With 13 Mondays until Christmas, it’s time to get your social media on point for the silly season.

Consider this your wake up call 

As someone who runs a content team, we are never short of examples where we’re asked to pull content out of a hat at the last minute. 

But it doesn’t have to be like that. 

Now is the time to get all of the planning done, your agencies briefed and creative thinking underway so you have the most disruptive social media silly season! 

The Australian Christmas period is unlike anywhere else in the world. While the Northern Hemisphere is wrapped up in snow (or those hoping for snow) and sweaters, our silly season is about BBQs, beach days, cricket in the backyard, and of course shopping sprees that stretch from Black Friday through Boxing Day. And right now, with just 13 Mondays to go,  it’s crunch time for brands to get their social media strategy on point. 

Why the countdown matters

If you work in social, you know that customer behaviour is shifting earlier every year. Shoppers are already searching for Christmas gifts in October (with more doing so, directly via social), and with cost-of-living pressures continuing across Australia, we’re seeing consumers seeking out deals, inspiration, and value well before December.

That means brands can’t wait until the first carols hit the supermarket loudspeakers to get festive. The countdown is on, and every week between now and Christmas gives you an opportunity to prime your audience.

Know the Aussie context

The “silly season” comes with a unique set of social dynamics here:

• School holidays overlap with peak retail activity, making parents one of the most time-poor audiences.
• Public holidays like Melbourne Cup, Black Friday, and Boxing Day create natural momentum points for campaigns.
• Summer culture means content that feels lighthearted, social, and distinctly Australian – think beach vibes, summer dining, great times with your mates, and family traditions – is going to land.

Your audience will scroll from the lounge, the school pickup line, or the sun chair, so the key is relevance and relatability.

Three priorities for marketers right now

1. Lock in your creative ideas but leave room for reactiveness.
   If you haven’t mapped out your social calendar from now to January, do it this week. Even if it’s top line. The best brands don’t just turn on “Christmas mode” in December – they warm their audiences, test messages, and build equity early. But remember to leave space for those unplanned and planned reactive moments (and remember it’s not all about Taylor’s engagement).
2. Lean into short-form video – short being the key here.
   Video is where discovery is happening fastest. Disruptive, snackable, but always authentic content showing “real people, real moments” resonates. This is where Aussie culture comes alive, don’t forget that.
3. Optimise for conversion, not just engagement.

Social is a critical sales engine. Use shoppable posts, dynamic ads, and retargeting strategies that bridge awareness with action. Local retailers in particular need to activate social commerce to stand out against the bigger players. Every datapoint you have, create or earn could and should be used to build further connections with your customers. 

Don’t forget we’re all humans (AI included)

The silly season can be equal parts exciting and overwhelming for consumers. Pressure around gift-giving, wrapping up the year, and managing finances is real. Brands that succeed in Australia’s holiday social space are the ones that add value – not stress. That could be through thoughtful how-to content, genuine humour, or timely, useful offers.

Wrapping it up

Sixteen Mondays may sound like plenty of time, but in the world of digital and social, it’s a blink. Every week you delay, you’re leaving opportunities, impressions, and revenue on the table.

So if you haven’t already, now is the time to hone your social media strategy, reflect the quirks of the Aussie summer, and show up with content that truly meets your audience where they are. 

Because when the pavlova comes out on Christmas Day, and shoppers finally put their phones down, your social disruption will determine who they chose to shop with in the lead-up.