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All the new features on Threads by Instagram, plus how to use them to grow your following.Your Social Media Content Calendar and Ideas List for Every Official (and Non-Official) Holiday of 2024

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:

  1. It’s a great way to inspire fresh social media content ideas and fun or meaningful ways to connect with your target audience.
  2. 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).

Looking to start a new calendar from scratch? Here’s a must-read guide to creating a new social media content calendar (+ template).

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). 

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.

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. 

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. 

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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. 

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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