Christmas cover for client accounts: the dates agencies should plan around

The bank holiday dates

Christmas Day falls on Friday 25 December 2026, so the Boxing Day bank holiday moves to a substitute day on Monday 28 December. New Year’s Day is Friday 1 January 2027. In Scotland, the 2 January holiday falls on a substitute day, Monday 4 January 2027 (GOV.UK).

With the weekend in between, that is four days in a row from Friday 25 to Monday 28 December, and many teams will also take the days between Christmas and New Year as leave.

The season has already started

Debenhams launched its 2026 Christmas campaign on 15 October, The Perfume Shop followed on 26 October and Prada launched its holiday campaign on 28 October, according to the Marketing Week Christmas blog. With UK marketing budgets revised up at the fastest rate since 2024 in the third quarter (IPA Bellwether), many agencies are heading into a busy final quarter.

A simple cover plan for each account

• Map the moments. List every campaign launch, report, approval and client meeting from mid-December to mid-January.
• Agree response times. Tell clients early when the agency is closed, who is on call and how quickly they can expect a reply.
• Name a cover contact. Each account should have one named person covering, with the context they need.
• Write a short handover. Open actions, key contacts, sensitivities and where the files live. Our account handover checklist covers the essentials.
• Plan January now. The first week back is often the busiest. Book the planning calls before the break.

When you need an extra pair of hands

If the team is stretched, short-term support can cover the gap. Marketing Support Partners provides remote client and account management, with flexible support starting from a single week.