Thanksgiving Email Marketing: Tips and Examples [2025 Guide]

If just thinking about Thanksgiving makes your mouth water, you are not alone. During the festive period, consumers enter a sort of gift shopping and culinary frenzy, and businesses eagerly capitalize on that. However, with countless brands aggressively fighting for people’s attention, it becomes especially challenging to get noticed, let alone drive meaningful engagement. An inbox flooded with discounts, seasonal greetings, and limited-time offers can quickly overwhelm even the most enthusiastic shopper.

The solution? Crafting a thoughtful Thanksgiving email strategy is all about tapping the recipient’s emotions, reaching for their heart, not just their wallet. An impactful Thanksgiving email campaign not only boosts sales — it strengthens customer loyalty by taking chores off their mind, spreading holiday cheer, and expressing the deep gratitude your brand feels toward its community.

In this post, we’ll break down the best practices for Thanksgiving email campaigns, from subject lines that tickle curiosity to witty and moving copy that makes people stop and reflect. We’ll also share real-life examples from brands that have nailed the holiday spirit, giving you practical inspiration to reimagine your own seasonal outreach.

Why Thanksgiving emails matter for businesses

Out of all holidays, Thanksgiving is one of the most inherently emotional ones — it’s synonymous with family gatherings, gratitude, and time-honored traditions. Unlike purely commercial events like Black Friday, it carries a sense of nostalgia and togetherness that most of us can relate to.

This emotional weight makes Thanksgiving stand out not only for consumers but also for brands, which can use this as an opportunity to get closer to their audience and help them create heartfelt moments for their loved ones.

Here are some key aspects that will convince you to put extra effort into this year’s Thanksgiving email campaign:

• First sales spike announcing a major buying season. Thanksgiving kicks off an epic shopping period — people are buying gifts, hosting meals, traveling, and preparing for Black Friday and Cyber Monday. 60% of shoppers say they will not start holiday shopping until October or later. But once the time comes, 86% of shoppers purchase gifts, spending $235 on average. On Thanksgiving Day 2024, US consumers spent over $6 billion online, setting a new record. Emails play a major role in helping people discover gift ideas in the first place.
• Email is the most suitable medium for impactful messaging. At least half of consumers prefer to do their Thanksgiving gift shopping online, and they expect brands’ promotions to align with their journey. Email is a direct, personal channel that enables brands to combine warm holiday greetings with tailored offers, curated gift guides, or time-sensitive deals.
• Consumers are more receptive around family-centered holidays. They’re already in a mindset of gratitude, togetherness, and generosity, which makes them more open to messages that feel personal, thoughtful, and timely. Through Thanksgiving emails, you can meet customers where they are, whether by offering helpful tips, curated gift guides, or limited-time promotions.
• Tradition means higher spending and a shorter consideration phase. Given the rise of self-care and little treat culture, it’s no surprise that the average holiday spend in 2025 is projected to reach $1,223, which is a 7% increase compared to last year. Despite the shaky economy, consumers are not ready to deny themselves the joy that comes with celebrating traditions, indulging in comfort, and gifting loved ones. Thanksgiving emails are essential for positioning products and services as part of those special moments people are eager to create.
• Associating your brand with warm family moments and sincere gratitude. Brands that use Thanksgiving emails to say genuine “thank you,” offer perks, or share stress-reducing tips, like recipes or checklists, create goodwill. By doing so, you invest in building stronger customer relationships that last beyond the holiday rush.
• Capturing emotion- and convenience-driven purchases. Using targeted Thanksgiving emails, you get to speak directly to your audience’s needs and holiday mindset. Emotional triggers such as sharing heartwarming stories or supporting family traditions encourage customers to make purchases that feel meaningful, albeit not entirely rational.
• Opportunity to provide value while others blast generic promotions. By offering relevant, helpful tips, time-saving solutions, or tokens of appreciation and gratitude, your brand can differentiate itself, leaving a positive emotional imprint.

Knowing all that, you can confidently move on to crafting your own Thanksgiving email campaign.

Thanksgiving email best practices to follow

Every year, brands tirelessly exercise their imagination, coming up with Thanksgiving puns and clever campaigns, competing for the user’s attention in an already overflowing inbox. How do you compete with the brightest creative minds in marketing? Nailing the basics of Thanksgiving email marketing would be a good start.

Be strategic with your timing and frequency

This means developing a sending cadence that aligns with how consumers shop and plan for the holiday. For better results, it’s crucial to time your emails around peak engagement hours, especially mobile usage times — think when your target audience gets off work or during their lunch break. This maximizes visibility without causing fatigue.

As you progress through the festive season, the content should change, too. Knowing that 38% of consumers start shopping for gifts a week before Thanksgiving, it makes sense to pace your sending so that early emails plant some inspiring ideas, mid-week messages highlight deals, and last-minute reminders focus on urgency and convenience.

Stay transparent about estimated delivery times and availability

For consumers, Thanksgiving time is jolly and filled with family traditions, but for businesses, it’s often hectic and stressful as demand surges and logistics tense up. That’s why clear communication is key to avoiding frustration and complaints down the line.

By openly sharing shipping deadlines, stock limits, and any potential delays in your Thanksgiving email campaigns, you set realistic expectations and reassure customers that their holiday plans won’t be disrupted. Simple as it is, not every business bothers to spell out these details, which will make your email positively stand out.

• “Order by [Date] to receive your package before Thanksgiving”
• “Choose Express delivery if you want a 100% guarantee”
• “We have only around 500 kits left, and they are selling out fast”
• “There will be no restock this month — grab yours now, or wait until December”
• “Our products tend to sell out completely before holidays, so hurry up”
• “Missed our shipping window? No biggie. Select pick-up at checkout and get your gifts IRL”
• “[Product name] may be sold out, but our gift cards are always available”

Shoppers are far more likely to complete a purchase when they feel confident about delivery, while transparency helps reduce disappointment and abandoned carts. Offering convenient alternatives such as digital gift cards or in-store pickup can relieve that headache and keep sales flowing smoothly, even when inventory or timelines are tight.

Rely on mobile-first design to encourage spontaneous and leisurely shopping

The lion’s share of holiday browsing and purchases happens on mobile, so it’s paramount to ensure that your Thanksgiving emails are visually appealing, easy to read, and fully functional on all screen sizes. Buttons, links, and product images should be optimized for effortless taps and swipes.

Just as important is optimizing for dark mode, since many consumers perform their last-minute gift shopping in the evening or on dimmed screens. In the SendPulse builder, you can actively set up a dark mode for your template to have granular control over your email’s look.

Show your audience you know their taste

When it comes to gift shopping, personal preferences are everything. You can use behavioral data, purchase history, or browsing activity to tailor recommendations — suggest products that complement past purchases or create themed bundles that match the recipient’s interests.

Hyperpersonalization also means showing the most relevant local offers, such as highlighting nearby store availability, promoting regional shipping cutoffs, or featuring products that resonate with local traditions. This level of personalization makes customers feel understood and valued, while also reducing the friction of sifting through irrelevant options.

Offer stress-reducing, time-saving solutions

The last thing consumers want during the holiday rush is to be distracted by generic, meaningless messages. You are more likely to win their attention by giving actionable, practical help for the holiday, such as ready-made gift bundles, holiday meal kits, prep tips, timelines, tested recipes, or themed checklists. Thanksgiving emails that reduce decision fatigue and make planning easier can drive both conversions and customer appreciation.

This is exactly what brands like King Arthur Baking Company do — they think ahead for their customers and guide them through their holiday struggles step by step, from the dinner planning through the execution and all the way to the leftovers reuse.

Push boundaries with interactive elements

Polls, quizzes, or GIFs can make Thanksgiving emails more engaging and memorable. Interactive elements not only add a layer of fun but also give customers a reason to click and interact, rather than just skim and delete. For example, a clothing retailer could include a quick quiz like “Your Thanksgiving style — PJs or classy pants? Choose your fighter!” with outfit suggestions based on the answers. A grocery or meal kit brand might run a poll asking “Turkey or ham this year?” and then serve recipe bundles or product recommendations based on the results.

A home goods company could use a playful GIF to animate a Thanksgiving table being set — ideally, with clickable hotspots that lead directly to product pages. Beyond entertainment, these interactive touches can supply you with a wealth of data on customer preferences, helping you refine future offers and segment audiences more effectively. Finally, turning an email into a mini-experience creates a wow factor, making your brand linger in the customer’s mind.

Lean into emotional storytelling

Plain promotional emails have their own place, but not on the Thanksgiving timeline. The holiday season is a one-of-a-kind opportunity for brands to share stories that resonate with family traditions, gratitude, or giving. Emotional content, especially when written directly by the team or the CEO, can set your company apart and give its image a new dimension, making it more human and tangible.

For instance, a home décor brand might send a “From our family table to yours” email featuring cozy decorating tips alongside heartfelt thanks from the founder to its customers. A food delivery service could share a short story about making more time for togetherness by letting them handle the cooking. Even a tech company could tie in by highlighting how their products help families stay connected during the holidays.

Highlight sustainability or social responsibility

A lot of things are associated with Thanksgiving, but eco-consciousness is rarely one of them. You can use the holiday as a powerful opportunity to remind your audience what values your brand stands for, instead of promoting mindless consumption. Consumers increasingly respond to companies that demonstrate care for the planet and their communities, especially during a season centered on gratitude and giving.

For instance, highlighting eco-friendly packaging, sustainable sourcing, or partnerships with local farmers can resonate with environmentally conscious shoppers. Likewise, featuring charitable initiatives, whether it’s donating a portion of sales to food banks, supporting community projects, or encouraging customers to give back, makes your Thanksgiving email more impactful on every level.

By weaving these messages into your Thanksgiving campaigns, you show the complex DNA of your brand and differentiate yourself from competitors who chase nothing but quick profits.

Use AI for testing and content optimization

Many email services now come equipped with AI features, and for a good reason. Thanksgiving email marketing only takes place once a year, and businesses simply can’t afford a slip-up. For starters, instead of relying on guesswork, you can use AI to analyze past engagement data and predict what type of content, timing, and messaging will resonate best with your audience.

For subject lines, AI tools can generate and test variations that balance emotional appeal with clarity, helping brands cut through the holiday inbox clutter. HubSpot and some other platforms enable you to reach a new level of personalization with AI — by processing browsing history, purchase behavior, and even local trends, it can suggest tailored product recommendations or themed bundles that feel more relevant to each recipient.

Solutions like Insider support AI-driven dynamic content, which can adapt emails in real time, showing different offers depending on factors like location, device, or time of day. Beyond personalization, AI can optimize send times, ensuring that emails land in inboxes when individual users are most likely to be paying attention. For Thanksgiving in particular, this means you can craft messages that feel timely, heartfelt, and practical — combining the vast training data of LLMs with your own experience.

30 Thanksgiving email subject line ideas

The first impression is everything, and your subject line determines whether your Thanksgiving email gets opened or lost in the holiday inbox chaos. A strong Thanksgiving email subject line sparks curiosity, conveys value, and strikes the right festive tone.

If your goal is to reinforce the bond with your audience, consider these gratitude-focused Thanksgiving email subject lines:

• Thank you: We love being your [Service name]
• Because Thanksgiving is more than a meal 🍂
• Our table wouldn’t be complete without you
• We’re thankful for YOU (and here’s a perk to prove it)
• Full of gratitude (and turkey) 🦃
• You + us = something to be thankful for
• Because we couldn’t do this without you
• Here’s to you — the reason we’re thankful
• Grateful looks good on you 🧡
• Our biggest blessing this year? You.

In case you want to highlight your time-sensitive deals above all else, try these urgency-inducing Thanksgiving email subject lines:

• Did you hear? The Thanksgiving deals are there 🚨
• Last call before the turkey coma sets in…
• Watch out: Something special just hit the shelves ⏰
• Forgot the turkey? [Product name] will make up for it
• Thanksgiving shopping list won’t be full without [Product name]
• Hurry up! These leftovers won’t last long
• Gobble it up before it’s gone! 🎁
• Make this Thanksgiving one to remember
• Last call for Thanksgiving pre-order!
• One more helping? These offers won’t stick around ⌛

For more general messaging, try these fun, relaxed, and feast-related Thanksgiving email subject lines:

• Pass the mashed potatoes… 🍴
• Caution: Pie-ntastic deals are waiting for you
• Need help with Thanksgiving prep? We’re here 👋
• You. Us. This Thanksgiving. Ready?
• Gift-giving anxiety? We got you covered
• Stretchy pants ready? So are our deals
• Leftovers are optional. Our deals aren’t.
• From our table to yours — thanks + treats inside 🎁
• Serving cranberries, casseroles, and savory deals
• To all turkey coma survivors: Our tasty deals are still on

Once your opener is ready, the rest becomes easier, especially with our Thanksgiving email templates and tips.

10 clever Thanksgiving email examples that hit the mark

Knowing the rules, you can safely bend or break them. The best Thanksgiving campaigns often take familiar principles — timing, personalization, storytelling — and put a fresh spin on them. From clever puns to socially conscious messages, the following Thanksgiving emails do an amazing job of demonstrating how to surprise and delight customers while still driving results.

Fracture ensures no one skips its Thanksgiving emails

Speaking of interactive Thanksgiving emails, this example takes the lead with its creative, heart-warming, and low-friction giveaway. The opening instantly ties the brand to the season’s emotional core instead of leading with a sales pitch.

The “12 Days of Giveaways” countdown and the calendar format create anticipation and motivate subscribers to stay tuned in without skipping a single day. More importantly, the giveaway requires no additional action — customers are automatically entered by being subscribed. This reduces barriers and drives participation.

The family-centered image at the top helps set the right mood. After honoring Thanksgiving traditions, the email transitions smoothly to the product promotion — the products are shown as actual items in a real-life context, which helps consumers visualize them in their own homes.

Outdoorsy masterfully integrates its brand into the Thanksgiving rush

This Thanksgiving email from Outdoorsy is another standout campaign that manages to be seasonally relevant and offer clear value at the same time. At first glance, renting an RV sounds like the last thing someone wants to do for Thanksgiving — until Outdoorsy contrasts the stress of flying during the holidays with the ease of traveling in a cozy camper. This problem-solution framing recognizes the customer’s pain points, then presents the brand as the stress-free alternative.

The images highlight cozy RV interiors, outdoor adventure, and even the Thanksgiving meal itself, helping plant the idea in the customer’s mind. Suddenly, it becomes obvious how an Outdoorsy RV can fit seamlessly into established traditions, whether hosting dinner or traveling for it. This way, the message appeals to both travelers and stay-at-home hosts who may need that extra space. The CTAs like “Stress-free travel” and “Hit the easy button” echo the promise of an easy solution to an otherwise chaotic family gathering.

Oats Overnight keeps it real

This email proves that, sometimes, more is definitely less. It starts out with a lighthearted wordplay and gently makes a Thanksgiving reference without forcing the connection. The brief copy respects the reader’s time, while the lack of fluff makes the brand feel genuine and down-to-earth.

The product packaging is displayed front and center in a clean, minimalist layout — the colorful bags pop against the white background. The compelling offer is paired with a money-back guarantee, which reduces risk and makes it easy for new customers to say yes.

Everlywell gives a delicate Thanksgiving tip

No one likes to talk about indigestion, but everyone has experienced some of its symptoms after one casserole serving too many. Everlywell knows that Thanksgiving isn’t just about turkey and pie — it’s also about making sure you can actually enjoy them without the post-feast bloat and regret.

By positioning their product as a discreet, supportive preparation for holiday meals, the brand turns an uncomfortable reality into a relatable, even reassuring Thanksgiving message. The benefits of the test are broken down in skimmable bullet points, making it an obvious choice. Should the recipient follow Everlywell’s suggestion, they will be more likely to trust the company with their health and well-being during other important occasions as well.

Even Realities shares a personal customer success story

For Even Realities, a smart glasses company, Thanksgiving provides the perfect backdrop to highlight how technology enhances real-life connections and experiences. The brand uses the holiday as an opportunity to express gratitude to its community for continuously choosing its product. At the same time, Even Realities intentionally avoids using any cliché Thanksgiving embellishments because they would feel off-brand.

In his personal story, one customer shares how the glasses allow him to juggle multiple hobbies like learning new languages and writing fiction, tasks that once felt impossible because both of his hands were tied up with devices or books. This is the best sales pitch the company could possibly make because it’s not about glossy features or specs — it’s about transformation and profound emotions a person experiences when reaching their life-long goals.

Erewhon takes care of the feast

For some, the Thanksgiving dinner is an exciting chance to show off their culinary skills. For others, it’s a chore they would rather outsource to someone better equipped. Erewhon taps into that desire by offering Thanksgiving catering services that take the stress out of the holiday.

In its emails, the grocery store emphasizes how its carefully prepared meals are made with fresh, organic ingredients, appealing to health-conscious families who don’t want to compromise on quality.

The mouth-watering visuals and warm color palette speak louder than words, helping the customer visualize the upcoming feast and get into the holiday spirit. As per our Thanksgiving email best practices list, Erewhon clearly states its pick-up and delivery windows, ensuring a smooth experience even for last-minute orders.

Hostage Tape discusses a post-Thanksgiving food coma

Another guaranteed way to catch your reader’s attention is by talking about shared, relatable experiences that make us humans — such as passing out after an especially heavy dinner. Hostage Tape, a snoring solution, doesn’t miss the opportunity to tie the post-Thanksgiving sleepiness with its product.

The mildly unserious tone of the email makes for a fun read, and the organic CTAs don’t feel out of place at all. The offer carries a high relevance as it promises the customer to make their post-Thanksgiving routine significantly more comfortable at a small expense. Thanks to the minimalist layout and lack of distractions, the recipient can instantly proceed to the checkout.

Chipotle comes to the rescue on Friendsgiving

Going back to the topic of outsourcing the hassle of preparing the Thanksgiving meal, Chipotle capitalizes on people’s desire to skip meal prep and offers catering services paired with a group-bonding experience. The result is a feast where even the pickiest eaters have something savory to munch on.

What makes this Thanksgiving email template especially engaging is its smooth visual flow — with each scroll, the Chipotle assembly line opens up more, revealing craving-inducing ingredients everyone knows and loves. The benefits of catering are laid out in the form of convincing highlights, and the CTA buttons come with specified delivery timeframes to set realistic expectations.

Turo helps procrastinators book their Thanksgiving ride

This is another stellar example of how a brand can draw an unexpected connection between the holiday season and its services, turning a potential stress point into a clear value proposition for the customer. By highlighting the chaos of Thanksgiving travel and empathizing with the audience, the email positions timely car bookings as the only obvious solution.

This email reads like a friendly reminder rather than a promotion, which sets it apart from other Thanksgiving campaigns. The imagery contributes to the autumn mood, making an atmospheric ride through the country a close reality. Due to the category-based CTAs, the recipient has an easier time discovering the appropriate vehicle for their needs.

Graza recommends low-effort post-Thanksgiving meals

While everyone is trying to compete in the crowded pre-Thanksgiving hype, Graza, an olive oil brand, flips the script and capitalizes on the post-Thanksgiving period, when people have available attention spans and are looking for practical ways to use up leftovers or recover from the holiday rush.

By offering easy, low-effort recipes, the brand positions itself not as just another ingredient on the table, but as a creative partner in everyday cooking — helping customers turn the aftermath of a busy holiday into another moment of joy.

The email’s practicality, timing, and empathetic tone show that the brand understands its customers’ real-life needs beyond the big holiday day. This approach works because it meets the audience where they actually are — tired from celebrations, overwhelmed by leftovers, and craving quick solutions. The images do a great job of visualizing the yummy meals that Graza makes possible, and the lime color scheme serves as an instant mood booster.

How to create your Thanksgiving email campaign with SendPulse

Ready to craft your happy Thanksgiving message to clients? With SendPulse, it will take only a few minutes to flesh out a stunning campaign that catches attention in the holiday buzz.

Firstly, browse through our template library to find the layout that works for your goals. Then, switch to editing mode and customize individual elements to align them with your brand identity. The built-in AI assistant is there to help you quickly generate, improve, or translate email copy. Make your email more engaging by adding custom text, images, buttons, videos, and social media links.

All of our templates are responsive and designed to look good on any device. The built-in spam checker can help improve your email deliverability, while the segmentation feature allows you to target your audience based on age, gender, location, behaviors, and interests. SendPulse also offers smart personalization — the crucial tool for crafting relevant Thanksgiving gift suggestions.

Finally, the A/B tests and analytics tools will give you visibility into your campaign’s performance, which can be further enhanced through integrations with third-party analytics tools.

You can explore most of these features even on our free plan — or sign up for a flexible, volume-based paid plan with 24/7 support. The monthly pricing starts at $10, and annual billing gives you 20% off.

Unlock seamless omnichannel customer communication

Besides building and customizing Thanksgiving email templates, with SendPulse, you can create lead capture forms, live chat widgets, pop-ups, AI chatbots, 360 auto-flows, SMS campaigns, and even online courses. Our platform also comes with a built-in CRM system for keeping track of your deals and communications across channels.

Create your free account today and start exploring our marketing and sales automation toolkit!