10 Boxing Day marketing ideas, with email & subject line examples

Boxing Day, celebrated on the day after Christmas, originated in Victorian England.

Some believe the holiday got its name from the tradition of the wealthy boxing up their leftover food, money, and goods to share with tradespeople and household staff, as a way to express gratitude for their reliable service all year long (and the fact that they likely had to work to support the family on Christmas).

Others believe the name refers to the tradition of opening the alms boxes placed in churches on Christmas, whose purpose was collecting donations for the poor.

Regardless of the name’s origins, the holiday is now widely recognized outside the US. Today, people all around the world celebrate Boxing Day, including those in:

• The UK
• Ireland
• Hungary
• Germany
• Poland
• The Netherlands
• Australia
• New Zealand
• Canada
• South Africa
• Hong Kong

And since the turn of the 21st century, the day’s focus has shifted from charity to sporting events like horse races and rugby—as well as, of course, shopping.

That means even if you’re a US-based brand, if you’ve got customers in other countries, Boxing Day is an important moment for giving your shoppers one last amazing customer experience for the year.

Never heard of Boxing Day and not sure where to start with your marketing campaign? We’ve got you covered with 10 Boxing Day marketing ideas for closing out 2024 strong.

Important note: If you’re using “Boxing Day” language and messaging (and you don’t necessarily have to—see Nos. 9–10 for other ideas), make sure you segment your audience by location before sending your Boxing Day marketing campaign.

1. Treat your VIPs to something special…

…before you open it up to your general audience.

If this seems counterintuitive during a season where you’re acquiring a lot of new customers, remember: your customers aren’t like your kids. You’re allowed to have favorites.

Naturally, your favorites are the ones who keep coming back to spend money with your brand, year after year, sale after sale. Especially over the holidays, these VIPs deserve a little something extra for their loyalty, whether that’s early access to a sale or product drop, or an exclusive discount or other incentive (more on incentives later).

Here’s a great example from K-beauty lifestyle brand Sukoshi Mart. Their Boxing Day marketing email uses a bright, bubbly design to let subscribers know they’re lowering prices up to 60% sitewide. But just under the fold, the email makes it clear who has “exclusive early access” to the sale and who only has general access, with a countdown clock that urges all readers to act fast before the sale ends.

2. Promote a general Boxing Day sale or discount

Once you’ve rewarded your VIPs for their loyalty, open up your Boxing Day sale to your general audience.

After the expensive pre-Christmas shopping season, one way to engage your subscribers during the lull between Christmas and New Year’s is to highlight how much they can save when they buy your products.

Here, see how lifestyle fashion brand Skinnydip London makes their winter sale 50% discount offer impossible to miss, enticing subscribers to click the prominent call to action (CTA) to shop and save:

Here are a few example subject lines for this Boxing Day marketing idea:

• Boxing Day Sale: Get 20% off everything!
• Our Best Ever Boxing Day SALE! £50 off all [insert product category]
• Surprise! MEGA 50% Off Boxing Day Sale

Boxing Day marketing tip: Abby Gettys, former customer support enablement specialist at Klaviyo, offers some advice for writing your Boxing Day email subject line: perception could help you determine whether you give customers a percentage or dollar amount off.

“I typically see the offer that sounds higher outperforms other offers,” Gettys explains. “So, if the dollar amount is $50 off and the percentage is 10% off, even if the 10% off equates to more than $50, $50 will likely get the best results.”

Of course, this advice may not apply to your unique brand. Always A/B test your email subject lines before making a strategic decision.

3. Not into discounts? Try a different incentive

The holiday shopping season is known for steep discounts, but that doesn’t mean they’re your only option—and remember, higher discounts do not necessarily equate to higher conversions.

If discounts aren’t the right approach for your brand, consider experimenting with a different incentive to drive Boxing Day sales:

• Free gift
• Entry to a contest
• Chance to win a giveaway
• Gift card
• Free shipping
• Bundle deals

Here, see how California winery Pali Wine Co. offers a $50 gift card to customers who spend $200 during their one-day sale. It’s a smart way to not only drive up average order value, but also keep potential one-time customers coming back for more in the future.

4. Reduce choice overload by highlighting key products

The end of the year isn’t just expensive—it’s also overwhelming. People are visiting friends and families, cramming in holiday parties, and trying to find time to relax.

That means not everyone will be swayed by an email that advertises even the most impressive incentive. The last thing you want is to invest time and resources into crafting a gorgeous Boxing Day marketing email, only to have someone open it and bounce immediately because they’re thinking, “20% off what?”

Here, see how skincare brand Skinfix solves this problem with their Boxing Day marketing email. First, instead of advertising a universal sale, Skinfix offers email subscribers a themed 20% off discount code, “BOXING20.” But then, the email goes on to highlight “press faves” of the year—and pairs each with a review that can help shoppers make a more informed decision on exactly how to use that promo code.

Boxing Day marketing tip: If you want to take this idea to the next level and make your email subscribers feel truly seen by your messaging, include personalized product recommendations instead of bestsellers or press favorites.

5. Empathize with the post-holiday mindset

Deep discounts aren’t the only thing that can entice customers to spend their hard-earned dollars on Boxing Day. Remember: there’s a human being on the other side of that screen.

If you focus your copy on something that your subscribers might already be thinking about, you might be able to boost excitement for your offers in a less predictable way.

Consider this example from skincare brand Evolve Organic Beauty. True, they’re offering an enticing 25% discount. But the real centerpiece of the email is the thoughtful note from founder Laura Rudoe, who writes about the importance of treating yourself and picking up belated gifts for friends—two things her customers might already be thinking about on Boxing Day.

6. Respect the inbox by timing your emails just right

Speaking of customer mindsets…the difference between someone opening your email and sending it straight to the trash often comes down to something infuriatingly simple: timing.

Think about your own relationship with brand emails. Receive one in the middle of dinner with your family, and you might get annoyed by the notification or miss it entirely. But receive one when you’re doom scrolling during movie night, and you might be in exactly the right mood to shop.

Contemporary furniture retailer Danetti sent two emails on Boxing Day—the first in the morning and another in the evening. This sequencing made the emails less likely to interrupt customers’ festivities with friends and family, but if a subscriber missed one, the brand still had another shot at capturing their attention.

And notice another smart timing-related move: Danetti’s evening email focused on discounted beds and mattresses—just as subscribers were thinking about turning in for the night.

Boxing Day marketing tip: Smart marketing platforms like Klaviyo empower you to send messages based on subscriber location or time zone, so all you have to think about is when you want your subscribers to read your email—the platform takes care of the rest. Learn more about Smart Send Time in Klaviyo.

7. Tap into FOMO

Depending on how you approach your email send times and sale timelines, you might be able to get your customers to take fast action during your Boxing Day sales by incorporating urgency into your messaging.

A countdown timer is a great way to spark a sense of scarcity and FOMO among your subscribers who may be in the mood to shop, but aren’t feeling quite motivated enough to simply head to your website and browse on their own.

Here, see how eyewear brand Vintage Frames Company uses several tactics to tap into FOMO with their Boxing Day marketing email: a ticking clock, the words “deals end in,” and a flashing sign that warns, “FINAL HOURS.”

Here are a few example subject lines for this Boxing Day marketing idea:

• Didn’t get what you wanted?
• Grab it now – 30% off!
• TO: Me. FROM: Me. BEST GIFT EVER!
• Ring in the new year with the [insert product name] you’ve always wanted

8. Turn your one-time campaign into a series

Who says Boxing Day promotions have to last for just a day? Introducing: Boxing Week.

Black Friday sales have been starting earlier and earlier every year, shifting consumer expectations from one-day doorbuster sales to extended shopping events. A longer sale period helps keep the orders flooding in through the days in between Boxing Day and the New Year, which can otherwise be a little quiet once the usual holiday shopping frenzy comes to a halt.

Bang & Strike, a premium men’s underwear brand, hit the right note when they sent a series of simple emails starting on Boxing Day and leading up to the New Year. By sending 3 emails across 12 days, they made sure their sale stayed top of mind—without overdoing it.

Here are a few example subject lines for this Boxing Day marketing idea:

• BOXING WEEK SALE – 2 DAYS TO GO!
• Let the celebrations continue! Get up to 35% off.
• Boxing Week Sale! Save up to 50% + FREE Shipping

Boxing Day marketing tip: With your Boxing Day marketing series, segment each send to exclude customers who’ve already purchased during the sale period. There’s nothing worse than placing an order only to receive a marketing blast the next day urging you to buy the same thing you already bought.

9. Invite your US customers to celebrate Boxing Day, too

You’ve probably noticed that several of the examples in this blog don’t actually mention “Boxing Day” at all.

Some brands choose to focus their Boxing Day email marketing copy around “winter sales,” “holiday sales,” or “after-Christmas sales” rather than “Boxing Day sales,” but still send the emails on the same day.

It’s a particularly clever tactic if you want to broaden your Boxing Day marketing to include your US customers, who may not be familiar with the holiday. Instead, appeal to something more likely to resonate, like not getting what they wished for on Christmas or needing something to buy with their holiday cash and gift cards.

Here, see how luxury apparel brand Holland Cooper uses wintery imagery and product shots of clothing that would be ideal for cold weather to advertise their “winter sale” on Boxing Day:

Eco-friendly baby brand Natural Baby Shower takes a similar approach in their Boxing Day marketing email, featuring cozy imagery alongside the copy, “Our winter sale is now on!”

Here are a few example subject lines for this Boxing Day marketing idea:

• ⛄ Woohoo! Up to 70% off Winter Sale starts NOW.
• Don’t miss our BIG winter sale! 50% off everything
• Brrr! You know what that means… WINTER SALE 50% OFF!

10. The grand finale: help people kick start their New Year’s resolutions

Given the holiday’s proximity to the end of December, New Year’s resolutions are another option for Boxing Day marketing emails—especially for sports, fitness, nutrition, and wellness brands.

Here, see how Nuun, a company that specializes in hydration and electrolyte products, uses Boxing Day as an opportunity to offer a free 8-week training program. Using phrases like “start the year off strong” and “get a jumpstart on your goals,” the email not only positions Nuun as an authority on fitness, but builds trust with subscribers who are in the “fresh start” mindset—all without pushing a sale.

Here are a few example subject lines for this Boxing Day marketing idea:

• Get a headstart on your resolutions: 15% off ALL sportswear
• New Year, New You: 25% off self-care essentials (you deserve it!)
• 7 must-haves if you’re going vegan in January