The creators who look “lucky” at Christmas or Lunar New Year usually started their planning in October. Seasonal videos need research, filming, thumbnails and sometimes translation, and viewers often begin searching weeks before the day itself. Here is a calendar for the final quarter of 2026 and the first half of 2027 across the US, UK, Europe and Australia, using dates we could check against official or published calendars.
How to use a seasonal calendar
Treat each date as a deadline for publishing, not for starting. A good rule of thumb is to publish evergreen holiday content (recipes, gift ideas, decorations, how-tos) two to four weeks ahead, and keep reactive content (reactions, live streams, recaps) for the day or the week after. This is a planning habit rather than a platform rule, so test it on your own analytics.
Also remember that the same date can feel very different in different places. The same weekend can be a family holiday in one region and an ordinary working day in another.
Q4 2026: the busy stretch
| Date | Occasion | Where it matters most |
|---|---|---|
| 31 October 2026 | Halloween | US, UK, parts of Europe and Australia |
| 3 November 2026 | Melbourne Cup (Victoria) | Australia |
| 5 November 2026 | Bonfire Night | UK |
| 8 November 2026 | Diwali | Global, strong in the UK, US, Australia |
| 11 November 2026 | Veterans Day | US federal holiday |
| 26 November 2026 | Thanksgiving | US federal holiday |
| 27 and 30 November 2026 | Black Friday and Cyber Monday | US, spreading to UK, EU, Australia |
| 4 to 12 December 2026 | Hanukkah (from sundown on 4 Dec) | US, UK, Europe, Australia |
| 25 and 26 December 2026 | Christmas Day and Boxing Day | All four regions |
Black Friday follows Thanksgiving, which the US Office of Personnel Management lists as Thursday, 26 November 2026, so we calculated the Friday and the following Monday from that. Diwali and Hanukkah dates come from a published 2026 to 2027 religious observance calendar.
Bank holidays and days off
Time off changes when people watch. GOV.UK lists Christmas Day on Friday 25 December 2026 and a substitute Boxing Day on Monday 28 December in England and Wales, plus New Year’s Day on Friday 1 January 2027. Scotland has an extra holiday on Monday 4 January 2027. Australia’s Fair Work Ombudsman lists Christmas Day on 25 December, Boxing Day on Saturday 26 December and an additional Boxing Day holiday on Monday 28 December in most states and territories, with state-specific days such as Melbourne Cup on 3 November in Victoria.
The practical implication is to plan a “quiet week” between Christmas and New Year. Many viewers have time to binge, so a series or a playlist can work well. Others will be away, so avoid launching anything that needs live interaction unless you are certain your audience will be online.
Early 2027
| Date | Occasion | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 18 January 2027 | Martin Luther King Jr. Day | US federal holiday |
| 26 January | Australia Day | Annual date in Australia |
| 6 February 2027 | Lunar New Year | Global, strong in Asia-Pacific communities |
| 8 February to 9 March 2027 | Ramadan | Dates depend on moon sighting |
| 14 February | Valentine’s Day | All four regions |
| 15 February 2027 | Presidents Day | US federal holiday |
| 7 March 2027 | Mothering Sunday | UK; calculated as three weeks before Easter |
| 9 to 10 March 2027 | Eid al-Fitr | Dates depend on moon sighting |
| 22 March 2027 | Holi | Global |
| 26 to 29 March 2027 | Easter weekend | Good Friday 26 March, Easter Sunday 28 March, Easter Monday 29 March |
| 25 April | Anzac Day | Annual date in Australia |
| 3 May 2027 | Early May bank holiday | UK |
| 9 May 2027 | Mother’s Day | US and Australia; second Sunday in May |
| 31 May 2027 | Memorial Day (US) and Spring bank holiday (UK) | Same date in both |
Religious dates that depend on moon sighting can shift by a day, so confirm close to the time. Holidays such as Easter and public holidays also vary across European countries, so check your own country’s list rather than assuming one calendar.
Turning dates into content ideas
Imagine a hypothetical home-cooking channel with viewers in all four regions. In November it could publish “make-ahead Thanksgiving sides” for US viewers, and a “Bonfire Night food” video for UK viewers. For Christmas, it could run a countdown of recipes. For Lunar New Year, a collaboration with a creator from that community might be more authentic than a quick tribute.
- Prepare, don’t pander. Make content for a holiday only if it fits your channel and you can do it respectfully.
- Use evergreen frames. “Easy holiday dinner for two” will serve viewers next year too.
- Tune titles for the region. “Fall” or “autumn”, “Christmas” or “holiday”: use the wording your viewers actually search with.
Be careful with cultural and religious dates
Holidays such as Diwali, Hanukkah, Lunar New Year, Ramadan, Eid and Holi matter deeply to the people who observe them. If you are not part of the community, aim to be informative and respectful rather than decorative. Ask a creator who is part of the community to review your script, credit sources, and avoid stereotypes. Audiences notice when a tribute is only a thumbnail trend. It is also wise to double-check how a date is observed locally, since some festivals last several days and begin at sundown or after a moon sighting.
Plan capacity as well as content
The calendar only helps if you can produce on time. Batch-film in October, schedule uploads, and keep a few days free for reactive posts. Some creators also add paid promotion around a big seasonal video, for example a growth bundle, but it is an optional supplement, results are not guaranteed, and creators must follow YouTube’s policies. Competition for attention is higher in late November and December, so do not rely on a single push.
What to do this week
- Copy the table dates that fit your audience into your calendar.
- Subtract three weeks from each to set draft deadlines.
- Choose three seasonal videos you can realistically make before 31 December.
- Check your Analytics for last year’s seasonal spikes.
- Decide who is on holiday in your team and when.
- Map the plan in the growth planner.
Frequently asked questions
Are these dates the same in every European country?
No. Public holidays differ by country. Check your country’s government list.
When should I upload seasonal videos?
There is no official rule. Many creators publish weeks ahead so the video can be found, then compare results with last year.
Do I need to follow every holiday?
No. Choose the ones your audience cares about and that fit your channel.
Where did you get the dates?
From the US Office of Personnel Management, GOV.UK, the Australian Fair Work Ombudsman and a published observance calendar, plus fixed annual dates such as Halloween and Valentine’s Day. Always confirm close to the date.
Conclusion
A calendar will not make a video good, but it lets you give a good idea enough time. Pick your moments, work backwards, and keep a little flexibility.
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