Influencer Marketing Ideas for the Holiday Season

Holiday shopping is shaping up to be more selective this year. PwC’s 2025 Holiday Outlook shows a 5% drop in average holiday spending and an 11% drop in gift spend overall. Gen Z, in particular, expects to cut their budgets by 23%.

People are thinking harder about where their money goes, what feels special, and what feels meaningful.

That’s where creators come in. They don’t just showcase products. They make them feel personal, relevant, and valuable. And when every dollar counts, that kind of influence matters more than ever.

Here are ten creator-driven ideas to help brands show up meaningfully this holiday season.

1. Lean Into Value

Academy Sports + Outdoors showed how to win holiday shoppers by making gifting feel smart and stress-free. A simple haul-style video highlighted gifts under $50, proving that thoughtful doesn’t have to mean expensive.

And the comments lit up:

• “all the goods!”
• “Love Academy so much”
• “The pullover is so cute!”
• “Academy for the win!!! 🥰”

2. Tap Into Tradition

Southern Comfort Egg Nog tapped into one of the season’s strongest cues: tradition. Creators placed the rich, creamy drink at the center of gatherings, from Thanksgiving tables to cozy fireside nights, reminding audiences that some tastes simply belong to the holidays.

3. Gift Experiences

Ravensburger’s CreArt Paint by Numbers reframed gifting from product-first to experience-first. Influencers highlighted the joy of offline creativity, family bonding, and the satisfaction of completing something together.

4. Win the Moment

Hoosier Lottery showed how small surprises can bring outsized delight. From gift exchanges to stocking stuffers, creators positioned scratch-off tickets as a fun, unexpected way to add playfulness to the season.

5. Show Up at the Table

Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Select made itself part of holiday gatherings by showing up in recipes, not just glasses. One standout moment paired whiskey with dessert in a salted caramel milkshake.

6. Simplify the Season

Bob Evans’ Farmhouse Feast positioned ready-to-heat meals as the ultimate holiday helper. Creators framed it as the key to spending less time in the kitchen and more time with family, reclaiming the moments that matter.

7. Keep It Real

Sheep Dog Peanut Butter Whiskey showed that holiday content doesn’t have to be overproduced to resonate. One creator sat by the fire with two dogs, a glass, and the bottle — a scene that felt cozy, seasonal, and instantly relatable.

It stood out because it wasn’t styled to perfection. The post invited followers into a genuine holiday moment, mixing product and personality in a way that felt warm, memorable, and easy to connect with.

8. Take it Outside

One Eddie Bauer creator broke from the typical gift-wrap-and-living-room formula and delivered something cinematic. Set to music, the post moved from a fire to a snowy riverside walk, letting the visuals carry the story.

9. Serve Up Holiday Tips

This creator shared a festive punch recipe alongside a hosting tip: swap disposable plastics for sleek, recyclable Ball Aluminum Cups.

The content worked because it wasn’t just about the cups, it was about helping people host better. That’s the power of the how-to format in influencer marketing. It turns a brand into part of a useful moment that audiences actually want to watch, save, and share.

10. Make It Cozy

Cuddl Duds at Kohl’s showed how comfort itself can be the gift. Creators highlighted ultra-soft fleecewear as the kind of present people reach for during the holidays, something that feels just as good to give as it does to wear.