As our readers will surely know, our lives move around seasons and holidays. Not only is it useful to find a calendar with holidays to plan time off. Marketing and creative professionals know that they must plan their content and campaigns months in advance to match the holidays of the year (as well as to follow the right marketing strategy for holiday sales). If one thing is certain, is that 2023 will not be the exception to this, and that is why we have compiled a 2023 calendar with holidays to help you with your marketing and creative campaigns.
In this article, we will go over every month of the year and its major celebrations – and we will be mindful to include a few international holidays too. We are mentioning the biggest sale events that traditionally take place every month in case you would like to combine your industry-specific campaign with a discount. Best of all? We are also adding FREE assets for you to use on your holiday campaigns under each month!
2023 Calendar with Holidays
January 2023
Ah, turning on a new leaf! January means new beginnings. In the Northern Hemisphere we also associate it with winter months and cold. In the Southern Hemisphere (for example Argentina and Australia), January is the middle of summer).
Holidays:
Sunday, January 1st: New Year’s Day
Friday, January 6th: Epiphany
Sunday January 22nd: Chinese New Year (Year of the Rabbit)
Thursday, January 26th: Australia Day
Sale events:
“White Sales” of bedding and linen from several department stores and retailers.
Sales, deals, and promotions on fitness and sports equipment following the usual new year’s resolutions
Free assets:
Hundreds of Chinese New Year stock vectors
Hundreds of Chinese New Year stock photos
Four free stock music tracks of traditional Chinese music
February 2023
February is world-renowned for one single holiday: Valentine’s Day. In places with a Catholic heritage, like New Orleans, as well as in South America and Europe, Mardi Gras and Carnival bring color and celebration to an otherwise cold month (think about Brazil’s over-the-top Carnaval as well as Venice’s masquerades!). In the Southern Hemisphere, February marks the end of summer. For example, in Australia, students go back to school early in February (unlike September in the Northern Hemisphere).
Holidays:
Black History Month throughout February
Sunday, February 12th: Superbowl (USA)
Tuesday February 14th: Valentine’s Day
Tuesday February 21st: Mardi Gras/Carnival
Sale events:
Sales, deals, and promotions on TVs and electronics, especially in the USA ahead of the Superbowl
Sales, deals, and promotions on winter apparel and accessories (Northern Hemisphere)
Sales, deals, and promotions on home goods ahead and on President’s Day (USA)
Free assets:
Thousands of free Black History Month vectors and stock photos
Thousands of Valentine’s Day videos, featuring flowers, couples, and families
Thousands of free heart icons, stickers, animated icons, and interface icons
Thousands of free Carnival vectors and photos
Thousands of free Mardi Gras vectors and photos
March 2023
In South American countries south of the Equator, students go back to school in March, while in the Northern Hemisphere people welcome the beginning of spring. Holidays from India and Muslim countries, like Holi and Ramadan, have also increasingly had a presence in the western world.
Holidays:
Wednesday, March 8th: International Women’s Day
Wednesday, March 8th: Holi /Festival of Colors
Friday, March 17th: Saint Patrick’s Day
Wednesday, March 20th: First day of Spring (Northern Hemisphere)
Wednesday, March 22nd: Ramadan
Sale events:
Sales, deals, and promotions on tax software ahead of the Tax Day that usually takes place in April
Free assets:
Hundreds of free Women’s Day stock photos and vectors
Dozens of free Holi/Festival of Colors stock photos
Hundreds of free Saint Patrick’s Day icons
Hundreds of free Spring-related stock videos
Hundreds of Ramadan-themed stock photos
April 2023
In the Northern Hemisphere, April sees spring in full swing: think flowers, chicks, bunnies, Easter eggs, and all thing pastels. In the Southern Hemisphere, this month actually marks the dead of Fall.
Holidays:
Friday, April 7th: World Health Day
Sunday, April the 9th: Easter Sunday
Saturday, April the 22nd: Earth Day
Sunday, April the 23rd: World Book Day
Sale events:
Sales, deals, and promotions on vacuum cleaners ahead of “Spring Cleaning”
Sales, deals, and promotions on beauty products, following Sephora’s Spring Sale
Sales, deals, and promotions on sustainable and “green” items ahead of Earth Day
Free assets:
Thousands of free Easter vectors and stock photos
Thousands of free Earth Day stock photos
May 2023
May’s hallmark is Mother’s Day. Mexico celebrates Cinco de Mayo, which has been “borrowed” in the USA as an excuse for a party holiday. In the UK and Commonwealth countries, this month will see the official coronation of King Charles III.
Holidays:
Tuesday, May 2nd: Teacher’s Day
Friday, May 5th: Cinco de Mayo
Monday, May 8th: Coronation of King Charles III (UK and Commonwealth nations)
Sunday, May 14th: Mother’s Day
Sale events:
Sales, deals, and promotions on spring apparel
Free assets:
Thousands of free Teacher’s Day vectors and stock photos
Thousands of free Mother’s Day stock videos
June 2023
June’s highlights are Children’s and Father’s Day, after having celebrated mom a month prior. This month has also become known for Pride month, with everything turning into a rainbow-version of itself and major pride events happening worldwide.
Holidays:
Pride Month throughout June
Sunday, June 11th: Children’s Day
Sunday, June 18th: Father’s Day
Sale events:
Sales, deals, and promotions on lingerie following Victoria’s Secret Semi-Annual Sale
Deals and Promotions on gym memberships given people’s likelihood of exercising outdoors during this season
Sales, deals, and promotions on tools, hardware, and other “dad” gifts ahead of Father’s Day
Free assets:
Thousands of free Gay Pride-related icons and stickers
Thousands of free Children’s Day vectors and stock photos
Thousands of free Father’s Day stock photos
July 2023
In the Northern Hemisphere, July is the dead of summer. The kids are out of school and may be enjoying summer camp. There are two big national holidays: Canada Day in Canada, and Fourth of July in the USA. Prepare your maple leaf flags, star and stripes, and lots of fireworks and Barbecues!
Holidays:
Saturday, July 1st: Canada Day (Canada)
Tuesday, July 4th: American Independence Day (USA)
Sale events:
Sales, deals, and promotions on summer apparel (Northern Hemisphere)
Amazon’s Prime Day have usually been in July. Other retailers discount or price-match to keep up with Amazon’s sales event (also referred to as the Summer Black Friday).
Free assets:
Dozens of free fireworks stock videos
Hundreds of Fourth of July stock photos
August 2023
August is one of the hottest months of the year and it’s the time most people take their long annual leave. Ask any Parisian and they will tell you that no local stays in Paris, and that instead, the city sees a spike in tourists. Back to school also starts making its rounds towards the end of this month.
Holidays:
Throughout August: Summer Holidays and Vacations
Saturday, August 19th: World Photography Day
Sale events:
Sales, deals, and promotions on school supplies ahead of back-to-school in September (Northern Hemisphere)
Sales, deals, and promotions on gardening and backyard products ahead of Fall (Northern Hemisphere)
Free assets:
Thousands of free summer-related stock videos
Thousands of free summer stock photos
September 2023
In the Northern Hemisphere, September marks back to school for most academic calendars (from Kindergarten to Ph.D. students). Labour day offers a nice extra holiday right at the start of the month, and people start getting into the Fall spirit and happy to be able to take their sweaters and coats out of storage.
Holidays:
Throughout September: Back to School (Northern Hemisphere)
Monday, September 4th: Labor Day
Sale events:
Discounts on iPhones ahead of Apple’s announcement of the latest iPhone launch.
Sales, deals, and promotions on appliances around Labor Day
Free assets:
Thousands of free Back-to-School vectors and stock images
Thousands of free Labor Day icons and stickers
October 2023
In our collective imagination, October equals Halloween. Yellow and red leaves, ghosts, and witches are ubiquitous, even if this month is when Spring is in full bloom in the Southern Hemisphere.
Holidays:
Breast Cancer Awareness Month throughout October
Monday, October 9th: Canadian Thanksgiving
Tuesday, October 24th: Diwali
Tuesday, October 31st: Halloween
Sale events:
Sales, deals, and promotions on outdoor and patio furniture ahead of winter (Northern Hemisphere)
Free assets:
Hundreds of free Breast Cancer Awareness-related stock photos
Hundreds of free Diwali stock photos
Thousands of free Halloween vectors and stock photos
A few free Halloween stock music tracks
Thousands of Día De Muertos icons and stickers
November 2023
November starts with Day of the Dead, celebrated in most catholic countries, and made famous by Mexico’s colorful candy skulls and “Catrinas” (although this holiday is celebrated alongside Halloween outside of Mexico). This month is packed with celebrations and shopping events. Thanksgiving is single-handedly the most important holiday in the USA, followed by the infamous Black Friday and Cyber Monday. China’s “Anti-Valentine’s” day is celebrated on 11/11 and is a massive sales and discounts event that has gained traction in other Asian countries and even the UK!
Holidays:
Wednesday, November 1st: Day of the Dead (Día de Muertos)
Saturday, November 11th: Single’s Day (Mainly China, but gaining traction in other countries)
Thursday, November 23rd: American Thanksgiving (USA)
Friday, November 24th: Black Friday
Monday, November 27th: Cyber Monday
Sale events:
Big sales, deals and promotions over Black Friday and Cyber Monday
Free assets:
Thousands of free single’s day vectors and stock photos
Hundreds of free Thanksgiving Stock Photos
Thousands of free Black Friday vectors and stock photos
Thousands of free Cyber Monday vectors and stock photos
December 2023
December packs in a lot too. It is the most festive month of the year, which Christmas having taken virtually over the entire world, even in non-Christian countries (have you read about Japan’s bizarre tradition of eating KFC on Christmas?). Kwanzaa is a relatively new holiday celebrated by the African American community in the USA, and we cannot forget of Hannukah observed by the Jewish community worldwide.
Holidays:
Sunday, December 18th: First night of Hanukkah
Sunday, December 25th: Christmas
Monday, December 26th: Boxing Day (UK/Canada)
Monday, December 26th: First day of Kwanzaa
Sale events:
Most sales from Black Friday drag into December. Boxing Day is regarded as the first day of post-holiday discounts in Canada and the UK. Sales drag into the winter sales of January too.
Free assets:
Thousands of free Hannukah icons and stickers
Thousands of free Christmas vectors and stock photos
Dozens of free Kwanzaa icons and stickers
Thousands of free Kwanzaa stock photos
And that’s it. Make sure to bookmark this page so you can consult it throughout the year! If you need other free assets for your marketing campaigns, check out our article compiling websites to create free rainbow gradients as well as this other one compiling 100 free fonts for you to download (which includes several Christmas and holiday fonts!). All we can say after all this information is that we hope you enjoy all the holidays yet to come in this new year!
Cover image Behnam Norouzi on Unsplash