The holidays are supposed to be joyful—but if you’re a marketer, they can feel more like a sprint through a snowstorm. Between planning promotions, scheduling campaigns, and juggling all the end-of-year chaos, the last thing you need is to spend hours fussing with email design.

That’s why we pulled together this busy marketer’s guide to holiday email design. Think of it as your shortcut to emails that look festive, professional, and click-worthy—without stealing hours from your day.

Here’s how to get eye-catching holiday emails out the door fast, using templates, wise color choices, and image best practices.

1. Quick Wins with Templates

Let’s be real: nobody has time to design every holiday email from scratch. Templates are your secret weapon to staying consistent and saving hours.

Why Templates Work

• Consistency: Every email matches your brand (and looks intentional, not rushed).
• Speed: Drag, drop, send—without playing designer for the day.
• Flexibility: Swap in new headlines, offers, and images without redoing the layout.

How to Make the Most of Templates

• Start festive, stay on-brand. Choose a holiday-themed template, but adjust the fonts and colors to match your brand guidelines. A splash of seasonal cheer is all you need.
• Keep the hierarchy clear. Your headline should be bold, your call-to-action button prominent, and your offer impossible to miss.
• Save a set. Create one or two “holiday go-to” templates early in the season so you’re never starting from zero.

Pro tip: Benchmark Email’s drag-and-drop builder makes it easy to set up reusable templates—so once you nail one, you can duplicate it all season long.

2. Holiday Color Palettes That Pop

Nothing says “holiday” like color. But too much red and green can make your email look more like a kid’s craft project than a polished campaign. The trick is finding festive hues that still feel true to your brand.

Easy Color Combos to Try

• Classic with a twist: Deep red + forest green + gold accents. Keep it modern by using muted tones instead of neon brights.
• Winter wonderland: Icy blues + silver + white space. Perfect if your brand already leans cooler in tone.
• Warm & cozy: Burgundy + cream + copper. Feels sophisticated and less cliché.
• Minimal modern: Black + white + one festive accent color (like cranberry or emerald). Sleek, clean, and on-trend.

Quick Color Wins

• Don’t overpower your brand palette. If your brand colors are teal and orange, weave in holiday tones subtly—think accents, not a total takeover.
• Use color to guide the eye. Your CTA button should be the boldest, most attention-grabbing color on the page.
• Leave breathing room. White (or neutral) space keeps your design feeling fresh instead of cluttered.

3. Image Best Practices for Holiday Emails

Images make your holiday emails shine—but they can also slow down load times or distract from your message if you’re not careful.

Do’s for Holiday Images

• Keep them light. Compress images to load faster (especially on mobile). Tools like TinyPNG or built-in email platform optimizers help.
• Stay authentic. Use real, warm, relatable images instead of cheesy stock photos with staged smiles.
• Add subtle holiday touches. Think wrapped presents on a table, twinkle lights in the background, or cozy textures—not clipart snowmen.
• Balance with text. Your email shouldn’t feel like a catalog page. Mix strong visuals with clear copy to keep readers focused on your offer.

Don’ts for Holiday Images

• Don’t overload the design with too many graphics—one strong hero image is often enough.
• Don’t put critical text inside images (it won’t always render). Use HTML text so your message is clear even if images are blocked.
• Don’t forget accessibility. Add alt text so screen readers describe your images for visually impaired subscribers.

Pro tip: Benchmark’s built-in image library and AI-powered image generation can save you from digging through endless stock photo sites.

4. Quick Layout Tips for Maximum Impact

Even with templates, colors, and images in place, your layout matters. A clean structure helps your message shine and guides readers to your call to action.

• Stick to one goal per email. Whether it’s “Shop Now” or “Register for the Event,” don’t clutter the message with competing CTAs.
• Make it mobile-first. Most holiday shoppers will open on their phones. Test how your email looks on a small screen before sending.
• Use festive but legible fonts. Decorative scripts can add flair in headlines, but keep body text simple for readability.
• Think in sections. Break your email into scannable blocks: headline, image, copy, button. People skim, especially during the holidays.

5. Fast Holiday Wins You Can Swipe Today

Feeling pressed for time? Here’s your holiday checklist for speedy, polished emails:

• Pick one holiday-ready template and brand it.
• Choose a color accent that complements (not clashes with) your existing palette.
• Use one high-quality seasonal image to set the tone.
• Keep copy short, festive, and focused on the offer.
• Test subject line + design combo before sending.

🎁 Holiday Email Templates for Busy Marketers

1. Classic Holiday Sale

Subject Line: “🎁 Your holiday gift: 20% off inside”
Header: “Unwrap the Savings”
Body Copy: ’Tis the season for giving—and we’ve got something special just for you. Enjoy 20% off your next purchase, no codes, no stress. Consider it our way of saying thanks for being part of our community this year.
CTA: “Shop the Sale”

2. Last-Minute Urgency

Subject Line: “The holiday clock is ticking ⏰ Don’t miss out”
Header: “Last Chance for Holiday Deals”
Body Copy: Still searching for the perfect gift? Good news—you’ve got a little time left (but not much!). Order today to guarantee delivery before the big day. Skip the stress, shop from home, and check off your list in minutes.
CTA: “Grab Your Gift Now”

3. New Year Thank-You

Subject Line: “Thanks for a wonderful year—let’s toast to 2025 🥂”
Header: “Here’s to You”
Body Copy: As we wrap up the year, we want to say a heartfelt thank you. Your support means everything, and we couldn’t do it without you. To celebrate, we’re sharing a little something to help you kick off the new year right.
CTA: “Claim Your Gift”

✨ Design notes to pair with these templates:

• Images: One strong seasonal photo or illustration works best—like wrapped gifts, twinkling lights, or a festive table setting.
• Colors: Choose one accent (gold, cranberry, evergreen, or icy blue) to make CTAs and key elements pop.
• Layout: Keep it clean—hero image on top, headline, short body text, and bold CTA button.

Wrapping It Up (Pun Intended)

Holiday email design doesn’t have to be a stress test. With the right templates, wise color choices, and image best practices, you can create emails that stand out in crowded inboxes—without burning through your already maxed-out calendar.

Remember: you don’t need to over-design to impress. A clean, festive, on-brand email with a clear offer will do the job beautifully. And thanks to templates and quick design wins, you’ll spend less time tinkering and more time celebrating.

So go ahead—design smarter, not harder. Your holiday emails (and your sanity) will thank you.