Holiday PR can either be a brand’s secret weapon or its biggest missed opportunity. While many organizations slow down, reporters are still filing stories, customers are still scrolling and your reputation is still either growing or slipping quietly into the background. The difference usually comes down to how intentional you are about holiday PR planning.
To help brands make the most of this season, we asked members of PRConsultants Group from across the country to share their best holiday PR tip. From turning newsroom lulls into media wins to preparing predictions for 2026 and setting yourself up for strong Q1 coverage, these insights are built from decades of experience on both the agency and newsroom side.
Whether you are fine-tuning an established communications program or just starting to think about holiday PR, the ideas below will help you plan smarter, show up better for reporters and protect your brand relationships long after the decorations come down.
Turn Holiday News Lulls Into Coverage
“Holidays often bring lighter reporter schedules and more news holes. Reach out to journalists on holiday shifts and offer ready sources, evergreen angles or pre-arranged interviews. Providing timely help during slower periods supports their coverage needs while creating strong opportunities for valuable client visibility.”
Jennifer Chan
Porch Light PR
Representing Indianapolis, Indiana
Protect Your Pitch with PTO Planning
“Before you pitch, confirm your executives’ holiday availability and approval process. Ask who is on point if leaders are on PTO and get backup quotes and spokespeople lined up. Nothing strains a media relationship faster than offering a source who is unreachable, so treat calendars and coverage windows as equally important.”
Jo Trizila
TrizCom Public Relations
Representing Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas
Plan Ahead for The Holidays
“Holiday planning for businesses should ideally begin late summer/fall. You need time to develop your strategy and then begin your media and influencer outreach. If you haven’t started by now, you’re too late. Instead, focus on the New Year.”
Hilary Reiter Azzaretti
Redhead Marketing & PR
Representing Salt Lake City, Utah
Get Your Trends & Predictions Together for 2026
“If you want to get into those end-of-year stories, now’s the time to put your trends/predictions together for 2026. I encourage businesses to focus on their special niche or an area of expertise, brainstorm ideas with your team, consider what will impact your clients and don’t hold back if you want to get the attention of an editor. Then share them with business and trade reporters and offer to set up interviews to walk them through your thinking.”
Judy Kalvin
Kalvin Public Relations
Representing New York, New York
Start Now for the Best Q1 Coverage
“Use December to set yourself up for success in Q1. Reporters return hungry for fresh angles, clean data and narratives that frame the year ahead. Prep your predictions, research and timely stories now so you can land early-year features before the news cycle becomes crowded again.”
Elizabeth Edwards
Volume PR & Engagement Science Lab
Representing Colorado
The Value of Internal Communications
“Thank your team proactively and positively and encourage them to take time off at the holidays and recharge. Your team is your biggest asset and will thrive if they are aligned with leadership and believe they are appreciated.”
Matt Cookson
Cookson Communications
Representing New Hampshire and Maine
A Holiday Gift to Local Media
“As a former reporter, I know holidays mean short-staffed TV newsrooms working to do as much as they can with less. If they can’t make your event, be prepared to provide them with photos, short video clips, including a brief interview from your phone. Producers will thank you!”
Brian Knox
Laughlin Constable Public Relations
Representing Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Game. Set. Merry.
“Take a deep look at your wins and celebrate them. Ask could metrics have been better, did you need a bigger budget, was the result you wanted. Then look at what didn’t happen and figure out what you can do better. Did you need stronger boundaries? Did you trust your team? Do you need to refresh relationships? Whatever is revealed, you can work on solving.”
Vannessa Wade
Connect The Dots PR
Representing Houston, Texas
Your 3-Topic Holiday Game Plan
“Take full advantage of business/social gatherings by planning conversations that will keep you top of mind in the year ahead. 1. Ask what trends or challenges people are seeing now. 2. Be ready with a positive summary or inspiring goal when asked, “How’s business?” 3. Prepare one memorable but concise story that reflects your expertise or culture. That’s how to turn seasonal small talk into 2026 momentum.”
Nancy Wiser, APR, Fellow, PRSA
Wiser Strategies
Representing Kentucky
Turning Holiday PR Insights Into Action
If there is a common thread in these holiday PR tips, it is this. The holidays are not a quiet pause in your communications program. They are a window. The brands that get remembered are the ones that plan ahead, respect reporters’ realities, take care of their teams and use this season to set the stage for January and beyond.
Holiday PR is not just about festive storylines. It is about being reachable when you pitch, offering real value when newsrooms are stretched, tracking what worked this year and turning small talk at gatherings into meaningful business momentum for 2026.
If you are ready to turn the holidays into a strategic advantage instead of an afterthought, PRConsultants Group can help. Our senior-level consultants in markets across the United States can partner with you to plan smarter, pitch stronger, and build a holiday PR strategy that carries your brand well into the new year. Reach out to PRConsultants Group to connect with a local expert and start planning your next season of results.