The checklist
Opening hours and availability
- Christmas and New Year opening hours updated on your website, not just on Google Business Profile
- Any early closing dates or bank holiday closures clearly stated well in advance
- Booking or ordering deadlines for guaranteed Christmas delivery or completion, if relevant to your business
Stock, services, and messaging
- Seasonal products, offers, or services updated and accurately described
- Any out of season items removed or clearly marked as unavailable, rather than left live and confusing
- A clear, visible message if you're taking a break over the festive period and when you'll be back to respond to enquiries
Technical readiness
- Site tested to confirm it still loads quickly, since Christmas traffic spikes can strain sites that aren't used to higher visitor numbers
- Contact forms and any booking or ordering systems tested to confirm they're working properly ahead of the busy period
- A backup taken before any seasonal changes are made, in case anything needs reverting
Customer communication
- An out of office or away message set up on your business email if you'll be closed or slower to respond
- Social media and website messaging kept consistent, so customers get the same information wherever they look
- Any delivery cut off dates prominently displayed if you sell physical products
Why this matters
Christmas is often the highest traffic, highest expectation period of the year for many small businesses, and it's also when customers are least forgiving of confusion, wrong information, or a site that doesn't work properly. A short seasonal check, done a few weeks ahead rather than the week of, avoids a wasted opportunity during your busiest and most valuable trading period.
FAQs
How far in advance should I do this seasonal check?
Ideally three to four weeks before your busiest Christmas trading period begins, giving enough time to fix anything that needs attention without last minute pressure.
Do I need to remove all my normal content over Christmas, or just add to it?
Usually just add to it. A clear, visible Christmas hours or offers section, alongside your normal content, works better than removing your usual information, since customers may still be looking for standard services alongside anything seasonal.
What's the most commonly missed item on a seasonal checklist like this?
Updating opening hours consistently everywhere, website, Google Business Profile, and social media. It's easy to update one and forget the others, leaving conflicting information for customers trying to plan around your hours.