What a gift ad needs
- The recipient: "for the coffee snob", "for your sister", "for the one who has everything".
- A price, or a true price band such as "under $35".
- The order-by date you can actually meet.
- Gift details from your store, such as wrapping or a gift note, only if you offer them.

The holiday calendar
In the US the big gifting dates are Valentine's Day (February 14), Mother's Day (the second Sunday of May), Father's Day (the third Sunday of June), Black Friday and Cyber Monday (November 27 and 30 in 2026) and the December holidays. Start gift ads three to four weeks ahead, and switch to shipping-cutoff ads in the last ten days.
Order-by dates
The shipping cutoff is often the strongest line in a late holiday ad, and the most dangerous one to get wrong. Write it with the region and the delivery promise: "Order by Dec 17 for delivery by Christmas (US)". Pause cutoff ads the day after the date.
Honest note: we never guess your shipping cutoff. Type it as your offer in Your brief and the ads use it word for word.







