Christmas WhatsApp message templates for online shops

Christmas messages on WhatsApp help customers find gifts and order in time. On TextYess the median brand’s Christmas campaign is followed by orders within 48 hours from 0.60% of messages sent. The best brands start early, with gift ideas for their subscribers, and in December they give a real reason to buy rather than a reminder about delivery dates. The Christmas numbers on this page are Q4 2025 data, counted per message sent.

What works, from the messages brands send on TextYess

• The best one starts in mid-October, with early access. The best Christmas message we see goes out in mid-October to subscribers, as an early look at gift boxes, and brings orders from 10.5% of messages sent.

• In December, a discount does the work. December sends with a discount convert 3.18 times those without. Gift wording (“the perfect present”) and “arrives in time” wording on their own show no lift (0.87 and 0.88 times).

• A free extra can replace the discount. A cashmere brand offering free name embroidery on a blanket, “until tomorrow only”, gets orders from 2.0% of messages sent.

• The audience still comes first. Campaigns to repeat and top customers convert about 3 times the same brand’s other sends.

Templates

1. Gift boxes, early access for subscribers

Modelled on the best Christmas message we see (10.5% per message sent, mid-October, to subscribers). A person writes, the gifts are ready-made, and the subscriber sees them first.

• Header: image of the boxes (optional)

• Buttons: URL “See the gift boxes”, Copy code

• Example values: {{first_name}} = Emma, {{sender_name}} = Sara, {{brand}} = Linen & Co, {{deadline}} = Sunday 18 October, {{discount}} = 25, {{discount_code}} = XMASBOX25

2. December discount, with the last order date as information

The December data says the discount sells, not the delivery date. So the offer leads, and the cut-off date follows as a useful detail. It ends with an offer of help.

• Header: none

• Buttons: URL “Find a gift”, Copy code

• Example values: {{first_name}} = Emma, {{deadline}} = Sunday at midnight, {{discount}} = 15, {{discount_code}} = GIFT15, {{shipping_cutoff}} = Thursday 17 December

3. A free extra instead of a discount

Modelled on a cashmere brand’s free-personalisation offer (2.0% per message sent). Good for premium brands that don’t want to discount: the gift becomes unique.

• Header: image of the personalised product

• Buttons: URL “Personalise my gift”

• Example values: {{first_name}} = Emma, {{product_name}} = a cashmere blanket

4. Courier delay apology, with a code

Modelled on a fragrance brand’s 18 December message about courier strikes (1.9% per message sent). Honest news before the customer asks, and a code to say sorry. The code makes it a marketing template.

• Header: none

• Buttons: URL “Use my code”, Copy code

• Example values: {{first_name}} = Emma, {{discount}} = 20, {{discount_code}} = SORRY20, {{deadline}} = 30 January

When to send it

Send the gift-box preview to subscribers and loyal customers in mid-October, before the Black Friday noise. In December, send the offer with a code, and mention your real last order date for Christmas delivery. Send the delay apology as soon as the courier warns you. With TextYess you pick the audience from your Shopify customers and schedule each send in advance.

Meta category

Christmas campaigns are marketing. A delay update on its own can be utility, but Meta treats a delay apology that includes a discount or credit as marketing, so template 4 must be submitted as marketing. See Meta’s template categorisation.

Avoid rejection

• Don’t start or end the body with a variable. Every template here closes with fixed words.

• Keep % in the fixed text (“{{discount}}% off”) and use plain variable names: Meta rejects special characters such as #, $ or % inside the braces.

• Don’t submit a promo as utility: the delay apology with a code is marketing.

• Only state a delivery date you can keep. One copy-code button per template, example code up to 20 characters, button labels up to 25.

• Rules: Meta’s template review.

FAQ

Related templates

Black Friday, VIP early access and Shipping update.

See all 20 WhatsApp message templates for ecommerce.