’Tis the season for connection, community, and creative marketing! December is packed with holidays that invite celebration, generosity, and joyful engagement with your customers and their pets. Use these observances to highlight your expertise, showcase your Astro Offers, and spotlight the magic of shopping local during the holiday season.
Month-Long Observances
Single Day Holidays
Month-Long Observances
December’s month-long observances offer a perfect opportunity to build extended campaigns and keep customers engaged throughout the entire holiday season. These themes give retailers the flexibility to plan multi-week promotions, highlight seasonal needs, and align educational content with timely topics that matter to pet parents. By pairing these observances with Astro Offers, Adoption Rewards, and creative My Promotions, you can create ongoing touchpoints that encourage repeat visits and keep your store top-of-mind during the busiest shopping month of the year.
National Cat Lovers Month
National Cat Lovers Month is a full-month celebration honoring the companionship, charm, and individuality of our feline friends. December is a great time for cat parents to reflect on the joy their cats bring and to show appreciation through enrichment, extra affection, and special treats. It’s a time for celebrating everything from quirky cat behaviors to the deep bond shared between humans and their whiskered companions.
How Retailers Can Get Involved
Promote Cat Adoption Rewards:
If you partner with local rescues, spotlight adoptable cats, and use ‘Sharing the Love’ Adoption Rewards to support new cat parents with essential starter bundles.
Highlight “Purrfect Picks”:
Use Astro Offers to feature cat favorites—litter, toys, treats, supplements, and specialty diets—alongside a themed display for cat lovers.
Launch a “Love Your Cat” Promotion:
Create a My Promotion offering a special discount on cat toys, enrichment items, or bakery treats in honor of cat parents celebrating this month.
Run a “Show Us Your Cat” Campaign:
Use the Astro Marketing Suite to send an email or social post inviting customers to share photos of their cats for a feature wall or prize drawing.
Resource: National Today – Cat Lovers Month
Operation Santa Paws
December 1-24
Operation Santa Paws, created in 2001 by Justin Rudd of Haute Dog in Long Beach, CA, is a seasonal initiative that encourages communities to donate toys, treats, blankets, and supplies to rescues and shelters during the holidays. Running from December 1 through Christmas Eve, this campaign inspires generosity and highlights the needs of pets awaiting homes during the coldest time of the year.
How Retailers Can Get Involved
Encourage Donor Support via Astro Offers:
Promote Astro Offers on treats, toys, chews, and food that customers can purchase to donate directly to your partner rescue.
Feature Local Rescue Wish Lists:
Create a donation station featuring items that rescues need most, and pair it with holiday signage that encourages participation.
Launch a “Be Their Santa” Promotion:
Use My Promotions to create a discount for items being purchased for donation, or offer double loyalty points for customers who donate.
Holiday Donation Campaign:
Use the Astro Marketing Suite to schedule a 3-week email series showcasing your donation goal, rescue partner, and ways customers can help.
Resource: Santa Paws Drive
Holiday Season Pet Safety Awareness Month
Holiday Season Pet Safety Awareness Month focuses on educating pet parents about common seasonal hazards—such as toxic foods, breakable décor, cold-weather dangers, and holiday travel stress—to help keep pets safe throughout December’s festivities.
How Retailers Can Get Involved
Promote Safety Essentials via Astro Offers:
Highlight winter jackets, booties, calming aids, supplements, pet-safe decorations, and travel accessories supported by Astro Offers.
Create a “Stay Safe this Season” Display:
Curate a safety-themed endcap featuring the products pet owners need most during the holidays.
Launch a “Happy & Safe Holidays” Promotion:
Use My Promotions to discount items like calming chews, ID tags, or reflective gear.
Holiday Safety Tips Email:
Use the Astro Marketing Suite to send a weekly December tip list with featured products linked to active Astro Offers.
Single Day Holidays
In addition to month-long themes, December is filled with fun, heartfelt, and highly marketable single-day holidays that give retailers easy opportunities to spark engagement and drive foot traffic. These bite-sized observances are perfect for quick promotions, themed displays, flash sales, and social media moments that bring your community together. Use these holidays to spotlight specific products, showcase active Astro Offers, and create clever My Promotions that turn each day into a reason for customers to visit, celebrate, and support their local pet store.
National Mutt Day
December 2
National Mutt Day, founded by pet advocate Colleen Paige, celebrates the uniqueness, resilience, and charm of mixed-breed dogs while encouraging adoption from shelters and rescues. It’s a day dedicated to honoring the wonderful qualities of mutts and spotlighting the importance of giving these dogs loving homes.
How Retailers Can Get Involved
Promote Adoption Rewards:
Showcase adoptable mutts from your local rescue partners and use Sharing the Love Adoption Rewards to help new pet parents get started with essentials like food, treats, and supplements.
Feature “Mixed & Mighty” Essentials:
Use Astro Offers to highlight mutt-friendly favorites such as enrichment toys, durable chews, training treats, and wellness boosters — paired with an in-store display celebrating mixed-breed pets.
Launch a “One-of-a-Kind Canine” Promotion:
Create a custom My Promotion in the Astro Marketing Suite offering a special discount on select dog products — think treats, toys, or training gear — exclusively for customers who share a photo of their mutt or mention National Mutt Day in-store.
Run a “Show Us Your Mutt” Engagement Campaign:
Use the Marketing Suite to schedule a themed email + social post prompting customers to submit photos of their mixed-breed pets for a chance to be featured on your page or win a prize. Include a CTA inviting them to stop by for mutt-approved treats.
Resource: National Mutt Day
National Cookie Day
December 4
National Cookie Day is a fun food holiday that the pet industry has embraced as an opportunity to focus on pet-safe cookies, biscuits, and bakery treats. It’s the perfect day to spotlight special treats that help pets enjoy the season, too.
How Retailers Can Get Involved
Feature Holiday Treat Offers:
Promote Astro Offers on biscuits, bakery cookies, and limited-edition holiday treats.
Create a “Pet Cookie Bar”:
Set up a festive bakery-style display featuring a variety of safe and seasonal cookies.
Launch a “Cookie Crunch Specials” Promotion:
Use My Promotions to offer a discount on treats—especially bakery cookies or biscuit assortments.
Cookie Day Email Blast:
Use the Marketing Suite to send a themed email highlighting your treat selection and active offers.
Blog Idea: Use this fun holiday to create a treat guide for your customers, linking each selection to your online store.
Celebrate Shelter Pets Day
December 5
Celebrate Shelter Pets Day recognizes the joy adopted pets bring to families and encourages the adoption of animals from shelters and rescues nationwide. It shines a light on the importance of giving shelter pets a chance at a loving home.
How Retailers Can Get Involved
Promote Adoption Rewards:
Use Sharing the Love Adoption Rewards to support new adopters with essential bundles.
Feature “Welcome Home” Kits:
Use Astro Offers to highlight starter essentials like food, treats, litter, leashes, and enrichment.
Launch a “Shelter Pet Stars” Promotion:
Create a My Promotion offering savings on select items for anyone who brings in a photo of their adopted pet.
Celebrate Adopters Campaign:
Schedule an Astro Marketing Suite email highlighting shelter pet success stories from your customers.
Holiday Food Drive for Needy Animals Day
December 11
Holiday Food Drive for Needy Animals Day raises awareness about pets in underserved communities. It encourages donors to provide food and supplies to animals whose families may be struggling during the holiday season.
How Retailers Can Get Involved
Promote Donation-Friendly Astro Offers:
Use Astro Offers to promote food and treat deals that customers can purchase and donate to a rescue or food pantry.
Set Up a Donation Station:
Create a festive drop-off area with signage featuring your donation goals.
Launch a “Feed a Friend” Promotion:
Use My Promotions to offer discounts on items purchased for donation, or use Astro Points to provide bonus points to donors.
Run a Community Care Campaign:
Use the Astro Marketing Suite to share stories, donation needs, and progress updates throughout the week.
National Horse Day
December 13
National Horse Day celebrates the historical and cultural significance of horses, acknowledging their vital role in transportation, agriculture, therapeutic programs, and recreational activities. It also celebrates the bond between equestrians and their equine companions.
How Retailers Can Get Involved
Promote Equine Essentials:
Use Astro Offers (if applicable) to highlight horse feed, supplements, grooming supplies, and tack.
Partner with Local Barns:
Share educational content or host a barn-approved product showcase.
Launch a “Horse Care Heroes” Promotion:
Create a My Promotion offering a discount on winter horse care items.
Equine Education Email:
Use the Astro Marketing Suite to send horse-care tips and featured products.
Resource: National Today – Horse Day
National Cat Herders Day
December 15
National Cat Herders Day humorously celebrates those who manage chaos—especially relatable to multi-cat households. It’s a lighthearted opportunity to acknowledge the challenges and joys of caring for multiple cats.
How Retailers Can Get Involved
Promote Multi-Cat Essentials:
Use Astro Offers to highlight calming products, multi-cat litter, enrichment toys, and slow feeders.
Offer “Peace in the Pride” Kits:
Bundle multi-cat household essentials alongside in-store signage.
Launch a “Herding Cats” Promotion:
Use My Promotions to discount multi-cat items or calming aids.
Create a “Chaos Crew” Social Post:
Use the Astro Marketing Suite to run a fun campaign inviting customers to share their chaotic cat stories or photos. Or ask your staff to put together a funny reel where some of your team are dressed like cats, while others do their best to herd them.
Resource: National Day Calendar – Cat Herders Day
National Ugly Sweater Day
3rd Friday - December 20, 2025
National Ugly Sweater Day invites people and pets to embrace festive silliness by donning their most absurd holiday sweaters. It’s a perfect lighthearted celebration for engaging your customer community.
How Retailers Can Get Involved
Promote Holiday Apparel:
Use Astro Offers (if available) to feature sweaters, hoodies, bandanas, and festive accessories.
Host an Ugly Sweater Contest:
Encourage customers and their pets to stop by wearing holiday sweaters for a photo wall. Use Astro Points to distribute bonus points to all participants, and select a winner to receive a special prize.
Launch a “Festive Fashion” Promotion:
Use My Promotions to discount pet apparel for the day.
Send a Sweater Party Campaign:
Use the Astro Marketing Suite to announce your photo contest or in-store event.
Resource: National Today – Ugly Sweater Day
Christmas
December 25
Christmas is a major cultural and family-driven holiday centered on generosity, celebration, and gift-giving—including for beloved pets. It’s one of the busiest shopping moments of the year for pet retailers.
How Retailers Can Get Involved
Highlight Last-Minute Gift Ideas:
Utilize Astro Offers to promote toys, chews, apparel, toppers, and supplements that make ideal stocking stuffers.
Showcase Holiday Gift Bundles:
Create curated holiday kits or “pet stockings.”
Launch a “Paws & Presents” Promotion:
Use My Promotions to offer last-minute savings or bundle discounts.
Holiday Hours + Gift Guide Campaign:
Use the Astro Marketing Suite to share your gift guide, featured offers, and holiday schedule.
National Bacon Day
December 30
National Bacon Day is a humorous, food-focused holiday that celebrates the joy of bacon—giving pet retailers a fun opportunity to highlight bacon-flavored treats and chews.
How Retailers Can Get Involved
Feature “Bacon”-Themed Treats:
Use Astro Offers to promote pork diets, biscuits, chews, and toppers.
Run a “Bacon Bonanza” Display:
Highlight all your bacon-flavored and pork products in a single endcap.
Launch a “Bring Home the Bacon” Promotion:
Create a My Promotion offering a discount on pork treats.
Send a Tasty Treat Alert:
Use the Astro Marketing Suite to send a themed email featuring your favorite pork products.
Resource: National Today – Bacon Day
New Year's Eve
December 31
New Year’s Eve celebrations often include fireworks, gatherings, and noisy festivities that can be stressful for pets. This holiday is a key opportunity to educate pet parents on proactive steps to keep their animals safe and calm.
How Retailers Can Get Involved
Promote Calming Essentials:
Use Astro Offers to highlight calming chews, calming beds, CBD options, supplements, and thunderwear.
Create a “Fireworks Survival Kit”:
Bundle calming products, enrichment toys, and ID tags in a themed display.
Launch a “Peaceful New Year” Promotion:
Create a My Promotion offering savings on calming items during the week leading up to NYE.
Fireworks Safety Email:
Use the Marketing Suite to share tips, recommended products, and holiday hours.
Closing Thoughts
December is one of the most meaningful and opportunity-filled months of the year for independent pet retailers. From festive celebrations to charitable giving, each holiday offers a unique way to connect with your community, deepen customer loyalty, and showcase the value of shopping local. By pairing these observances with your Astro Offers, ‘Sharing the Love’ Adoption Rewards, Astro Points, and creative My Promotions in the Astro Marketing Suite, you can keep your customers engaged all season long while driving strong year-end sales. Whether you’re inspiring holiday generosity, helping pets stay safe and calm, or simply adding a little joy to the month, your store plays an important role in making the season brighter for pets and the people who love them.
