December is a busy month for shops, restaurants, salons and service businesses. Customers check websites to know when you are open, whether you sell gift cards, whether they can still book. An outdated website at this time of year means lost customers and annoyed calls. Use this checklist in November.
Opening hours and closures
- Add special hours for late openings, Sundays and Christmas Eve.
- Add closures (25 December, 1 January, annual leave) in advance.
- Update Google Business Profile special hours the same day.
- Show an “open now / closed” status, see how to show holiday opening hours.
Announcements
- An announcement bar for the most important message: holiday hours, gift cards, booking deadline.
- Schedule it to change automatically and disappear after the holidays.
Gift cards and gift ideas
Gift cards are one of the best December products for local businesses: no stock, paid in advance, and they bring new customers in January. Put a clear “Gift cards” button on your home page and explain how to buy them (online, by phone, in store). Restaurants, salons and spas can create gift packages with a clear price list, see how to display a price list.
Menus and seasonal offers
- Restaurants: publish the Christmas and New Year menus as real text with prices and allergens. See restaurant menus in WordPress.
- Caterers and bakeries: order deadlines for Christmas, clearly displayed.
- Shops: seasonal products and opening on Sundays.
Booking and contact
- Make booking visible: holiday slots fill fast.
- A one-tap contact button for quick questions.
- An auto-reply on your email and messaging apps during closures.
Delivery and service area
If you deliver, show order deadlines and check your delivery area checker is up to date for the season.
After the holidays
Remove the Christmas messages, check that regular hours apply again, and thank your customers. January is a good time to ask for reviews from December customers. For the year-round basics, see the essential plugins for a local business website.
Seasonal content that brings visitors
A few seasonal pages can attract local searches in December: “Christmas menu in [city]”, “New Year’s Eve dinner [city]”, “Christmas gift ideas [your speciality]”. Publish them in November, with real details and prices, and link them from your home page. Update them each year rather than creating new ones.
Prepare your team
Make sure everyone who answers the phone or messages knows the holiday hours, the gift card process and the booking rules. A short internal note avoids contradictory answers to customers. If you use a WhatsApp button, set an away message during closures with your reopening date.
Timeline
- Early November: hours, closures, gift cards, seasonal pages.
- Black Friday week: gift card offer, see Black Friday ideas for local businesses.
- Mid-December: last booking and order deadlines in the announcement bar.
- Christmas week: closures and last-minute gift cards.
- January: back to normal, review requests, thank-you message.
Frequently asked questions
When should I update my website for Christmas?
In early or mid-November, before customers start planning gifts and outings.
Do gift cards need an online shop?
No. You can explain how to buy them by phone or in store, but online purchase is convenient for last-minute gifts.
Should I mention closures on Google too?
Yes. Update special hours on your Google Business Profile, as many customers check Google first.