Can't Miss Q4 eCommerce Dates & Holidays

Don’t Just Mark the Big Days, Make Every Holiday Count

If your brand’s deep in Q4 prep mode, your holiday calendar is probably filled with the heavy hitters like Halloween, Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, and New Year’s Eve. But here’s the truth… the little dates matter just as much.

At CAKE, we’ve learned that it’s often the “non-traditional” holidays that create the sweetest customer moments. Small, thoughtful campaigns, whether designed to reach niche audiences, demonstrate inclusivity, or simply differentiate your brand amid the usual holiday rush, can have a significant impact.

Why Inclusive Holidays Deserve a Spot on Your Calendar

The holidays are about connection. If your brand only celebrates the big ones, you risk missing opportunities to make customers feel seen, valued, and included. Recognizing a wider mix of cultural and social holidays, like Diwali or Kwanzaa, shows your audience you care about their traditions, not just your bottom line.

So this season, let’s turn awareness into action. Here are a few often-overlooked Q4 dates worth adding to your marketing mix, along with ideas to make them shine.

October

While Halloween is the first big holiday of Q4, there are a few other dates that your brand should try to include in your holiday marketing calendar. Diwali and Columbus Day (which is now more widely celebrated as “Indigenous Peoples’ Day”) are two that should not be overlooked. Show a little appreciation for Diwali celebrators with a social post, and acknowledge indigenous peoples with a 24-hour promo like: “For every sale, we will donate $1 to Native American Rights Fund.”

A few other October dates to consider are:

International Day of Non-Violence, October 2nd.
National Boyfriends’ Day, October 3rd. Consider a “Gifts for Him” gift guide for your blog.
World Teachers’ Day, October 5th.
National Inner Beauty Day, October 7th. Calling all beauty brands – this is a great day to launch an inner-beauty campaign or drop a new product.
National Coming Out Day, October 11th.
Day of Respect for Cultural Diversity, October 12th.
National Baking Week, October 14th.
Ethnicity Day, October 16th.
Make a Difference Day, October 22nd. How does your brand make a difference? Do you donate a percentage of your profits to a good cause? Are your products sustainably made? Take to social media to show off your business’s efforts to better the world.
Mischief Night, October 30th.

While some may seem unconventional, if they apply to your brand or your customers, you should take advantage of this opportunity to host a flash sale or post a shoutout.

November

November is a hot month for big holidays, and with those big holiday promos in full swing, your products are (hopefully) selling like hot cakes! From Thanksgiving through Black Friday and Cyber Monday, brands are all about making huge sales. But as a result, some less popular holidays and important dates get overlooked. Here is a complete list of November’s can’t-miss dates to add to your Q4 marketing calendar:

American Indian Heritage Month, November 1st-30th.
Day of the Dead, November 2nd.
Japanese Culture Day, November 3rd.
Election Day, November 8th.
Veterans Day, November 11th.
Transgender Day of Remembrance, November 20th.
Small Business Saturday, November 27th. Is your shop a small business? Encourage your customers to support your small business! Send out an email to your subscribers, and be sure to post on social media.
Native American Heritage Day, November 25th.
First Day of Hanukkah, November 28th.
Giving Tuesday, November 30th. This is a day to give back. Give back to your customers, community, or a charitable cause.

A few others that may apply to brands and inspire a promo:

National Healthy Skin Month, November 1st. For clean beauty and skincare brands, this is a great day to show off your products to customers.
National Stress Awareness Day, November 2nd.
National Cash Back Day and National Accessory Day, November 3rd. National Cash Back Day is the perfect opportunity to sneak in a sale before Black Friday and Cyber Monday! If your brand sells accessories, you can also take advantage of November 3rd by dropping a new product or offering subscribers an exclusive deal on your most popular seasonal accessory.
International CAKE Day, November 26th. Take this super sweet international holiday to learn a little more about our services and how we can make your brand top-tier!

December

December = The icing on the cake. With Christmas and New Year on the brain, brands are beginning to wind down their holiday efforts. Shoppers are finalizing their holiday purchases, and businesses are busy whipping up their Q1 marketing strategies. But if you want to make the most of the holiday season grand finale, there are a few other December dates worth baking into your Q4 marketing strategy:

National Package Protection Day, December 1st. Consider offering your shoppers free shipping and guaranteed next-day delivery.
Christmas Card Day, December 9th.
Hanukkah Begins, December 18th.
Last Minute Shoppers’ Day, December 24. Every year a last-minute shopper hopes to get a gift before the holidays. Even if you can’t guarantee delivery before Christmas (and if you can, use this to your advantage), hold a 24-hour flash sale or offer your shopper free shipping (or free gift-wrapping) on a last-minute gift.
Boxing Day, December 26th. Host a post-Christmas sale to clear out extra holiday inventory. Or, send out an email to your subscribers reminding shoppers about your holiday returns and exchanges policy.
Kwanzaa Begins, December 26th.
New Year’s Eve, December 31st.

How to Prioritize Q4 Dates Without Overwhelming Your Team

Not every holiday belongs on your brand calendar. Between product launches, promos, and shipping deadlines, Q4 can feel like a juggling act, and chasing every date will leave your team (and your audience) exhausted.

The key? Focus on the holidays that align with your brand story, audience values, and capacity to show up meaningfully.

Here’s how to prioritize what’s worth celebrating:

Start with your audience. Look at your top-performing markets and demographics. Do they align with cultural or lifestyle moments like Diwali, Veterans Day, or National Stress Awareness Day? Celebrate what your customers care about.
Filter by brand fit. If a holiday doesn’t connect naturally to your mission or products, skip it. Authenticity always wins over frequency.
Plan by effort vs. impact. Not every activation needs to be a full campaign; some dates are perfect for a quick social post or a limited-time offer.
Leave room for agility. Trends shift fast in Q4. Keep a few open slots on your calendar to respond to viral moments, social trends, or industry buzz.

The Sweetest Strategy? Inclusive, Intentional Marketing

Q4 can feel like a whirlwind, but it’s also your brand’s biggest chance to connect with heart. Every campaign you run (big or small) is an opportunity to build loyalty, spark joy, and grow meaningfully.

CAKE helps brands build Q4 calendars that perform without burning out your team. Because when you pick your dates intentionally, every campaign lands with purpose (and a little extra flavor).

From inclusive messaging to paid social, SEO, and email strategy, we’ll help you bake a Q4 plan that delivers all season long.

Ready to make your holiday marketing a cakewalk? Contact our eCommerce experts today.

Can’t-Miss Q4 Dates (Besides the “Big Ones”)