All the new features on Threads by Instagram, plus how to use them to grow your following.
There’s nothing like a shiny new year of possibilities to inspire content creation — and a wide-open social media calendar to go with it.
Now, don’t let all those open slots intimidate you. A great way to kickstart your 2024 content batch is to note down all the year's important official (and goofy, unofficial) holidays. Even if you slot them into your social calendar as a placeholder, you’re on the right track for now.
Doing so is essential for two reasons:
- It’s a great way to inspire fresh social media content ideas and fun or meaningful ways to connect with your target audience.
- You’ll be aware of times that may mean less active time online for your audience, like the summer holidays or Thanksgiving in the U.S. (The last thing you want to do is forget a national holiday and have your important launch announcement go out then — and fall flat.)
This list is pretty comprehensive for folks with a U.S. or global audience, but if your target market is based in a specific country or region, I’d recommend supplementing this list with local national holidays, too.
On all the fun, silly “national” days: most of these are not government-official holidays — many of them are leftover from clever marketing campaigns of years gone by — and the national generally refers to the U.S. market. However, if there’s one that specifically applies to your niche as a creator or brand, it could be worth tapping into!
Again, this list is comprehensive but not exhaustive. If you don’t spot one on this list that ties into your niche, it’s also worth doing a little research here. There are thousands of these fun national celebrations out there — there’s almost certainly the perfect one for you, too.
Below is the list of all the dates to bookmark on your social media calendar for 2024 (plus some extra context and ideas on several for each month).
January 2024
January monthly themes + events
- Dry January
- National Mentoring Month
- National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month
- Paris Fashion Week (16 January – 21 January)
January 1: New Year’s Day
January 7: Golden Globe Awards
Awards season 2024 has already kicked off with the Golden Globe Awards, and — if it makes sense for your brand to tap into pop culture trends — it’s worth paying attention to.
Without fail, awards season will set off a tidal wave of memes, GIFs, hashtags, and inside jokes that offer a great way to connect with your audience. Whether it’s hopping on a meme-worthy moment like Dunkin’ Donuts did with Ben Affleck’s seemingly tiresome Grammy’s experience or a subtle nod to the red carpet like Fenty Beauty in 2023, all of the major awards shows are worth following (on social that is).
we will be there for him in the morning, that’s for sure🫶
— Dunkin' (@dunkindonuts) February 6, 2023
If you missed the boat for the Globes, fear not — the Grammys, Emmys, BAFTAs, SAGs, Oscars, and Canne’s Film Festival are still to come.
January 8: Clean Off Your Desk Day
January 11: Human Trafficking Awareness Day
January 14: Dress Up Your Pet Day
January 15: Martin Luther King Jr. Day (U.S.)
January 15: Emmys ceremony (rescheduled from September 2023)
January 16: Paris Fashion Week begins
January 17: Customer Service Day
January 18: Get to Know Your Customers Day
January 19: National Popcorn Day
January 20: National Cheese Lover’s Day
January 21: National Hugging Day
January 23: National Pie Day
January 24: National Compliment Day
January 27: International Chocolate Cake Day
January 29: National Puzzle Day
January 31: Grammy Awards
February 2024
February monthly themes + events
- National Black History Month (USA)
- LGBT+ History Month (UK)
- New York Fashion Week (February 9 – 14)
- London Fashion Week (February 16 – 20)
- Milan Fashion Week (February 20 – 26)
February 2: Groundhog Day
February 4: World Cancer Day
February 4: Grammy Awards ceremony
February 9: New York Fashion Week begins
February 9: National Pizza Day
February 10: Chinese New Year
February 11: Super Bowl LVIII
Whether or not your audience is based in the U.S. or loves American football, Super Bowl Sunday is another annual event to keep an eye on for social media trends.
Like awards season, the Super Bowl will dominate socials in the U.S. and many other countries — unsurprising, with a record-breaking 113.06 million views in the States and a further 56 million in the rest of the world. The legendary half-time performance's combined star and brand power may have something to do with this. In recent years, celebrities like Rihanna, Beyonce, Madonna, Prince, and more have graced the stage.
If that doesn’t convince you… Taylor Swift may well be in the box this year.
February 13: Shrove Tuesday (Pancake Day)
February 14: Valentine's Day
February 16: London Fashion Week begins
February 17: Random Act of Kindness Day
February 18: BAFTA (British Academy of Film and Television Arts) Awards ceremony
February 18: National Drink Wine Day
February 19: Presidents' Day
February 20: Milan Fashion Week begins
February 24: SAG (Screen Actors Guild) Awards ceremony
February 28: National Pancake Day
February 29: Leap Year Day
February 29th? Nope, I didn’t make a mistake — 2024 is a leap year, which means it’s 366 days long. This phenomenon occurs roughly every four years to account for the ‘extra’ time it takes for the Earth to revolve around the sun (365 days, 5 hours, 48 minutes, and 46 seconds, or 365.2422 days, according to NASA) so that our seasons do not fall out of sync with the calendar.
There will undoubtedly be some clever ways to mark this rare day on social media — you could wish all the seemingly ageless ‘leaplings’ (those born on February 29) their first real happy birthday in four years, offer a one-day-only sale, or come up with creative ways for your followers to make the most of their ‘extra’ day.
Happy birthday 'leaplings'! 🎉 🎂 🎈
We asked people around the world what it's like being born on February 29 pic.twitter.com/qoQ4R5Irhc
— BBC News (UK) (@BBCNews) February 29, 2020
March 2024
March monthly themes + events
- Women’s History Month
- American Red Cross Month
- Ramadan: March 10 – April 9
March 1: National Day of Unplugging
March 2: Read Across America Day
March 4: National GramMarch Day
March 8: International Women's Day
Every year, International Women’s Day — a global day celebrating women's social, economic, cultural, and political achievements — has a specific theme. In 2024, it’s #InspireInclusion. The aim is “to collectively forge a more inclusive world for women,” according to the IWD site.
“When we inspire others to understand and value women's inclusion, we forge a better world. And when women themselves are inspired to be included, there's a sense of belonging, relevance, and empowerment.”
The site is an excellent resource for ideas on celebrating this important international day, from promoting women and girls' creative and artistic talent, to supporting women and girls in leadership. Keep an eye on the IWD Instagram, LinkedIn, and X accounts for inspiration — they amplify others who have already launched their #InspireInclusion and #IWD2024 campaigns.
March 9: World Kidney Day
March 10: Mother’s Day (U.K.)
March 10: The Academy Awards
March 11: National Napping Day
March 13: National K9 Veterans Day
March 15: World Consumer Rights Day
March 16: Freedom of Information Day
March 17: St. Patrick's Day
March 19: National Let's Laugh Day
March 20: International Day of Happiness
March 21: World Poetry Day
March 22: World Water Day
March 23: Earth Hour
This worldwide movement organized by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) calls on homes and businesses to turn off non-essential lights from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. (local time) to symbolize commitment to the earth.
“By doing so, this hour can shine an unmissable global spotlight on nature loss and climate change and the need to work together to secure a brighter future for people and the planet,” the organization says.
It’s a powerful, unifying event and an opportunity for creators and brands to showcase their brand values by going above and beyond the one-hour blackout. Here’s an example by Starbucks India, who spotlighted their climate initiatives on the day in 2020, and Pizza Hut Hong Kong, who “went dark” on social media to mark the occasion in 2022.
March 23: National Puppy Day
March 24: National Cocktail Day
March 25: International Waffle Day
This is one fun day that goes beyond a clever marketing campaign — Waffle Day actually stems from the Feast of the Annunciation or Our Lady’s Day, a day in the Christian religion that celebrates the visit of the archangel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary.
The religious celebration evolved into what is known as Waffle Day in Sweden, Norway, and Denmark because the Swedish Vårfrudagen (Our Lady's Day) sounds a lot like våffeldagen (waffle day). Over time, Swedes began calling it Waffle Day and celebrating by eating waffles.
The occasion is now marked globally (largely by waffle restaurant chains), though the U.S. celebrates its National Waffle Day to commemorate the date of a U.S. patent on a waffle iron on August 24.
March 27: World Theatre Day
March 29: Good Friday
March 30: Doctors' Day
March 31: Easter
April 2024
April monthly themes + events
- Stress Awareness Month
- National Poetry Month
April 1: April Fools' Day
This is your sign not to believe everything (or anything…) you read online today. This holiday is often marked by brands with tongue-in-cheek campaigns, but I’d argue it can be somewhat tiresome. If you’re going to lean into it, be sure to put some real thought into your pranks.
Some headline-grabbing examples from 2023 include Tic tac and Nutella’s Nutella-flavored mints shaped like tiny jars of chocolate spread, McDonald’s McNugget Boots, and Tinder’s press release announcing a ban on all photos of men holding fish.
📣Calling all fashionistas 📣
We’ve got the must have drop of the season.
Unveiling the Big McNugget Boot, the most flavoursome shoe of SS23. Releasing exclusively through the McDonald’s App this Monday. pic.twitter.com/1hjFuFZOfG
— McDonald's UK (@McDonaldsUK) April 1, 2023
April 2: International Fact-Checking Day
April 3: Independent Artist Day
April 4: National Burrito Day
April 6: National Employee Benefits Day
April 7: World Health Day
April 8: National Empanada Day
April 10: National Siblings Day
April 11: National Pet Day
April 13: International Plant Appreciation Day
April 18: National Exercise Day
April 21: World Creativity and Innovation Day
April 22: Earth Day
April 23: World Book Day
May 2024
May monthly themes + events
- National Barbeque Month
- Lupus Awareness Month
- Cannes Film Festival (May 14 – 25)
May 1: May Day
May 2: Baby Day
May 3: Write a Review Day
May 4: Firefighters' Memorial Day
May 4: Star Wars Day
“May the fourth be with you” — a play on the Star Wars catchphrase, “May the force be with you,” spawned an empire of terrible puns. Cheesy though it may be, it’s a great way to tap into the power of a universe far, far away and connect with a fandom that spans generations.
Brands with Star Wars-themed merch (of which there are many — think Lego, Build-a-Bear, Fossil, Monopoly, and more) often mark the occasion with special sales and offers.
May 5: Cinco de Mayo
May 6: International No Diet Day
May 7: National Teachers' Day
May 9: Europe Day
May 12: Mother’s Day
Many countries (including the U.S., Canada, most of the E.U., Australia, New Zealand, India, China, Japan, the Philippines, and South Africa) celebrate Mother’s Day on the second Sunday in May (May 12th in 2024). However, it’s worth noting that Mother’s Day is celebrated on different days in different regions. Consider this if you’re talking to a global audience — particularly if parenting, motherhood, or a similar theme is one of your content pillars.
There is a handy complete list of Mother’s Day dates around the world here, should you need them.
May 14: Cannes Film Festival kicks off
May 16: Drawing Day
May 17: Endangered Species Day
May 18: World AIDS Vaccine Day
May 19: Plant Something Day
May 20: World Bee Day
May 21: National Memo Day
May 23: Vesak
Vesak, Buddha Jayanti, Buddha Purnima, or Buddha Day, is the most important Buddhist festival of the year. It’s celebrated in many Asian countries and nationals abroad, where many will spend the day or even the night at their local temple. It’s also a time for doing good deeds, meditation and reflection, and sharing food and offerings.
May 24: National Scavenger Hunt Day
May 25: National Wine Day
May 28: National Hamburger Day
May 30: National Creativity Day
May 31: World No-Tobacco Day
June 2024
June monthly themes + events
- Pride Month
- Men’s Health Education and Awareness Month
- U.S., Europe, and U.K. summer holidays (early June – end July — varies according to region)
- UEFA European Football Championship, aka Euro 2024 (June 14 – July 14)
June 1: Summer holidays
Schools in many parts of the Northern Hemisphere are closed for an extended summer break from June until late July or August. This means parents will take the opportunity to enjoy time off with their kids, and folks without kids will enjoy the warmer weather and be online a bit less.
It’s worth noting this time on your content calendar as it can be a quieter time online — it’s probably not the best period for important launches and events if your target audience is in these regions.
June 1: Global Day of Parents
June 2: American Indian Citizenship Day
June 3: Love Conquers All Day
June 4: National Cheese Day
June 5: World Environment Day
June 7: National Donut Day
June 8: World Oceans Day
June 14: Flag Day
June 14: Euro 2024 kick-off
June 14: Blood Donor Day
June 16: Father's Day
Like Mother’s Day, many will celebrate Father’s Day on the third Sunday in June (June 16th in 2024), but there are regions in which this differs. For example, Australia and New Zealand will mark the occasion on the first Sunday in September (the 1st in 2024), Brazil on the second Sunday of August (the 11th this year), and Thailand on December 5 (the birthday of the late king).
June 18: International Sushi Day
June 19: Juneteenth
Juneteenth National Independence Day, usually known as Juneteenth, is a holiday in the United States to mark the end of slavery on the anniversary of the final enforcement of the Emancipation Proclamation in Texas in 1865, during which over 250,000 enslaved Black people were declared free. The day was declared a federal holiday in 2021.
It’s important to note that Juneteenth — like many other important dates on this list — should not be seen as a marketing opportunity to exploit. Disinegnuos brands have been called out for not practicing what they preach for celebrating the holiday in their marketing materials while having no policies and practices that support Black employees internally or the Black community more broadly.
“It is a holiday that marks the end of 200+ years of slavery, bondage, and abuse of African Americans,” multicultural marketing expert Lizette Williams pointed out in an interview with Forbes in 2022. “It is a celebration of resilience — not a marketing moment, carefully crafted social media post, or latest African American-targeted innovation drop.”
Rather than a performative marketing campaign, Williams suggests diverting these resources. “Support Black-owned businesses or organizations such as Black Girls Code, Loveland Foundation, and others to help in the continuous fight for racial justice, equality, and equity,” she suggested.
June 21: International Yoga Day
In 2014, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi suggested that June 21st be celebrated as International Yoga Day in his United Nations Address. It received a record-breaking 175 nations joining as co-sponsors and was implemented less than three months later. Since then, the ancient spiritual practice, which the UN agreed “provides a holistic approach to health and well-being,” has been celebrated worldwide.
This international day is a versatile one and could be included in your social media plan whether your brand is health-oriented or not. Carmesa marked the occasion with a tongue-in-cheek meme in 2022, and Google India indulged in a “big stretch.”
June 21: World Day of Music
June 22: Positive Media Day
June 23: International Olympic Day
June 24: International Fairy Day
June 25: Global Beatles Day
June 27: National Sunglasses Day
June 28: National SAFER Workplace Day
June 29: St Peters Day
June 30: International Asteroid Day
July 2024
July monthly themes + events
- 2024 Summer Olympics (Jul 26 – August 11)
- National Ice Cream Month
- National Grilling Month
July 1: International Joke Day
July 2: World UFO Day
July 3: National Stay Out of the Sun Day
July 4: Independence Day (US)
July 6: International Kissing Day
July 7: World Chocolate Day
July 8: Be a Kid Again Day
July 9: Fashion Day
July 10: National Kitten Day
July 11: World Population Day
July 12: National French Fry Day
July 13: Embrace Your Geekness Day
July 14: Euro 2024 final
July 15: National Give Something Away Day
July 17: World Emoji Day
July 18: Nelson Mandela Day
Nelson Mandela commemorates the birthday of South African freedom fighter and former president Nelson Mandela. The celebration, officially declared by the United Nations in 2009, is a call to action to encourage volunteering and community service to honor Mandela’s legacy, specifically for 67 minutes (a nod to his 67 years of public service).
The day offers another opportunity for brands and creators to put a stake in the ground in terms of brand values and do something meaningful for their community.
July 20: International Chess Day
July 21: National Junk Food Day
July 23: International Self-care Day
July 26: Summer Olympics kicks off in Paris
There’s nothing like an international sporting event to connect across borders — the Olympics is inspiring in that it offers a shot at glory for over 10,000 athletes from 206 National Olympic Committees (basically, competing countries) participating.
If your brand is local, the almost three-week event will provide plenty of opportunities for using your platforms to support your home-grown athletes. You’ll find the full calendar of the 329 (!) events and a searchable database of competing athletes here. Get to know their backgrounds and follow their social accounts! Support could also mean amplifying their content or a simple good wish in the comments.
July 28: World Nature Conservation Day
July 29: International Tiger Day
July 30: International Day of Friendship
August 2024
August monthly themes + events
- Summer Paralympics (August 28 – September 8)
- National Immunization Awareness Month
- Black Business Month
August 1: National Respect For Parents Day
August 2: National Coloring Book Day
August 8: International Cat Day
August 9: National Book Lovers Day
August 10: National Lazy Day
August 11: Summer Olympics ends
August 12: International Youth Day/ World Elephant Day
August 13: Lefthanders Day
Only 12 percent of people are left-handed — and in a predominantly right-handed world, they face a unique set of frustrations in their daily lives (have you ever tried to use a pair of left-handed scissors as a right-handed person? Then you have an inkling.)
Brands like Oreo have capitalized on this with limited-edition left-handed Oreo cookies in 2018, and Longhorn Steakhouse created a series of GIFs to counter the surprising lack of GIFs featuring lefties (which garnered an astonishing 23 million Giphy views) in 2019.
It’s International #LeftHandersDay, so we made Left-Handed OREO cookies. Put down the right-handed scissors and get your own limited-edition pack at . pic.twitter.com/nYgTV89IZ6
— OREO Cookie (@Oreo) August 13, 2018
August 15: National Relaxation Day
August 16: National Tell A Joke Day
August 17: World Honey Bee Day
August 19: World Humanitarian Day
August 24: National Waffle Day (U.S.)
August 26: National Dog Day
August 28: Summer Paralympics kicks off in Paris
September 2024
September monthly themes + events
- Childhood Cancer Awareness Month
- Suicide Prevention Month
- Friendship Month
- Back to School (U.S. and Europe)
September 1: Back to Hogwarts Day
Take it from this millennial — if your target audience features people in this generation, there’s a chance this celebration of the Harry Potter franchise will resonate. Every September 1st — the day the Hogwarts Express departs Platform 9 ¾ from King’s Cross Station for the magical school in the book and movie series — nostalgic fans mark Back to Hogwarts Day.
Most celebrate by re-reading the books or watching the movies, but thousands converge on the real King’s Cross station in London to cheer (or raise their wands) when the train “departs” at 11 a.m (where staff obliges by including the fictional train on the departures board). Every year, #backtohogwarts trends across social platforms.
September 4: National Wildlife Day
September 5: International Day of Charity
September 8: International Literacy Day
September 8: Summer Paralympics ends
September 10: Grandparents Day
September 12: National Video Game Day
September 19: Talk Like a Pirate Day
One of the weirder ones on the social media calendar, Talk Like a Pirate Day, was born in the 90s from an inside joke between two friends, John Baur and Mark Summers. The day gained traction after being featured in a Miami Herald column in 2002.
The event struck a chord and has since been the springboard for Facebook, Reddit, and Google campaigns. Even Apple’s voice assistant Siri has gotten in on the action.
September 21 International Day of Peace
September 26: National Pancake Day
September 27: World Tourism Day
September 28: National Neighbor Day
September 30: International Podcast Day
October 2024
October monthly themes + events
- Breast Cancer Awareness Month
- Domestic Violence Awareness Month
- Global Diversity Awareness Month
- National Bullying Prevention Awareness Month
- National Cyber Security Awareness Month
- Black History Month (UK)
October 1: International Coffee Day
October 2: International Day of Nonviolence
October 4: World Animal Day
October 4: World Smile Day
October 5: World Teachers Day
October 10: World Mental Health Day
First celebrated in 1992, the goal of World Mental Health Day is to “raise awareness of mental health issues around the world and to mobilize efforts in support of mental health,” the World Health Organization says on its site.
Creators will mark the occasion to share their personal mental health stories, while brands take October 10 as an opportunity to showcase their commitment to the health of their employees and customers. Here’s how we shared the latter at Buffer in 2023 on Instagram and LinkedIn:
October 11: International Day of the Girl
October 14: Thanksgiving (Canada)
October 14: National Dessert Day
October 15: Global Handwashing Day
October 16: National Boss's Day
October 20: World Statistics Day
October 24: United Nations Day
October 31: Halloween
November 2024
November monthly themes + events
- Men’s Health Awareness Month (Movember)
- Epilepsy Awareness Month
November 1: World Vegan Day
November 3: National Sandwich Day
November 4: National Candy Day
November 5: U.S. General Presidential Election
November 7: National Cancer Awareness
November 11: Veterans Day
November 13: World Kindness Day
November 14: International Day For Tolerance
November 20: Universal Children’s Day
November 25: National Entrepreneur's Day
November 26: National Cake Day
November 28: Thanksgiving (U.S.)
Americans celebrate Thanksgiving on the fourth Thursday in November. It’s a time for feasting, spending time with family and friends, and — most importantly, if you’re managing a social media calendar — away from their devices.
Much like the summer holidays, this period is a quieter time online, so expect your social content performance to dip and avoid any major launches. (Note that Thanksgiving in Canada is celebrated in October.)
November 29: Black Friday
The phenomenon that is Black Friday has fast become a global event, with every brand under the sun offering some sort of special deal. With all that going on, it’s tough to cut through the noise and actually reach your customers to let them know what extra value you have for them.
To that end, it’s worth spending some time carving out some stand-out social media posts in advance. Here are nine genius ideas to steal for your Black Friday marketing in 2024.
November 30: Small Business Saturday
A well-crafted social media campaign is a small business’s best friend. And Small Business Saturday — an annual event to encourage customers to support small businesses in their holiday shopping — is an opportunity too good to be passed up.
As the Black Friday furor subsides, getting content in front of your ideal customers might require some work. Draw inspiration from this rundown of how other small businesses made their voices heard on Small Business Saturday on social media in 2023.
December 2024
December monthly themes + events
- Hanukkah: December 25 – January 2
- Kwanzaa: December 26 – January 2
December 1: World AIDS Day
December 2: Cyber Monday
December 4: National Cookie Day
December 5: International Volunteer Day
December 7: International Civil Aviation Day
December 8: Pretend To Be A Time Traveler Day
December 10: Human Rights Day
December 11: International Mountain Day
December 14: Free Shipping Day
December 18: International Migrants Day
December 25: Hanukkah
December 25: Christmas Day
December 25: Kwanzaa
December 28: National Call A Friend Day
December 31: New Year's Eve
Are there not-to-be-missed dates that are a must-have for a social media calendar? Leave us a comment below, or reach out to @Buffer across social channels.
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