July 28, 2023

50 Holiday and Christmas Email Subject Lines for Higher Open Rates

Reading time about 12 min

When you come to plan your holiday marketing campaigns, chances are you’ll be on the hunt for an email subject line that’s both attention-grabbing and festive. Brevo to the rescue! We’ve got 50 examples to inspire your own Christmas slogans, along with tips for writing holiday email subject lines your subscribers won’t be able to resist.

Holiday season is on the horizon! It’s the busiest time of the year for many a marketer and the inbox competition is going to be fierce. If you want people to open your emails, everything depends on your subject line.

In a perfect digital marketing world, amazing Christmas email subject lines dance off your keyboard like sugarplum fairies. But the reality is that you probably have a million and one things on your end-of-year to-do list. Once you’ve established a holiday email marketing strategy and designed your holiday email templates, you’re probably running short on time.

So help yourself to our free buffet of holiday email subject lines, as well as tips for writing your own! That way you can get those email campaigns sent AND have time left over for shopping, wrapping, and decking the halls.

Create my next holiday email campaign with Brevo >>

50 Awesome holiday and Christmas email subject lines

These festive subject lines have all the ideas you’ll need for catchy Christmas slogans that will boost opens and sales — whatever your business!

1. Be the world’s best St. Nick with just one click

2. Rock the Christmas clock with time-saving gift inspiration

3. Indulge in the joys of personalized holiday shopping

4. Wrap up super savings that keep your stocking stuffed
Preview Text – Our deep holiday discounts make it happen

5. Kick holiday stress to the curb with one-stop shopping for everyone on your list

6. You want and deserve the special secrets to Noel Nirvana

7. Sleigh your Christmas list with these last-minute gifts

8. Even Santa shops our super-saver Christmas deals

9. Push procrastination out the window with super-fun holiday shopping
Preview Text – That’s how much you’ll love our selections

10. Baby, it’s cold outside, so warm up with our holiday gift ideas

11. Super Christmas shopping savings put extra jingle in your pocket

12. Give yourself something you really want this Christmas

13. Discounted elf exclusives add extra joy to your holidays

14. Let the holiday season begin by treating yourself to something special

15. Give great gifts that give back with our incredible Christmas discounts

16. Beat the holiday rush with tips for being a St. Nick in time

17. What are you really dreaming of this Christmas?
Preview Text – Your fondest wishes are on our digital shelves

18. Zip through the holidays with our super-fast elf-checkout

19. Make room under the tree for cash-saving Christmas fun
Preview Text – Deep discounts on everything in stock

20. Take your Christmas shopping over the finish line with time to spare

21. We saved Santa’s best stocking stuffers just for you
Preview Text – He told us how good you’ve been

22. Be an angel this year by giving heavenly holiday gifts

23. Put the shine in your holidays with our sparkling ideas

24. Conquer Christmas shopping while you ring up super savings

25. Dazzling Christmas discounts are our holiday gift to you

26. Secret Santas know how to hook up with Christmas savings

27. These sizzling Christmas deals are hot enough to warm up Jack Frost

28. Do you need a time-out from the holidays this year?
Preview Text – Book your New Year’s Caribbean getaway today

29. Put joy in your world with post-holiday travel discounts around the globe

30. Inspire a kiss under the mistletoe with these romantic holiday destinations

31. Wave at Santa’s reindeer as they go flying by your plane window
Preview Text – Beat the holiday rush by booking your flight today

32. Gift yourself with the Christmas vacation you really deserve

33. Where would you love to ring in the holidays this year?

34. Even Rudolph thinks our holiday travel booking services are the best

35. You can be naughty and still stay fit through the holidays
Preview Text – Learn more about our fitness equipment

36. Get on Santa’s nice list by getting in shape this year

37. How can joining a gym turn into your Christmas vacation?
Preview Text – Make us your fitness home away from home

38. Deck the halls with unbelievable holiday savings
Preview Text – 20% off our entire furniture line

39. Turn your home into a holiday palace with dazzling home decor

40. These Christmas decorating tips make Martha Stewart jealous

41. Celebrate Cyber Monday with deep discounts on all home decor

42. Enjoy fantastic discounts on fabulous holiday fashions

43. Beautiful boots, bows and bells dress up the best holiday wardrobes

44. Ring in the holidays wearing elegant Christmas jewelry

45. Glow like a Christmas angel with our premium cosmetics

46. Fabulous holiday fashion looks so good on you
Preview Text – They look even better with your 20% discount

47. Be Santa Claus for your favorite paws with these pet treats

48. All good dogs and cats deserve stockings stuffed with goodies

49. Check out Santa’s recommendations for your favorite pet

50. Doll up your fur babies for the holidays with our pet grooming services

4 simple rules for crafting winning holiday subject lines

Your inner marketing elf smiles with inspiration. You’re ready to craft successful holiday subject lines that turn all your marketing campaigns into absolute winners. Streamline the process with these four simple rules.

1. Address your readers’ pain points

Holiday stress comes with the season. Let your holiday subject lines solve shopping problems, ease insane schedules, and lift sagging spirits. You know what it’s like to face these Christmas pain points:

  • Holiday shopping crowds
  • Chaotic pre-Christmas schedules
  • Hyper kids and out-of-town company
  • Impossible holiday travel demands
  • Must-have-gifts that quickly sell out

Weaving holiday stressors into the subject line increases open rates. For maximum effect, be sure you’re using realistic pain points, address the recipient as “you,” and offer actionable solutions.

2. Keep character count mobile-friendly

Make your holiday subject line mobile-friendly by keeping it short and sweet. Ideally, it should be between 30 and 50 characters. If you can’t pare it down, give the first 30 to 60 characters plenty of punch.

3. Stay smart with preview text

Your preview text should complement the subject line. Not all email clients display preview text, so don’t use it for essential information. Let your subject line handle the heavy lifting.

Screenshot of an inbox with holiday email subject lines and preview texts

And, as you can see in the examples above, don’t be afraid to add emojis to your subject lines for a fun, festive feel!

4. Always make it personal

When you personalize a subject line, it becomes harder to resist. Studies have proven that personalized email subject lines can increase open rates by 50% — so best make the most of them.

If you’re a Brevo customer you can easily apply personalization to your email subject lines and main text using contact attributes.

5 techniques to try for your holiday and Christmas email subject lines

Still at a loss for holiday subject lines that stand out and fit your brand personality?

Write your own using one of the five subject line techniques listed below.

From laughter to gift-giving, take one of these approaches to crafting your own subject line. Just remember to keep the tone is aligned with the email itself.

And if you find yourself with more than one good subject line to choose from, try A/B testing them against each other to determine the best!

1. Come up with catchy Christmas slogans

Humor is a powerful marketing tool at any time of year, but especially when it comes to Christmas taglines.

Fun wordplay and seasonal puns ease recipients’ pain points by distracting them from the holiday stress. Spending time writing clever holiday email subject lines can make all the difference.

Try a joke or a riddle and entice readers to open your email for the punchline. Here are some ideas for Christmas taglines you can put your own spin on:

  • Make Cyber Monday Super-Santa Funday
  • Yule never believe these unbelievable discounts
  • You have to take an elfie with these
  • Don’t be a rebel without a Clause
  • Why was Rudolph’s nose really so red?

Christmas gift guide email that uses the slogan "The Most WonderFi Guide" in its holiday email subject line

Subject line: The Most WonderFi Guide of the Year

Source

2. Evoke holiday emotions with classic references

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow. I’m dreaming of a white Christmas… Song lyrics trigger fond memories every festive season. And they can also inspire evocative holiday subject lines.

From Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” to the TV movie, “A Christmas Story,” the holidays offer a treasure trove of references that resonate with everyone.

Marketing tonality counts here too. For example, your nonprofit’s subject line would probably perform better quoting Zuzu from “It’s a Wonderful Life” instead of John McClane from “Die Hard.”

3. Power up holiday email subject lines with specific messaging

Some email campaigns call for simplicity. It’s a powerful marketing tool because it delivers information that recipients actually need and can use.

Draw them in with holiday subject lines that highlight free shipping. Make sure they know the final date of your Christmas sale. Last-minute discounts, Cyber Monday deals, and deadlines for ordering are great attention-grabbers. Could you resist these subject lines?

  • Cut holiday stress down to size with free 2-day delivery
  • Jump on these amazing last-minute Christmas discounts
  • Stock up on your holiday goodies now before it’s too late

Notice how each example starts with an action verb. Keep this inspirational list handy for powering up compelling Christmas sale subject lines.

  • Beat
  • Book
  • Buy
  • Conquer
  • Discover
  • Escape
  • Hurry
  • Indulge
  • Rush
  • Save
  • Zip

4. Give a little bit and get a lot back

When a holiday greeting subject line offers a discount, it’s a type of gift to the reader. Instead of marketing the sale as a benefit, use it to showcase your generosity. Convey a sense of urgency with a “redeem by” deadline.

Try actually giving away something. It’s hard to resist a holiday subject line promising a free present with purchase. Be sure your gift has real value, and always follow through with delivery.

Christmas email campaigns can also serve as platforms for charity donations. For every set amount a recipient spends, you donate a set amount to a worthy cause. Spread the generous word with social media mentions and blog posts. Enjoy doing good for others while elevating brand visibility across multiple platforms.

Further reading: 8 Christmas Newsletter Ideas to Wow Your Subscribers

5. Fire up click-through curiosity by creating suspense

Frame your holiday subject line with a question that speaks directly to readers. Make it specific so that they’ll have to open your email. Rhetorical questions can be fun, but they aren’t as powerful as a straightforward appeal.

  • Do you know how much we can save you this Cyber Monday?

Adding a personalized touch of suspense also generates subject line irresistibility. A conversational approach works, but be sure to follow through with the same tone in your campaign text.

  • We need to talk about your holiday party plans

Keep reader curiosity in your digital marketing toolbox. It’s one more highly effective way to make subject lines connect with recipients and fire up click-through rates.

For more advice, check out this article on how to craft the perfect holiday marketing strategy!

Unleash your creativity with your holiday and Christmas email subject lines

Coming up with the best subject lines for your Christmas emails doesn’t need to be a chore. Give this year’s holiday campaigns a boost by combining your marketing talents with our ideas.

Happy holidays and happy sending from the Brevo team!

Download our 2024 holiday marketing calendar to keep up with important dates and get helpful tips for every month of the year!

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