this sequence, including hidden VIP landing pages and why campaigns start 30 to 45 days early, see the Checkout Champ BFCM playbook interview.
Thanksgiving email examples
Thanksgiving (Thursday 25 November 2027) sits the day before Black Friday, so the temptation is to sell. The emails that stand out usually do not.
The gratitude email (no offer)
Subject: Thank you Preview: A note from our founder
A short, personal note from the founder: what the year looked like, what customers made possible, and thanks. No products. No discount. Signed by a real person.
The giving-back email
Subject: This year, we’re giving back
A specific commitment (a donation per order, a partner charity), what it funds, and how customers are part of it. Only send it if the commitment is real and you can report on it later.
The early-access bridge
Subject: Thankful for you (so you’re getting in early)
Gratitude first, then VIP early access to Black Friday for this segment only.
Christmas and holiday email templates
The holiday gift guide
Organise by recipient or budget. Show prices, star ratings and the shipping cut-off in the header. Send in late November and again in early December.
The shipping cut-off email
This is often among the most useful holiday emails you send, because it solves a real problem.
Subject: Last day for Christmas delivery Preview: Order by [date] for delivery by 24 December
The cut-off per region or shipping method, in a simple table. Express options. A link to digital gift cards for anyone who has missed it.
Carriers such as Australia Post, USPS and UPS publish their Christmas cut-offs each year; use your own fulfilment times on top of theirs.
The digital gift card email (after the cut-off)
Subject: Missed the cut-off? This arrives instantly
Digital gift card, delivered by email, any amount. The easiest last-minute gift you’ll buy.
The holiday greeting
Subject: Happy holidays from all of us
A short thank-you, a real moment from the year, warm wishes. No offer. Send to your engaged list, not just buyers.
The Boxing Day sale (Australia) / post-Christmas sale (US)
Subject: Boxing Day sale: up to 40% off
Launch on 26 December (a Sunday in 2027), with a reminder before it ends. Target gift recipients with “treat yourself” and gift card holders with “spend your gift card”.
The New Year email
Useful for health, supplement and beauty brands: “new year, new routine” content, starter bundles, and subscription offers for December gift recipients.
Mother’s Day email examples
Mother’s Day is Sunday 9 May 2027 in both the US and Australia.
The opt-out email (send in April)
Subject: Would you rather skip Mother’s Day emails?
We know this day can be hard. If you’d prefer not to hear from us about Mother’s Day, click below and we’ll leave you out. You’ll still get everything else.
[Skip Mother’s Day emails]
In Klaviyo, the click can add the person to a list or set a profile property that you exclude from every Mother’s Day send. It is a small gesture that customers notice.
The gift guide
Subject: Gifts she’ll actually use
Sections by budget or by “type of mum”. Include gift sets and bundles, the shipping cut-off, and gift wrapping if you offer it.
The last-minute email
Subject: Still time: order by Wednesday for Mother’s Day
Cut-off date, express shipping, and digital gift cards.
The self-gifting angle
Some of your audience are mothers themselves. A “treat yourself” variant to that segment often outperforms the gift guide for them.
Other seasonal templates
Valentine’s Day (14 February)
Gift guides for partners and friends, a “self-love” edit for self-buyers, and a shipping cut-off. Offer an opt-out, as with Mother’s Day.
Father’s Day (US 20 June, AU 5 September 2027)
Two separate campaigns if you sell in both markets. Men’s health and wellness ranges fit naturally alongside Men’s Health Week in June.
EOFY (Australia, 30 June)
Subject: EOFY sale: our biggest mid-year savings
A two-to-three-week event: VIP early access, main launch, and a final-48-hours push before 30 June.
Click Frenzy (Australia, May and November)
Treat each as a short, sharp sale with VIP early access and a clear end time. Confirm the 2027 dates when they are announced.
Pairing holiday emails with SMS
SMS is your highest-intent channel and the easiest to overuse. On holiday campaigns, save it for:
- VIP early access
- The launch
- The last-chance or shipping cut-off moment
Keep texts short, include the offer and the link, and respect quiet hours in the recipient’s timezone. Our SMS marketing service and email and SMS strategy guide cover the detail.
Holiday email mistakes to avoid
- Hiding the offer. If the subject line and first screen do not say what the deal is, you have lost the scroll.
- One email to everyone. VIPs, non-purchasers and recent buyers need different messages.
- Sudden volume spikes. Jumping from two sends a week to three a day tells mailbox providers something has changed. Build volume in October.
- Fake deadlines. Extensions every year erode trust.
- Forgetting shipping cut-offs. They are one of the most useful emails of the season.
- Broken discount links. Test every code and link on mobile.
- Pausing flows. Welcome, abandoned cart and post-purchase flows matter more in peak season, not less. Update their offers to match the sale instead.
Make the holiday season a system
Great holiday emails are the visible part of a system: segments built in August, volume warmed in October, flows updated for the sale, and a sequence where every email has a job. The templates above give you the creative structure; the calendar and strategy guides give you the timing.
If you want a team to plan and run your holiday campaigns, our ecommerce email marketing agency handles strategy, creative and execution, or start with a free Klaviyo audit before peak season.
Sources
/ Frequently Asked Questions
Q.01 What makes a good Black Friday email? +
/ Answer
A clear offer stated in the subject line and the first screen, a single call to action, a real deadline, and the right audience. The best Black Friday emails are part of a sequence: a teaser, VIP early access, the launch, a reminder and a last chance, each sent to the right segment. Mobile-first design and a fast-loading page matter more than elaborate creative.
Q.02 How many emails should I send for Black Friday? +
/ Answer
Most ecommerce brands send somewhere between five and ten emails across the BFCM period, from teaser to Cyber Monday last chance, with more going to engaged subscribers and VIPs than to the wider list. Several sends in a single day can work on the biggest days, but only to engaged segments. Watch unsubscribes and spam complaints and pull back if they rise.
Q.03 When should I start sending Black Friday emails? +
/ Answer
Start teasers and VIP early-access sign-ups three to five weeks before Black Friday, and gradually increase volume to engaged subscribers through October so mailbox providers see consistent engagement before the peak. For 2027, Black Friday is 26 November, so teasers from late October and VIP access in the week before are sensible defaults.
Q.04 What should a Thanksgiving email say? +
/ Answer
The strongest Thanksgiving emails are short, genuine thank-yous: gratitude for customers, a look at what the brand achieved with their support, and sometimes a charitable commitment. Many brands deliberately send no offer on Thanksgiving Day itself, then use the evening or next morning for Black Friday. If you do include a deal, make it early access rather than a hard sell.
Q.05 What should a Mother's Day email include? +
/ Answer
A gift guide organised by budget or recipient, clear shipping cut-off dates, a digital gift card option for late buyers, and an opt-out. Offer subscribers the choice to skip Mother's Day emails a couple of weeks beforehand, because the day is painful for some people. Respecting that choice protects your list and your brand.
Q.06 What is a good holiday message to send customers? +
/ Answer
Short, specific and warm. Thank customers for the year, mention something real (a milestone, a product they loved, a cause you supported), and wish them well without a sales pitch. Keep the holiday greeting separate from promotional emails, and send it to your whole engaged list, not just recent buyers.
Q.07 Should holiday emails use discounts? +
/ Answer
Not always. Discounts drive Black Friday, but Thanksgiving greetings, gift guides, shipping cut-off reminders and gift card emails often work without one. Alternatives include gifts with purchase, bundles, tiered spend-more-save-more offers, free shipping and early access. Choose offers you can afford across your full order volume, not just the orders you expect from email.
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