20 Influencer Marketing Ideas for Christmas 2025 to Boost Engagement and Sales

Christmas is the ultimate season for brands to shine on social media - and probably the hardest season to stand out in.

People are actively looking for gift ideas, festive inspiration, and seasonal entertainment. At the same time, feeds are full of holiday content, so standing out takes more than just flashy adverts.

This is where influencer marketing comes in. Influencers are trusted voices, and their recommendations feel authentic because they connect with communities on a personal level. By weaving your products into holiday content in fun, meaningful, or emotional ways, influencers can help your brand drive both engagement and sales.

Let’s dive into 20 proven influencer marketing ideas for Christmas 2025 - with examples of how brands can use each one and why it works so well.

1. Holiday Gift Guides

How brands can use it: Partner with influencers to create curated gift lists featuring your products. These can be tailored for different groups: “gifts for parents”, “eco-friendly shoppers”, or “under £50 stocking fillers”.
Why it works: Gift guides simplify shopping for overwhelmed customers. When influencers recommend your products in their guide, it feels like trusted advice rather than a sales pitch.

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2. Unboxing and Reveal Videos

How brands can use it: Send festive packaging or limited-edition holiday sets to influencers. Ask them to film their first impressions in a cosy, Christmassy setting.
Why it works: People love the surprise and excitement of unboxings, especially at Christmas. It shows off your product presentation and sparks FOMO for limited-edition designs.

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3. Countdown Campaigns

How brands can use it: Work with influencers to post daily “countdown to Christmas” content, featuring your products as gift ideas, daily tips, or mini giveaways.
Why it works: Daily content builds anticipation and keeps your brand top of mind during the busiest shopping weeks. It also drives repeat engagement as followers check back for the next update.

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4. Limited-Time Discount Codes

How brands can use it: Share exclusive discount codes through influencers, time-limited to create urgency. For example: “Use JESSXMAS20 before midnight to get 20% off.”
Why it works: Influencers give the code a personal endorsement, which feels more trustworthy. The urgency of limited-time deals encourages quick conversions.

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5. Festive Tutorials

How brands can use it: Collaborate on how-to content such as styling a Christmas table with your homeware, creating holiday make-up looks with your cosmetics, or wrapping gifts with your stationery.
Why it works: Tutorials are practical and shareable. They add value by teaching something new while seamlessly showcasing your products.

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6. Live Shopping Events

How brands can use it: Host live streams with influencers where they demonstrate products, answer audience questions, and share exclusive deals. Add time-limited offers only available during the live.
Why it works: Real-time interaction creates a sense of urgency and excitement. Viewers feel part of a community event, which increases both trust and conversions.

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7. Christmas Challenges and Hashtag Campaigns

How brands can use it: Launch a fun challenge, such as “wrap a present in 30 seconds” or “best holiday recipe hack”, with influencers kicking it off using a branded hashtag.
Why it works: Hashtag challenges invite mass participation, turning audiences into co-creators. They generate UGC at scale and keep your brand visible across feeds.

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8. Giveaways and Contests

How brands can use it: Partner with influencers to run festive giveaways. Entry could be as simple as following, tagging a friend, or sharing content.
Why it works: Giveaways expand reach by encouraging shares and tags. They also create goodwill and excitement around your brand.

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9. Behind-the-Scenes Content

How brands can use it: Invite influencers to show how your brand prepares for Christmas — from packaging orders to decorating the office.
Why it works: Audiences love authenticity. Seeing behind the scenes makes your brand feel more human, relatable, and trustworthy.

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10. Cause Marketing

How brands can use it: Collaborate with influencers who support charitable causes. For example, donating a percentage of sales to a food bank or hosting a fundraiser with their community.
Why it works: Audiences are more likely to support brands that give back during the festive season. It connects emotional goodwill with your products.

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11. Storytime and Narratives

How brands can use it: Have influencers share personal holiday traditions or memories involving your products. For instance, a hot chocolate brand could ask for cosy Christmas Eve stories.
Why it works: Storytelling creates emotional connection. People remember stories more than straightforward promotions, which boosts brand recall.

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12. Product Bundles and Sets

How brands can use it: Promote exclusive festive bundles with influencers showing the full set in use or unboxing it on camera.
Why it works: Bundles increase average spend and make gifting easier. Influencer reviews highlight value and position your products as “ready-to-gift”.

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13. Co-Created Festive Collections

How brands can use it: Team up with influencers to co-design a limited-edition Christmas product or collection.
Why it works: Co-creation sparks excitement and exclusivity. Fans of the influencer will rush to buy their product collaboration, driving hype and sales.

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14. Virtual Holiday Meetups

How brands can use it: Create small online events or Q&A sessions with influencers, inviting fans to join and interact.
Why it works: Virtual events add intimacy and make audiences feel valued. This strengthens community loyalty while showcasing products in a fun way.

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15. Nostalgia Marketing

How brands can use it: Partner with influencers to share retro Christmas memories or recreate old traditions with your products.
Why it works: Nostalgia triggers emotion and shareability. It makes content relatable and drives deeper engagement.

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16. Holiday Recipes and Food Pairings

How brands can use it: Food and drink brands can work with influencers to create Christmas recipes using their products, such as festive cocktails or desserts.
Why it works: Recipe content is practical, visual, and easily shared. It inspires audiences to recreate the idea themselves, driving product purchase.

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17. Cross-Platform Campaigns

How brands can use it: Run integrated campaigns across TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and Pinterest, with influencers adapting their content for each platform.
Why it works: Each platform has a different strength. By tailoring content, you maximise reach and engagement without duplicating efforts.

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18. User-Generated Content Amplification

How brands can use it: Ask influencers to encourage their followers to share photos or videos using your products, then repost the best content to your brand channels.
Why it works: UGC creates authentic social proof. It shows real people using your products, which builds trust and credibility.

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19. Sustainability Spotlights

How brands can use it: Partner with eco-conscious influencers to promote sustainable gifting ideas, recycled packaging, or ethical production practices.
Why it works: Sustainability is a growing priority for shoppers. Highlighting eco-friendly choices positions your brand as responsible and modern.

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20. New Year’s Resolutions

How brands can use it: Extend influencer campaigns into January by showing how your products fit into New Year goals, like self-care routines or fitness challenges.
Why it works: Keeps your brand relevant beyond Christmas, turning one-off festive engagement into long-term customer relationships.

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How to Plan Your Christmas Influencer Campaign in 2025

The best Christmas influencer campaigns are carefully planned, not rushed. They balance creativity with strategy and leave enough time to build momentum before the shopping season peaks. Here is a roadmap to help you prepare:

1. Define Your Goals

Decide what success looks like for your brand. Are you aiming to increase sales, grow brand awareness, or build long-term customer loyalty? Your goals will shape which influencers you choose and what type of content you produce.

2. Choose the Right Influencers

Look beyond follower numbers. Micro and nano influencers often drive higher engagement rates, while mega influencers provide wide reach. Choose partners whose audiences match your target customers and who align with your brand values.

3. Develop Creative Concepts

Decide which content formats will resonate most. Gift guides, unboxings, and tutorials are strong choices, but mix them with interactive content such as challenges or live shopping to create variety.

4. Plan a Content Calendar

Start early. Aim to launch teaser content in November and ramp up in December with countdowns, giveaways, and festive stories. Consistency is key to staying top of mind.

5. Provide Resources and Creative Freedom

Give influencers clear campaign guidelines but also allow them space to adapt content to their own style. Authenticity is what makes influencer marketing effective.

6. Track and Measure Performance

Use trackable links, discount codes, and analytics to measure engagement, clicks, and conversions. Monitor which influencers drive the strongest results to guide future partnerships.

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FAQs: Christmas Influencer Marketing 2025

Q: When should I start planning my Christmas influencer campaign?
Most successful brands begin planning by late summer and confirm influencer partnerships by autumn. This allows time to produce high-quality content and build anticipation before peak shopping season in November and December. Last minute talent can be booked with those that have existing networks and processes in place for outreach (get in touch with us).

Q: Should I work with big influencers or smaller creators?
It depends on your goals. Larger influencers give you reach, while micro and nano influencers often deliver higher engagement and trust within niche communities. Many brands find success by using a mix.

Q: What platforms are best for Christmas influencer campaigns?
TikTok and Instagram dominate for festive content because of their visual and interactive nature. YouTube is powerful for longer storytelling such as unboxings, while Pinterest is ideal for gift ideas and recipes. Facebook remains useful for giveaways and broader reach.

Q: How do I make my campaign stand out from competitors?
Focus on storytelling, emotional connection, and interactivity. Instead of pushing discounts alone, create experiences that invite participation, whether through live shopping, hashtag challenges, or nostalgic holiday themes.

Q: Can influencer campaigns work for smaller brands?
Absolutely. Smaller brands often benefit more from influencer collaborations because of the authenticity and personal connection. Strategic partnerships with micro influencers can deliver strong ROI without huge budgets.

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Final Thoughts: Creating Experiences That Last Beyond Christmas

The best Christmas influencer marketing campaigns in 2025 will not just drive sales, they will create moments audiences remember. By blending festive excitement with authentic storytelling, you can capture attention during the busiest time of the year while building long-term brand loyalty.

Think of Christmas as more than a short-term sales push. Use influencers to tell stories, inspire creativity, and make your customers feel part of something special. The result is not only higher engagement and conversions during December but stronger relationships that carry into the New Year and beyond.