The festive season is the longest and busiest stretch of the broadcast year. It starts in early to mid-November, when the big Christmas adverts launch and the shops change over, and runs through Black Friday, the office party weeks, Christmas itself and the quiet days before New Year. Nobody organises it, so there is no official theme or campaign brief: the stories come from the shared routine of shopping, parties, presents, dinner, travel and family that nearly every listener recognises.
Story lines that get booked on UK radio and TV, grouped by the kind of organisation that could front them.
Who could front it: An independent HR or workplace culture expert, with an etiquette expert for the lighter party stories
Who could front it: An independent chef or home economist who can talk timings, oven space and simple fixes listeners can use
Who could front it: An independent gift stylist or etiquette expert who can show a quick wrapping fix on camera and take calls on the gift bag debate
Who could front it: An independent family psychologist who can explain why games bring out the worst in us and how to keep the peace
Who could front it: An independent consumer and retail expert on returns rights and gift habits, alongside an etiquette expert for the lighter regifting debate
Who could front it: An independent relationship expert on the in-law negotiations, with a consumer travel expert for practical journey tips
Who could front it: An independent parenting expert for the Christmas morning stories, with a child safety specialist for the button battery warning
Who could front it: An independent personal finance expert or a debt adviser from a free advice service
Relations Group has run 36 broadcast PR campaigns on Christmas, with 808 items of coverage heard by a combined audience of 282.7 million. The latest:
See every campaign, the coverage and the interview clips →There is no official start, but for broadcasters the festive season runs from early to mid-November, when the big Christmas adverts launch, to New Year's Day. In 2026 Black Friday is on 27 November, Christmas Day is Friday 25 December, the Boxing Day bank holiday moves to Monday 28 December, and New Year's Day is Friday 1 January 2027.
No one. Christmas is a Christian festival marking the birth of Jesus and a public holiday across the UK, and the wider festive season is a shared calendar moment rather than an awareness campaign, so there is no organiser, official theme or campaign pack. Bank holiday dates are published on GOV.UK. Brands and charities are free to choose whichever angle fits them best.
Lead with a story that entertains or helps the audience, such as a shared family ritual or a practical tip, rather than a gift guide that reads as a product plug. Put forward an independent expert, such as a chef, psychologist or consumer specialist, who can talk confidently without notes. Producers plan their December features from mid-November, so approach them early. An agency such as Relations Group can shape the story and arrange interviews across national and regional radio and TV.
Festive planning starts in early November, when the big Christmas adverts launch, and on-air features run for most of December, peaking in the fortnight before the day. Much of the programming over the holiday itself is recorded in advance, so spokespeople who can record interviews that still work on Boxing Day are valuable to programme teams.
Talk to the team about the angles that would work for you, the stations likely to book them and what a campaign would cost.
Book a call with the team