Get inspired by these key dates and seasonal tips for your 2024 SMS marketing strategies.

80% of Canadian consumers are interested in getting texts from brands, and almost half of them want to hear from you multiple times per week. Meet this demand with timely SMS marketing strategies that boost both revenue and brand loyalty.

Check out Canada’s top seasonal touchpoints and monthly tips to help you create memorable brand experiences.

PS: Want to explore inspirational ideas, orchestration tips, and SMS templates for these marketing moments? Check out our 2024 Marketing Campaign Calendar, featuring key dates in the US, the UK, Australia, and Canada.

Once you’re ready to dig in and start scheduling your campaigns, use our SMS Planning Calendar Template. It’s got everything you need to track marketing moments, which audiences you’re engaging, and campaign status.

‍​​*We’ve marked some holidays that may be sensitive with an asterisk. For those dates, be mindful of who you’re marketing to and in what region, and consider not marketing on those days.

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January 2024 Holidays

SMS tip of the month: Inspire your subscribers to step confidently into the new year with a seasonal lookbook. Share an eye-catching GIF as a sneak peek into the featured products.

• January 1: New Year’s Day
• January 11: International Thank You Day
• January 24: International Day of Education
• January 25: Opposite Day 
• January 26: Spouse’s Day 
• January 26: International Customs Day

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February 2024 Holidays

SMS tip of the month: Win over the hearts (and wallets) of your subscribers this February with stand-out incentives. Leading up to Valentine’s Day, delight last-minute shoppers with free 2-day shipping and “gifts of experience” recommendations. 

• Black History Month
• February 10: Lunar New Year
• February 13: Start of Carnival 
• February 14: Valentine’s Day 
• February 14: National Have a Heart Day
• February 15: National Flag of Canada Day
• February 17: Random Acts of Kindness Day 
• February 19: Family Day, Louis Riel Day, Nova Scotia Heritage Day, and Islander Day* 
• February 23: Yukon Heritage Day 
• February 25: Curling Day
• February 28: Pink Shirt Day‍
• February 29: Leap Day

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March 2024 Holidays

SMS tip of the month: Motivate your subscribers to start their spring cleaning with tips and product recommendations to create a soothing space. Sharing this educational content can help diversify your SMS channel while boosting product discovery.

• March 3: National Bacon Day
• March 7: Alexander Graham Bell Day
• March 8: International Women’s Day
• March 10: Academy Awards 
• March 11: Commonwealth Day*
• March 14: Pi Day 
• March 17: St. Patrick’s Day
• March 21: World Poetry Day 
• March 22: World Water Day‍
• March 31: Easter

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April 2024 Holidays

SMS tip of the month: Grow brand loyalty with engaging SMS experiences around April’s playful holidays. Use Attentive’s Two-Way Journeys^TM to recommend a product based on each subscriber’s favorite book or piece of art This playful conversational experience is a great way to infuse your brand voice and strengthen your customer community.

• April 1: April Fool’s Day
• April 7: World Health Day
• April 10: Siblings Day
• April 15: World Art Day 
• April 22: Earth Day
• April 23: Saint George's Day‍
• April 23: National Book Day

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May 2024 Holidays

SMS tip of the month: May is all about health—from mental health awareness to celebrating healthcare heroes. Help your subscribers take some time to focus on themselves, with self-care tips and health product recommendations.

• Mental Health Awareness Month
• May 1: National Physicians Day
• May 4: Star Wars Day 
• May 5: Cinco de Mayo 
• May 12: Mother's Day
• May 12: International Nurses Day
• May 16: National Caesar Day
• May 20: Victoria Day
• May 22: Canadian Immigrants Day‍
• May 27: Sunscreen Day

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June 2024 Holidays

SMS tip of the month: Help your subscribers celebrate the dads in their lives this month with personalized text messages. Leading up to Father’s Day, ask your subscribers who they’re looking to get a gift for, or how they’re planning to celebrate. Then, with Attentive’s Two-Way Journeys, you can instantly reply with a personalized recommendation based on their preferences. 

• Pride Month
• June 1: World Milk Day
• June 3: World Bicycle Day 
• June 5: Global Running Day
• June 8: Best Friends Day 
• June 8: World Ocean Day
• June 16: Father’s Day
• June 20: Summer Solstice
• June 21: National Indigenous Peoples Day‍
• June 24: Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day

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July 2024 Holidays

SMS tip of the month: Tap into July festivities—between Canada Day parades and barbeques—with an SMS-exclusive promotion, like a flash sale or free gift. This exclusive strategy treats your subscribers like VIPs, and helps strengthen your relationships with your most valuable audience.

• July 1: Canada Day
• July 1: Wimbledon 
• July 7: World Chocolate Day
• July 9: Nunavut Day
• July 11: Amazon Prime Day
• July 15: Canada Parks Day
• July 17: World Emoji Day
• July 24: International Self-Care Day
• July 26: 2024 Summer Olympics ‍
• July 29: National Lipstick Day

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August 2024 Holidays

SMS tip of the month: Weeks before the start of the school year, shoppers are gearing up with school supplies, clothes, and college dorm decor. Kickstart your seasonal strategies by offering SMS subscribers early access to your back-to-school deals.

• August 4: Sisters Day 
• August 5: Civic Holiday 
• August 6: National Night Out
• August 7: Regatta Day
• August 8: International Cat Day 
• August 15: National Relaxation Day 
• August 15: National Acadian Day
• August 19: World Photography Day 
• August 19: Yukon Discovery Day ‍
• August 26: International Dog Day

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September 2024 Holidays

SMS tip of the month: As summer winds down, your customers will likely be taking advantage of the long weekend that comes with Labour Day. Catch up with your subscribers by asking them about their weekend plans with Two-Way Journeys. Based on the subscriber’s response, you can instantly recommend the perfect item—like a “party pack” or outfit recommendation.

• September 4: Labour Day
• September 5: International Day of Charity 
• September 8: Grandparents’ Day
• September 21: International Day of Peace
• September 21: Oktoberfest
• September 27: National No Excuses Day‍
• September 30: Truth & Reconciliation Day*

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October 2024 Holidays

SMS tip of the month: Throughout Women’s History Month, give your subscribers a behind-the-scenes look into your brand by spotlighting the strong women behind it and their stories. These unique touchpoints can help grow brand awareness and connect with subscribers on shared values.

• Women’s History Month
• October 1: International Coffee Day 
• October 1: National Seniors Day
• October 4: Taco Day 
• October 5: World Teachers’ Day
• October 10: World Mental Health Day
• October 14: Thanksgiving‍
• October 31: Halloween

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November 2024 Holidays

SMS tip of the month: The holiday shopping season is here! Stay on top of all Cyber Week holidays by scheduling your campaigns ahead of time. With Attentive Concierge, you can ease your subscribers’ holiday shopping worries—and avoid the stream of customer service tickets. Remind shoppers they can always reach out via text for product recommendations and 1:1 support.

• Movember 
• November 11: Singles’ Day
• November 11: Remembrance Day
• November 21: National Red Mitten Day
• November 29: Black Friday‍
• November 30: Small Business Saturday

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December 2024 Holidays

SMS tip of the month: The winter holiday season is a great opportunity to grow your SMS channel. Customize your SMS sign-up units with a Preference Collection form, asking users who they’re shopping for. Welcome new subscribers with a gift guide based on their response. You can save this zero-party data as custom attributes in subscriber profiles, so you can continue to deliver personalized experiences in the new year.

• December 1: World AIDS Day 
• December 2: Cyber Monday
• December 3: Giving Tuesday
• December 5: International Volunteers Day
• December 9: Green Monday
• December 14: Free Shipping Day
• December 17: Canadian Maple Syrup Day
• December 21: Super Saturday
• December 26: Boxing Day‍
• December 31: New Year’s Eve

Want more SMS inspiration for Canada’s key dates and holidays? Browse hundreds of text messaging campaigns sent by our customers in our SMS gallery, Texts We Love.