2026 SMS Calendar: Holidays, Key Dates & Text Marketing Tips

The start of a new year is more than just a calendar change. It is a mindset reset. Your audience is energized, setting goals, and ready to re-engage. With the holiday rush in the rear-view mirror, January is the perfect time to start planning your year of campaigns and strengthening the connection with your Community. 

From cultural milestones and policy support to ticket sales and merch drops, timing is everything. To help you make the most of the new year, we’ve put together a 2026 calendar with holidays, key dates, strategies, and tips to inspire meaningful, measurable engagement all year long.

January

Jan 1: New Year’s Day: 

Start the year strong by celebrating with your Community. Send a warm greeting and collect zero-party data by asking members to reply with their #1 goal for the year. From there, segment them based on their response for hypertargeted campaigns.
"Happy 2026! What’s your #1 goal this year? Text back 1 (Wellness), 2 (Travel), or 3 (Money)."

Jan 19: Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Reflect on purpose, justice, and Community values. Share a quote, support a cause, or invite your Community to a service event. 
"Today we honor Dr. King and his legacy of service, compassion, and unity. We’re partnering with XYZ Organization to support their economic empowerment campaign. Tell us: What cause do YOU care about most in 2026?"

February

Feb 2: Groundhog Day

A quirky, fun holiday to break the routine. Run a flash deal or emoji-based poll to play into the theme to gather valuable data on their preferences. 
"Will it be 6 more weeks of winter? Are you team snow or team spring? Reply ☃️ or 🌷"

Feb 14: Valentine’s Day

Celebrate love in all forms: romantic, platonic, and fan-driven. Share gift guides, exclusive drops, or user-submitted shoutouts. 
"Tag someone you love! Or shop our fan-favorite gifts before 2/14."

Feb 15: Singles Awareness Day

Perfect for self-care, empowerment, or fun anti-Valentine’s messaging. Highlight products, playlists, or content celebrating individuality. 
"Calling all our single friends! What’s your favorite way to treat yourself today? What makes YOU feel powerful? Text back a word or emoji for a chance to win our single spa day pass."

March

Mar 8: International Women’s Day

Spotlight women creators, stories, or team members. This is a great opportunity to share behind-the-scenes content, exclusive spotlights, and gather disclosed data. Invite participation by asking your fans who are the women that inspire them.
"Meet [Artist/Leader]! She’s one of many talented women redefining the game here at [Brand]. Tap to see her story."

Mar 17: St. Patrick’s Day

A day for luck, green-themed content, and festive fun. Share a quiz, run a “find the clover” scavenger hunt, or send a limited-time offer.
"Lucky you: this offer disappears in 17 hours. Tap to reveal your surprise."

Mar 29: Mom & Pop Business Owners Day

Celebrate small businesses and local roots. Spotlight local partners or tell your brand story.
"Today we celebrate our family business. Curious to know how [Brand] began? Tap here."

April

Apr 1: April Fool’s Day

Great for unexpected twists or fun, fake drops. Send a playful campaign that turns into a real reward.
"We’re launching our new hotdog-scented candle. Just kidding. But here’s 20% off all candles."

April 5: Easter

A widely celebrated spring holiday filled with themes of renewal and Community. Send a message of hope, share a seasonal product drop, or run a playful egg hunt via SMS.
"We hid a surprise in your inbox. Reply 🐣 to crack open your Easter treat!"

Apr 22: Earth Day

Center sustainability and values-driven storytelling. Share how your brand supports the planet or poll members on eco-habits to learn more about them. 
"We’re planting 1 tree for every reply today. Text ‘EARTH’ to join us. How do you celebrate Earth Day?"

May

May 5: Cinco de Mayo

A moment to celebrate Mexican culture and influence. Partner with Latinx creators or offer themed recipes, deals, or events.
"Spice things up! How are you celebrating? Reply ‘TACO’ or ‘MARGARITA’ for 15% off your favorite."

May 10: Mother’s Day

Time for heartfelt messaging and gift guides. Share last-minute gift ideas or member-submitted stories.
"What’s the best thing Mom ever taught you? Reply for a chance to be featured on our social channels."

May 25: Memorial Day 

Traditionally signals the start of summer and a moment of remembrance. Honor those who served by sharing a thoughtful message or spotlighting stories from your Community.
"We remember their sacrifice and turn that gratitude into action this summer. Tap to learn how to get involved."

June

Jun 8: Best Friends Day

An opportunity for BOGO offers or referral incentives. Encourage members to refer a friend for a special gift.
"It’s Best Friend’s Day! How would you treat your bestie? Shop the BOGO sale and we’ll send you BOTH something special."

Jun 21: Father’s Day

Perfect for gear drops, gift guides, and dad jokes. Highlight father figures in your Community or run a giveaway. 
"Got a dad who texts in ALL CAPS? Text us your best Dadism for a chance to win a prize."

July

Jul 4: Independence Day

Great for regional pride and flash offers. Take this opportunity to gather first-party data and share a 24-hour promo or run a red, white, and blue special on their category of choice.
"What are you up to this 4th of July? Over here it’s our annual Independence Day Sale: 24 hours only. Reply ‘DECOR,’ ‘GARDEN,’ or ‘KITCHEN’ for our best deals.”

Jul 17: World Emoji Day

Celebrate texting itself! Create an emoji-only message challenge or poll. 
"Reply using ONLY emojis: How are you feeling this summer? 😎☀️🍻"

August

Aug 8: International Cat Day

A fun excuse for photo sharing, contests, and giveaways. You could also partner with local shelters to raise awareness, drive adoptions, or support donations.
"It’s Cat Day! Reply with a pic of your furry boss or tap to meet your purrfect match from [Shelter name]."

Aug 15: National Relaxation Day

Celebrate calm with self-care themes. Share playlists, discounts on cozy items, or text-in meditations. 
"It’s National Relaxation Day. Text ‘RELAX’ and we’ll send a 3-min mindfulness track."

Aug 26: International Dog Day

Celebrate your Community’s pups with photo prompts and shoutouts. Or take it further by supporting a local rescue or hosting a donation drive.
"It’s Dog Day! Text us a photo of your good boy or girl 🐶 or tap to meet an adoptable pup from [Shelter Name]."

September

Sep 7: Labor Day

Back-to-school and end-of-summer vibes in the air. Run an "all weekend" promo or launch a fall preview.
"Labor Less, Shop More: 25% off through Monday only."

Sep 22: First Day of Fall

Seasonal change brings new energy, habits, and opportunities for engagement. Announce new drops, share a fall playlist, or launch an autumn-themed poll. 
"Fall is here! 🍁 What are you most excited for? Reply 1 (Sweaters), 2 (Pumpkin Spice), 3 (Football)."

October

Oct 1: International Coffee Day

Celebrate caffeine lovers with content that energizes and delights. Offer coffee-themed deals, polls, or shoutouts to your most active Community members. 
"Coffee lovers unite! ☕ Reply with your go-to drink and we’ll send a little treat your way."

Oct 10: World Mental Health Day

Prioritize wellness and empathy. Send a supportive message or self-care check-in.
“ ‘Talk to yourself like you would to someone you love'- Brené Brown. Take a moment for yourself. Tap for a 2-minute breather.”

Oct 31: Halloween

A high-performing holiday for playful content. Costume contests, spooky sales, or product hauls.
"Show us your costume: reply with a pic and we’ll treat you. No tricks. 👻"

November

Nov 11: Veterans Day

Honor those who served. A simple thank-you or spotlight on veterans in your Community. 
"To our veterans: thank you. Today we honored those in our Community who served. Tap to learn more."

Nov 26: Thanksgiving

Reflect and show gratitude. Send a member appreciation message, ask what they are grateful for, or how they are celebrating.
"Happy Thanksgiving from all of us. What are you most grateful for this year? Text us back, we’d love to hear from you."

Nov 27: Black Friday

One of the biggest retail moments of the year. Build a strategy that will result in year-round wins. Start early and reward your most loyal fans first. 
"VIP early access starts NOW. Tap to shop before the rush."

Nov 28: Small Business Saturday

A day to spotlight and support small, independent brands. Share your origin story, highlight suppliers and partners, or partner with small businesses in your area.
"This Small Business Saturday, we’re spotlighting 3 local gems we love. Tap to meet [Bakery], [Bookstore], and [Plant Shop], all part of our Community."

Nov 30: Cyber Monday

Digital shopping peak. Promote bundles, upsells, or limited digital drops. 
"Click fast: Cyber bundles just dropped."

December

Dec 1: Giving Tuesday

A global day of generosity focused on giving back. Highlight causes you care about, rally your Community to donate, or match contributions. 
"It’s Giving Tuesday. We’re donating 10% of our proceeds today to [cause/nonprofit] on your behalf. Tap to learn more and make a difference."

Dec 24: Christmas Eve

Final chance for gifting reminders. Promote digital gifts or experiences. 
"Still shopping? Text ‘HURRY’ for a last-minute gift list and express shipping eligible items."

Dec 25: Christmas Day

Send warm wishes to all those that celebrate. Include a holiday card, audio or video to make it even more special and personal.
"From all of us to you: Happy Holidays! Tap for a special message from our team."

Dec 31: New Year’s Eve

Recap, look ahead, and re-engage. Share year-in-review content or gather their preferences for the new year. "Here’s what you loved in 2026. What do you want more of next year?"

SMS automation is a great way to keep your audience engaged with minimal lift. Create automated Flows, triggered by user behavior, that might last a few months or even a whole year.

What other innovative ideas have you tried? Revisit your most successful campaigns and consider how you can put a new spin on them for a replay in 2026.

Ready to bring these campaigns to life?

Whether you’re planning a major strategy revamp or just looking for a fresh way to engage your audience, we’re here to support you. Reach out to your Account Manager or email us at yourfriends@community.com to brainstorm ideas, build Flows, or get hands-on help with your calendar.