Publication date: February 23, 2024
Reading time: 7 minutes
The second quarter of 2024 brings a new batch of holidays as well as some great opportunities for Etsy sellers to thrive. The quarter kicks off with a fun holiday—April Fools Day. While not necessarily a big holiday for merchandise sales, Etsy sellers can definitely have some fun with their marketing around the day. The rest of the quarter sees several environmental holidays as well as Mother’s and Father’s Day for many countries.
Several American patriotic holidays fall in the summer months. While it is legal to create merchandise reflecting the American flag, be aware that the flag should not be printed on any merchandise for temporary use such as handkerchiefs or napkins or on any item that displays the flag in a disrespectful manner.
The months of April through June also contain several important cultural holidays such as Cinco de Mayo, Juneteenth (US), Stephen Lawrence Day (UK), Indigenous People Day (CAN), and Pride Month. Even if you are not a member of these cultures, Etsy shops can show support by adding items related to these events or mentioning the events and cultures in your marketing materials.
If you sell worldwide, watch for holidays in other countries and not just your home country. Sometimes, the same holiday is celebrated in multiple countries but on different dates, meaning that one design can be used multiple times during a year.
In this article, holidays for the following countries are covered: United States (US), United Kingdom (UK), Canada (CAN), Australia (AUS), New Zealand (NZ), and France (FR). If no country is indicated, that means that it is a worldwide celebration in many countries.
- April 1 – April Fools Day
- April 15 – Tax Day (US)
- April 22 – Earth Day
- April 22 – Stephen Lawrence Day (UK)
- April 23 – Shakespeare Day (UK)
- April 25 – Anzac Day (NZ, AUS)
- April 26 – Arbor Day (US)
- April 30 – Tax Day (CAN)
- May 1 – May Day
- May 1 – Labor Day (FR)
- May 5 – Cinco de Mayo
- May 6 – National Nurses Day (US)
- May 7 – National Teacher Appreciation Day (US)
- May 10 – Military Spouse Appreciation Day (US)
- May 12 – Mother’s Day (US, CAN, AUS, NZ)
- May 18 – Armed Forces Day (US)
- May 20 – Victoria Day (CAN)
- May 26 – National Day of Healing (AUS)
- May 26 – Mother’s Day (FR)
- May 27 – Memorial Day (US)
- June – Pride Month
- June 3 – King’s Birthday (NZ)
- June 5 – World Environmental Day
- June 5 – Arbor Day (NZ)
- June 14 – Flag Day (US)
- June 14 – Army’s Birthday (US)
- June 15 – King’s Birthday (UK)
- June 16 – Father’s Day (US, CAN, UK)
- June 19 – Juneteenth
- June 20/21 – June (Summer) Solstice (varies by time zone)
- June 21 – Indigenous People Day (CAN)
- June 28 – Matariki (NZ)
Other Events
In addition to the standard holidays, it is a good idea to be aware of other fun or major events during the time period. May 4th has come to be an important day for science fiction fans of the Star Wars franchise. However, be aware that Star Wars characters and phrases are copyrighted and cannot be used on merchandise to sell.
Other big events during the second quarter include the Boston Marathon (April), Kentucky Derby (May), and Tony Awards (June). Again, be mindful of events and their copyrights.
When to Start Preparing
In order to compete in the Etsy marketplace for holiday-themed merchandise, it is best to begin listing your items three to four months before the specific holiday in order to ensure that your items have time to gain notice with the Etsy algorithm before the holiday traffic ramps up. Be sure to use eRank’s Trend Buzz and Keyword Tool to stay on top of holiday traffic research. Some Etsy sellers create a Keyword List of holiday terms to allow the ability to check current search trends for holidays quickly and easily.
Keep in Mind
The summer months can sometimes be a slow time for Etsy sellers. However, these months also provide numerous opportunities for holiday-themed merchandise. By keeping aware of upcoming holidays and events and listing these items early, it allows your shop to be ready when shoppers are ready to buy. If the holidays do not fit into your shop’s niche of merchandise, they can be used in your marketing, allowing you to be part of the holiday buzz and trending posts and hashtags on social media.
By tailoring your products and marketing strategies to the holidays of the second quarter of the year, you can make the most of these months’ shoppers. Happy selling!
To find out more about these holidays as well as keep an eye on future holidays, these sites offer a comprehensive list of holidays around the world: TimeAndDate and HolidayInsights. Additionally, eRank contains a Calendar feature within the application under the TOOLS Menu.