Publication date: October 3, 2023
Reading time: 7 minutes
The final months of the year usher in a season of joy, celebration, and festivities worldwide. October, November, and December are packed with various holidays. Most Etsy sellers concentrate on the major holidays upcoming such as Halloween, Thanksgiving (US), and Christmas, but what about the other holidays around the world? Etsy—with the ability to sell handmade items worldwide—makes it possible for handmade artisans to recognize the unique opportunities that these holidays offer to showcase their creativity and make a lasting impact.
Need an easy way to keep up-to-date on all the holidays? Check out eRank’s Calendar found under the TOOLS menu, which is what is being used for this article. The tool includes holidays as well as international and national days for the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, United Kingdom, India, and France currently. Post office holidays (closings) are also listed for these countries on the calendar, which can be very helpful when planning shipping.
October
Of course, October brings thoughts of Halloween. As one of the oldest worldwide holidays, Halloween is celebrated in not only the US but in many other countries as well. These countries include Canada, Mexico, England, Scotland, Ireland, France, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, and Greece to just begin naming a few. More information about the holiday, its origins, and a full list of where it will be celebrated in 2023 may be found on the World Population Review’s site.
As a handmade crafter, you should seize this opportunity by crafting unique Halloween items themed specifically to the different countries and their celebrations. It’s a great opportunity to increase your market and let your creativity shine.
Other October holidays that may be overlooked by Etsy shops but present a great chance for a variety of holiday items are the US holidays of Columbus Day and Indigenous Peoples’ Day and Canada’s Thanksgiving, all celebrated on Monday, October 9th this year. Canada’s and the US’s Thanksgiving share many similarities regarding food, themes, gathering, and football. In addition, France honors their much loved male elders on October 1st with Grandfathers’ Day.
An additional item to take note of in October in the US is that it is the National Awareness Month for both Breast Cancer and Domestic Violence. Supporters of these causes turn to Etsy for unique apparel items to wear during the month of October as well as all year round.
November
November brings to mind family gatherings, great food, football, and major holiday shopping with the US’s Thanksgiving celebration. Handmade artisans can create items such as custom-made table runners, handcrafted pottery, or personalized serving utensils, just to name a few ideas.
Of course, Thanksgiving is followed by a weekend full of the much anticipated sales and holiday shopping days of Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday. These are often the days that Etsy shops prepare for all year. It is important to ensure that your online shops are ready for the increased traffic by being organized, having your items listed, displaying great listing photos, and utilizing top-notch SEO keywords by doing your research on eRank.
However, Thanksgiving is only one of several major holidays celebrated in the month of November. The remembrance holidays Veterans Day (US) and Armistice of 11 November 1918 (France) are recognized on November 11th each year as well as remembrance days under various other names in other countries. Patriotic items depicting pride in each particular country and respect for those that sacrificed for the country’s freedom are popular during this time on Etsy.
The first of the month is home to the holidays All Saints’ Day on November 1st and Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) on November 1st and 2nd. Both celebrations include flowers, lights, and small gifts, providing a great occasion for handmade crafters to offer some creative and unique options.
The end of the month is marked with Scotland’s celebration of St. Andrew’s Day on November 30th. This holiday is one of the most important for the country, marking the start of Scotland’s Winter Festival. The holiday is filled with the celebration of Scottish culture, cuisine, and dance—something to consider when adding items in your Etsy shop for this holiday.
December
December is truly a month of celebration. The month is filled with holiday decorations, gatherings of friends and family, tasty food and treats, gift-giving, and holiday parties. Hanukkah occurs from December 7th through December 15th, Christmas Eve and Day on December 24th and 25th, Boxing Day on December 26th, Kwanzaa from December 26th through January 1st, and New Year’s Eve on December 31st.
These holidays offer crafters of all kinds—from apparel to woodworking to pottery to hand-painted items—the opportunity to showcase their many talents and share them with shoppers around the world. Celebrators are always in search of unique quality items to showcase during this month in their homes and businesses as well as those perfect special items to give as gifts to a friend or loved one. The possibilities of items to add to your shop are endless!
Preparation
When making items for holidays in other countries with which you may not be completely familiar, remember to research the holiday to ensure that you are making items that truly reflect the spirit of the holiday and are not offensive to that culture. Plan to keep an eye on eRank’s Calendar tool to plan ahead for upcoming holidays. It is best to list items three to four months before a holiday occurs. Also, use eRank’s other tools such as the Keyword Tool and Listing Helper to ensure your Etsy listings are optimized for these holidays with strong SEO titles, tags, and descriptions.
Reminder
October, November, and December are a treasure trove of holiday celebrations, each with its unique traditions and customs. For handmade crafters, these months present a golden opportunity to showcase your talents, cater to diverse global audiences, and generate increased sales. By crafting items that resonate with the spirit of these holidays, crafters can make a meaningful impact on the festivities while building their brand and reputation as creators of unique, handmade treasures.
Embrace the creativity and joy of these holidays and let your handmade creations shine with eRank’s help! Happy Holidays!