December is chock full of holidays that pair perfectly with Astro Offers, Sharing the Love Adoption Programs, and My Promotions. We have added new Astro Templates and Astro Images to your Marketing Suite that you can use to showcase your store's special promotions for the month. Our Knowledge Base is also full of helpful Social Media Tips.

December 23rd: Festivus Do you need a moment to break away from the hustle and bustle of the holidays? Then Festivus is for you!

Festivus is a secular holiday celebrated every year on December 23rd. Festivus was originally the brainchild of the creators of Seinfeld and was the theme of an episode called "The Strike" where Frank Costanza explains the holiday. Since then it has taken on a life of its own and is now celebrated as a wacky holiday in its own right.

The usual holiday tradition of a tree is manifested in an unadorned aluminum pole, which is in direct contrast to normal holiday materialism. Those attending Festivus may also participate in the "Airing of Grievances" which is an opportunity to tell others how they have disappointed you in the past year, followed by a Festivus dinner, and then completed by the "Feats of Strength" where the head of the household must be pinned.

All of these traditions are based upon the events in the Seinfeld episode, Strangely enough, our Festivus traditions also have roots that pre-date Seinfeld, as it began in the household of Dan O'Keefe, a television writer who is credited for writing the Seinfeld episode.

Marketing Materials: Holiday Template with Fun Facts about Festivus and Offers Elements. Astro Image for Social Media and Templates.

Social Media Fun: One of the ways to celebrate Festivus is the "Airing of Grievances". This can be played with by imagining what our pets would say to us if they were to air their grievances. I can definitely picture my cats doing this and insisting on more treats and for their meals to be served on time, and I could see my dog very politely asking for more walks and trips to his favorite pet shop!

December 25th: Christmas is one of the December Holidays that we typically celebrate for the whole month of December. Due to Covid-19, we may find ourselves celebrating Christmas and Christmas Eve in untraditional ways. Whether that's a party with your pets at home or a Zoom call with friends and family we wish you and your customers a happy holiday. Though we may miss gathering together in large parties there are some benefits to celebrating Christmas in this way.

For one, digital parties allow for more people to come together from all parts of the country or the globe for that matter. You could even host your own Holiday Pet Party for your customers via Facebook Live! Or invite them to pop in digitally to a Holiday Pet Party to show off their pet's holiday garb. Either way, it's still a good time to pop into your social media and wish your customers a very "Happy Holiday"!

Marketing Materials: See our December Monthly Holiday Guide

December 26th: Kwanzaa Heri Za Kwanzaa! Kwanzaa, celebrated from December 26 to January 1, is an African American and pan-African seven-day cultural holiday that celebrates family and community. The name Kwanzaa comes from the phrase "matunda ya kwanza" meaning "first fruits" in Swahili.

Each family celebrates Kwanzaa in their own way, but celebrations often include song and dance, African drums, storytelling, poetry readings, and a large traditional meal. On each of the seven nights, the family gathers, and a child lights one of the candles on the kinara, then one of the seven principles, called Nguzo Saba, is discussed. These principles are values of African culture which contribute to building and reinforcing community among African Americans.

Marketing Materials: Astro Holiday Image for social pages well wishes.

December 30th: National Bacon Day is a goofy holiday that our pets can get in on, mainly our dogs who love a good bacon-flavored treat! Do you have bacon-flavored treats at your shop? I'll bet those treats are also healthy and 100% better than any of those rubbery "bacon" treats sold at the big box stores. This holiday gives you the perfect opportunity to remind your customers of the quality of the treats you choose to carry at your shop. It is important for them to understand the process that you and your team go through before you choose to bring a product into your store, especially when it comes to food and treats. Pet Owners want to know whether you have tested the goods in your home with your pets and whether you have thoroughly researched the brand and their products. Do you have any guarantees associated with the products you carry, such as "No ingredients sourced from China"? Tell your customers! The key here is to build trust. I cannot tell you how amazing it feels to shop in a store for my pets and breathe that sigh of relief knowing that all items were given the stamp of approval (which I know is not freely given) by the shop's owners, who I respect and trust.

Marketing Materials: Holiday Template with Offers and a spot to tell them about your healthy treats and stamp of approval practices. Astro Image under Holiday.

My Promotion Idea: $/% Off Bacon Flavored Treats!

December 31st: New Year's Eve will usher us into 2021. We made it guys!

Do you have any New Year's Resolutions for your business? Have you considered joining Astro Offers (they're free!) or participating in Share the Love (also free!) or subscribing to the Astro Marketing Suite (currently free!)? Now is the perfect time to get started, and Astro is here to support you all the way.

Are you enrolled in January's Astro Offers? Tell your customers about your favorites and share your My Astro Webpage with them directly or add it as a Flyer Link to one of your Astro Templates.

Have you told your customers and your friends in rescue about your Sharing the Love program? Share your Sharing the Love My Astro Webpage with them!

Marketing Materials: Holiday Template with Offers. Holiday Images to share on your social pages. My Promotion Ideas: $%Off a service you offer at your shop such as a Self Wash, Grooming, Doggie Daycare, Boarding, etc. Introduce your customers to a service you offer and show them they can't live without it!