🎄 Holiday Marketing: How Yearbook Advisers Can Boost Engagement Before Winter Break

Jessica Carrera
3 days ago
4 min read

An ornament with a Christmas tree and the words yearbook on it.

The second week of December brings a special mix of excitement, exhaustion, and anticipation. Students are buzzing with holiday spirit, teachers are tying up loose ends, and advisers are juggling deadlines, page submissions, and the final push before winter break.

But here’s the good news: this festive season is one of the BEST opportunities to build momentum for your yearbook program. With just a few simple strategies, advisers can harness the holiday energy to drive engagement, increase sales, and strengthen their yearbook community.

Below are creative, adviser-friendly marketing ideas you can implement right now, even during the busiest stretch of the school year.

🎁 1. Launch a “Holiday Cheer” Yearbook Sale

Parents are already shopping, students are already excited, and people are actively looking for perfect keepsakes or last-minute gifts. This is the perfect time to introduce:

Limited-time discounts
Free personalization upgrades
Holiday bundle offers (yearbook + senior shoutout, etc.)
Enter-to-win giveaways (e.g., free yearbook, gift card, spirit wear)

Even a small incentive can spark big sales, especially when the purchase feels seasonal and sentimental.

✨ 2. Promote the yearbook as a memory that can be gifted!

During the holidays, nostalgia and sentimentality play a huge role. Share how vital a gift a yearbook truly is:

“Give the gift of memories.”
“Wrap a whole year in a single book.”
“Capture this chapter forever.”

This messaging resonates deeply with parents and makes the yearbook feel like a thoughtful holiday purchase rather than another school expense.

🎅 3. Create Festive Social Media Posts

Holiday posts naturally get higher engagement. Advisers and staff members can use this to their advantage with:

“Behind the scenes” shots of the yearbook team
Fun countdown graphics (“12 Days of Yearbook Cheer!”)
Polls, holiday-themed templates, and hashtag challenges
Student-submitted seasonal photos (snow days, spirit days, decorations, etc.)

Your program becomes more visible, fun, and community-focused—building excitement going into January.

🧣 4. Highlight Staff Appreciation & Holiday Gratitude

This time of year is perfect for spotlighting:

Student photographers
Editors, staff writers, designers
Teachers who support the program
Parent volunteers
Coaches and club advisers who send content

A simple “thank you” graphic or post goes a long way and boosts morale during a hectic season.

📅 5. Use the Quiet January Ramp-Up to Your Advantage

With winter break approaching, advisers can plant seeds for January:

Share early reminders about deadlines
Announce upcoming senior ad cutoffs
Tease special features being finalized
Encourage students to submit photos over winter break (holiday lights, family traditions, New Year celebrations)

When everyone returns refreshed, your community is already primed for action.

🌟 6. Create a Mini “Holiday Content Push”

Encourage your campus to submit photos of:

Holiday concerts
Winter sports highlights
Classroom parties
Kindness projects
Toy drives, charity events, and service learning
Staff dress-up days

This is a great way to fill any remaining page gaps, and it creates meaningful coverage that truly captures your school culture.

🍪 7. Add a Little Fun: Host a Holiday-Themed Photo Booth

Create a simple, festive backdrop for lunch break or events to:

Increase visibility
Generate tons of usable photos
Create a buzz around the yearbook
Provide a holiday marketing moment for social media

Plus, students LOVE it.

👼 8. Introduce a “Yearbook Angel” Program

The holidays are a season of giving, and many families in your community may want to help ensure every student has access to a yearbook, regardless of financial circumstances.

Introducing a Yearbook Angel Program allows parents, staff, alumni, or local organizations to donate a yearbook to a student in need anonymously. This initiative not only increases yearbook distribution, but it also builds community and cultivates generosity.

Ways advisers can promote it:

Share a warm, heartfelt announcement explaining the program
Offer donation tiers (1 book, 2 books, or a general contribution fund)
Feature a “Be a Yearbook Angel” button on your website or store page
Provide donors with a printable “You’re a Yearbook Angel” card or digital badge

This is a powerful way to unite your campus around kindness while simultaneously supporting your yearbook program.

💡 Final Thoughts: Your Yearbook Program Deserves to Shine

December may be hectic, but it’s also the perfect time to remind your school community why the yearbook matters. It’s storytelling, memory-keeping, and celebration all wrapped into one.

By tapping into the spirit of the season, advisers can amplify excitement, encourage participation, and drive sales, all while making students feel seen and celebrated.

Image of Jessica Carrera, a United Yearbook representative.

Contributor: Jessica Carrera, Associate Editor at TSE Worldwide Press and Marketing Coordinator at United Yearbook, holds a B.A. in English with a concentration in writing from Biola University. She aspires to touch the lives of others through her words.

Editor: Donna Ladner obtained a B.A. in Education and a minor in English from California Baptist University, and a M.S. in ESL from USC, Los Angeles. After she married Daniel, their family moved to Indonesia with a non-profit organization and lived cross-culturally for 15 years before returning to the U.S in 2012. Donna has been working as an editor and proofreader for TSE Worldwide Press and its subsidiary, United Yearbook since 2015.