From sporting events, food days, and national holidays, every day of the year is dedicated to celebrating at least one occasion. If you appreciate themed shopping or you are a business planning for certain holidays, it can be helpful to have these dates written somewhere you can reference. However, going through a gigantic list can be time-consuming or simply anxiety-inducing. That’s why we’ve created a shortened marketing calendar of dates you actually care about.
What’s a Retail Calendar?
The traditional retail calendar breaks the year up into four- and five-week periods, either following the 4-4-5 or 4-5-4 patterns. The retail industry utilizes this pattern to break the year up into general seasons in an effort to plan ahead. Companies can also use the pattern as a sales calendar to compare retail sales to previous quarters or years. The calendar method ensures there is the same number of weekends each year which is especially important since most sales occur over the weekend.
How to Use a Marketing Calendar for 2022?
If you’re a business owner, you can note the key dates and begin promoting sales around the events that are the most important to you.
If you shop online or through a brick-and-mortar store, you can use the retail calendar to plan your purchases throughout the year. This is especially useful if you enjoy buying presents for people in your life.
Special Days Calendar by Month
❄️ January
The first month of the year provides plenty of opportunities for shoppers to spend their Christmas or holiday money and gift cards. Post-holiday sales offer competitive prices that attract savvy shoppers and delight sellers as people are more inclined to try a new brand out.
January is a great time for the foodies and resolution makers – especially shoppers who are both. More people are excited to start on their life-changing year-long goals in January, so sellers should pay attention and provide sales that allow shoppers to achieve their targets.
Key January dates
- 1st January – New Year’s Day
- 1st – 31st January – Veganuary
- 1st – 31st January – Dry January
- 1st – 31st January – Ginuary
- 2nd January – National Cream Puff Day
- 6th January – National Shortbread Day
- 10th January – National Houseplant Day
- 12th January – National Hot Tea Day
- 17th January – Blue Monday
- 22nd January – Celebration of Life Day
- 25th January – Burns Night
- 26th January – Australia Day
- 27th January – Chocolate Cake Day
- 31st January – National Hot Chocolate Day
❄️ February
Now that the bright-eyed January resolutions have passed, February shoppers consist of dreamers and lovers and people with a big, sweet tooth. Some important dates in February include Lunar New Year, Super Bowl Sunday, and Valentine’s Day as key days for maximized sales.
Key February dates:
- 1st February – Lunar New Year
- 1st – 28th February – Black History Month
- 5th February – World Nutella Day, National Chocolate Fondue Day
- 9th February – National Pizza Day
- 11th February – International Day of Women and Girls in Science
- 13th February – Super Bowl Sunday
- 14th February – Valentine’s Day
- 17th February – National Random Acts of Kindness Day
- 20th February – Love Your Pet Day
🌱 March
In some parts of the Northern Hemisphere, the days are getting noticeably longer and brighter, leaving the winter months behind. The obvious change in atmosphere is reflected in people’s happier moods – why not use it to celebrate Mother’s on either International Women’s Day or Mother’s Day and your friends on Saint Patrick’s Day? We’d say those are some of the important dates in March.
Key March dates
- 1st March – Shrove/Pancake Tuesday, Mardi Gras
- 2nd March – Ash Wednesday
- 8th March – International Women’s Day
- 12th March – Daylight Savings Time, National Girl Scout Day
- 14th March – National Pi Day
- 17th March – St Patrick’s Day
- 20th March – First Day of Spring
- 25th March – International Waffle Day
- 27th March – Mother’s Day
🌱 April
April showers bring May flowers but also their own set of fun holidays. Some important dates in April include April Fool’s Day, Easter, and Earth Day. Each of these holidays brings plenty of opportunities to celebrate lighthearted and fun family times. With the weather getting better, there are even more days to spend outside and explore local stores. For non-outdoor people, April is still a great time to virtually browse your favorite shop.
Key April Dates
- 1st April – April Fool’s Day
- 3rd April – Beginning of Ramadan
- 10th April – National Siblings Day
- 11th April – National Pet Day
- 17th April – Easter Sunday
- 22nd April – Earth Day
🌱 May
As the schools come to a close and everyone experiences the peak of spring, why not celebrate with some sales? There are plenty of moments to celebrate with a BBQ with loved ones by celebrating Eid, Memorial Day, and Mother’s Day. Think of the sun, delicious food, and unique presents for those your love and want to thank. Why not combine some of the holidays and maybe buy a coke for your teacher on 8th May and then celebrate them on 9th May?
Key May Dates
- 1st May – End of Ramadan/Eid
- 4th May – Star Wars Day
- 5th May – Cinco de Mayo
- 8th May – National Have a Coke Day
- 9th May – National Teach Appreciation Day
- 13th May – World Cocktail Day
- 14th May – Mother’s Day
- 17th May – World Baking Day
- 20th May – World Bee Day
- 29th May – Memorial Day
☀️ June
Time to enjoy the sunshine and flowers! June has the longest day of the year, known as the summer solstice, which means you and your loved one have more time to browse your favorite stores while spending time together. You could meet them again a few days later and celebrate Summersgiving – Thanksgiving while it’s warm.
Key June Dates
- 1st – 30th June – Pride Month
- 3rd June – National Egg Day
- 7th June – National Chocolate Ice Cream Day
- 14th June – International Bath Day
- 18th June – Father’s Day
- 19th June – Juneteeth
- 21st June – Summer Solstice
- 24th June – Summersgiving
- 25th June – Midsummer’s Day
- 27th June – National Sunglasses Day
☀️ July
And now, summer officially begins. With the increase in temperatures, more and more people are excited to walk around the block and stop by the local lemonade or ice cream stand. As an online retailer – don’t fret. Many individuals are still inclined to order their favorites online and even try something new. Many businesses use the summer months to have limited edition summer-themed items that, once they’re out of stock, they’re completely gone. July, in particular, starts off strong with Independence Day, followed by a weekly food-themed celebration.
Key July Dates
- 4th July – United States Independence Day
- 7th July – World Chocolate Day
- 9th July – National Sugar Cookie Day
- 11th July – National Mojito Day
- 17th July – National Ice Cream Day
- 24th July – National Parent’s Day
- 25th July – National Wine and Cheese Day
- 30th July – International Day of Friendship
- 31st July – National Avocado Day
See Also:
☀️ August
We’re still in the middle of the summer months, with the sunshine theme going strong. It’s also the perfect month to celebrate special people in your life. Don’t forget your pets as well since they’ve cheered you up no matter what day it is.
Key August Dates
- 1st August – National Girlfriend’s Day
- 3rd August – National Watermelon Day
- 5th August – International Beer Day
- 8th August – International Cat Day
- 9th August – Book Lovers Day
- 19th August – National Potato Day
- 26th August – National Dog Day
- 30th August – National Beach Day
🍂 September
Cue the fall leaves gently floating to the ground and the crunch of boots on them. This month is dedicated to all things fall. There are some dates in September to keep in mind, like back to school and Labor Day, to plan sales around it.
Key September Dates
- 1st September – Beginning of Fall
- 5th September – Back to School
- 5th September – Labor Day
- 16th September – World Guacamole Day
- 20th September – National Pepperoni Pizza Day
- 21st September – National New York Day
- 25th September – National Daughter’s Day
- 27th September – National Chocolate Milk Day
🍂 October
The entire month of October is usually dedicated to the spooky season, with the finale on Halloween. There are usually month-long sales dedicated to décor, food, and clothing to prepare for the end-of-the-month celebrations.
Key October Dates
- 1st October – International Coffee Day
- 1st – 31st October – Economic Education, Breast Cancer Awareness Month
- 7th October – World Smile Day
- 14th October – National Dessert Day
- 31st October – Halloween
🍂 November
With Thanksgiving and the holiday season coming up, November is buyers’ go-to month to stock up on presents for themselves or others. Key shopping dates to keep in mind are Black Friday and Cyber Monday, as most businesses have mega sales to help people with the gift list.
Key November Dates
- 1st November – World Vegan Day
- 1st – 30th November – Movember/No Shave November, Men’s Health Awareness Month
- 8th November – National STEM Day
- 11th November – Veterans Day
- 25th November – Black Friday
- 26th November – National Cake Day
- 18th November – Cyber Monday
❄️ December
Here come the holidays. Some of the important dates in December include Christmas and New Year’s, which are usually spent with loved ones. However, the month of December is still a great time to shop for presents or your holiday outfits – probably online since it’s a little cold. We specifically focus on 17th December as it’s the last weekend before Christmas.
Key December Dates
- 1st December – National Pie Day
- 10th December – Nobel Prize Day
- 17th December – Panic Day
- 21st December – Winter Solstice
- 23rd December – Festivus
- 25th December – Christmas Day
- 26th December – Boxing Day
- 31st December – New Year’s Eve
Each month has plenty of opportunities to find presents for yourself or others. As a business owner, it’s great to remember major holidays and plan sales and stocks around them. Don’t forget to bookmark this page to come back in the future.
If you need working capital to get your e-commerce store up and running, reach out to us at PIRS Capital. We’ll provide you with the funds needed to build your inventory and launch your online storefront.
The Retail Marketing Calendar 2022 (Infographic)
Grab Your Free Printable PDF Version (2022)
I work with companies that sell products on platforms such as Amazon, Shopify, Walmart, Ebay, Etsy, etc. I understand that every business is unique and thats why I form genuine relationships with owners so I can help them reach their goals and find success through our working capital solutions.
