56 special events in 2024 to inspire your January newsletter ideas
Milda and Izabella working together in Austria
New Year, new goals, new dreams, and of course new newsletters! If one of your resolutions is to keep your email marketing jam-packed with interesting new content, then these 65 January newsletter ideas were made for you.
This list simplifies your email marketing strategy by mapping out exactly what is happening in January and when so that you never run out of newsletter ideas. From Dry January to Chocolate Cake Day, there are plenty of upcoming events to inspire you.
Remember that relevance is key. Pick events that relate to your business in some way—even if it is as simple as adding a P.S. to remind your readers of the special day.
Bear in mind that some of these days hold special cultural and/or religious significance, so if you choose to refer to them in your content marketing, remember to be sensitive and considerate.
Use this as a guide to help plan your newsletter ideas for January. We encourage you to experiment and to keep it Lite!
Our 3 hand-picked January newsletter ideas
1. New Year's Day newsletter (1 January)
It’s the official first day of the modern Gregorian calendar and a time for parties, toasts, fireworks and new beginnings!
Newsletter idea: Help subscribers start the new year on a high by offering a discount on a product (or digital product) that will help them solve a problem this year. Maybe an e-book on how to create healthy habits, a digital diary designed for setting and meeting goals, or a physical product specific to your niche
Moment encourages subscribers to kick off the new year right by encouraging subscribers to jumpstart their new year goals with sales on their online courses.
2. Australia Day newsletter (26 January)
This is the official national day for Australia, marking the 1788 arrival of the First Fleet at Sydney Cove. The public holiday features barbecues, concerts, festivals, fireworks, and more.
Newsletter idea: Give your email design an Australian theme and/or list 10 ways your subscribers can celebrate
This Australia Day newsletter example from Revolut aims to help subscribers take advantage of an exclusive partner discount to help them celebrate.
3. Dry January newsletter
This is a public health challenge that encourages people to avoid drinking alcohol for the whole month, and it has gained serious momentum in recent years.
Newsletter idea: Create a 31-day Dry January series with daily challenges like mocktail recipes or self-care activities. Ask subscribers to post their daily challenges on social media with a special hashtag so that you can embed your favorite posts in your January newsletters.
Alternatively, you could go the total opposite route as Winc has done in their Dry January newsletter. Instead, they’ve used it as an opportunity to offer a discount on their wine bundles with a festive email GIF.
3 winter newsletter ideas
1. Post-holiday sales newsletter
OK, there isn’t necessarily an “official” date attached to this, but many companies will launch post-holiday sales to shift their Christmas stock and clear the way for their new collections.
Newsletter idea: Offer a New Year’s email coupon to your subscribers to celebrate the arrival of 2024, along with a gift guide for inspiration
This Waterstones sale ends on 31st January. In this January newsletter example, they offer a whopping 50% discount, plus an extra 10% for their loyal members.
2. Winter activities newsletter
Baby, it’s still cold outside. So inspire your subscribers to heat up with some fun winter activities related to your brand!
Newsletter idea: Create a list of fun things to do to keep active in winter. Make sure it ties to your brand or resonates with your target audience.
Skincare brand, Everyday Oil, curated a list of saunas subscribers can visit to warm up this winter. They were also careful to remind readers to bring along their Everyday Oil products to keep their skin and hair fresh and moisturized!
3. Winter recipes newsletter
Use winter recipes to keep your brand fresh in subscribers’ minds while providing them with additional value they can use this season.
Newsletter idea: Share a winter recipe that relates to your brand, even if it’s just your personal favorite winter recipe. Let subscribers get to know you by sharing it.
Spirits brand, Curiada, shares a unique spritz recipe to liven up winter nights for subscribers. They even share a little shopping list so that subscribers can visit their website and get everything they need.
Festive January email subject line examples
Get inspired by this collection of January newsletter subject lines used by real companies to spark interest in their January emails.
Snack Drop Alert: New Year, New Nuts (Nuts.com)
Kicking off the new year right (Headspace)
Get 50% off to jump start your 2024 business goals (flodesk)
A new year means new opportunities. Your dream job awaits. (AngelList)
New Year, New You, New Creative Passions on Skillshare (Skillshare)
Our January Clearance Must End Soon! (Factory Direct)
Solo January Sale: claim your 20% lifetime discount (Solo)
Winter-themed January email templates
Our in-app newsletter template collection is frequently updated with stunning new email templates. Take a peek at the professionally designed winter newsletter templates you can use to warm up your January email campaigns.
3 January newsletter ideas for month-long events
1. National Hobby Month
With the onset of New Year’s resolutions, many people decide to take up a new hobby, making January the prime time to try new activities.
Newsletter idea: Add an RSVP block to your email, inviting people to a webinar tutorial in your industry niche (e.g. a writing workshop or an arts and crafts demonstration)
2. National Blood Donor Month
This month is all about celebrating people who donate blood and platelets. If the thought of donating makes you feel queasy, there are lots of other ways to support the cause, including supporting a charity and inspiring others to give on social media.
Newsletter idea: Use dynamic content blocks in your email to send subscribers specific information about their local blood donation centers
3. Braille Literacy Month
Braille Literacy Month honors the birthday of Louis Braille (born 4th January 1809), the creator of a reading and writing system for people with visual impairments.
Newsletter idea: Add a download link to your newsletter and create a printable braille workbook for beginners and encourage subscribers to practice using this reading method.
5 January newsletter ideas for week-long events
1. New Year’s Resolutions Week (1 - 7 January)
This week is all about setting goals and improving things in our lives—from health to new hobbies, to anything else you could imagine! Of course, sometimes we have a hard time following them through the whole year, but it’s the intention that counts, right? 😂
Newsletter idea: Create a PDF template for sustainable goal-setting and send it to your subscribers as a freebie/New Year’s gift
2. Diet Resolution Week (1 - 7 January)
Granted, the name speaks for itself, and it’s pretty similar to New Year’s Resolutions Week, except it’s focused specifically on diets and healthy eating.
Newsletter idea: Share how your audience can look after their physical and mental well-being through the winter months (and link to your favorite healthy recipes)
3. Celebration of Life Week (1 - 7 January)
This is the week to—you guessed it-—celebrate life! From our families and loved ones to our friends and colleagues, this is the time to show appreciation for the people around us and the things we have.
Newsletter idea: Write down 5 things you’re grateful for this year and use a survey block for subscribers to contribute as well
4. Hunt for Happiness Week (21 - 27 January 2024)
Let’s face it, after all the holiday festivities, January can feel a little bit… meh. This week is all about beating the back-to-school vibes by doing things that bring joy and removing things that bring us down.
Newsletter idea: Link to case studies and testimonials with your happy customers, sharing how they found joy using your business/ product
5. Universal Letter Writing Week (14 - 20 January 2024)
This is a time to reignite the art of letter writing and reach out to our loved ones through the medium of the written word!
Newsletter idea: Handwrite a letter to your subscribers and add it to your email via an image block
42 January newsletter ideas for every. single. day.
1 January 2024
New Year’s Day: (See key events)
National Hangover Day: Send your subscribers an email coupon to brighten their day and lift their spirits
2 January 2024
International Stop Spam Day: Highlight ways your subscribers can protect themselves from spam
World Introvert Day: Share the success stories of introverted leaders, small business owners, influencers, and creatives, such as Rosa Parks, Bill Gates, and Elon Musk
3 January 2024
Festival of Sleep Day: Describe how your business helps people to sleep easier at night (e.g. by simplifying their task list)
4 January 2024
Trivia Day: Include a P.S. line with a trivia question, offering a prize to the first 3 people who respond with the correct answer
5 January 2024
National Bird Day: (Not to be confused with Bird Day on May 4th 😅) Link to non-profit organizations that are protecting local birds and wildlife
6 January 2024
Cuddle Up Day: Create a ‘bucket list’ of 5 cozy winter activities for families to try this month
7 January 2024
Old Rock Day: If you have a special engagement ring or family heirloom, such as an important piece of jewelry or precious stone, tell the story behind it and what it means to you
8 January 2024
Bubble Bath Day: Host a bubble bath hamper giveaway, which your target audience can enter by completing an email survey, filling in a form, or purchasing a new product
World Typing Day: Challenge your audience to complete a TypingTest and offer a special discount to whoever gets the best score
9 January 2024
National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day: Link to charities and support organizations for law enforcement professionals that people can donate to
10 January 2024
Cut Your Energy Costs Day: List sustainable ways that your subscribers can cut their energy costs, such as by using natural lighting, taking shorter showers, and unplugging unused electronics
11 January 2024
Human Trafficking Awareness Day: Link to the #WearBlueDay challenge and to the organizations where people can donate
12 January 2024
National Pharmacist Day: Celebrate pharmacists by sharing the #APharmacist hashtag campaign, and thank them for helping us to stay healthy
13 January 2024
Korean American Day: This day celebrates Americans who have full or partial Korean descent and the arrival of the first Korean immigrants to the US in 1903. Celebrate by linking your favorite Korean recipes in your newsletter
Stephen Foster Memorial Day: Commemorate the life of American songwriter Stephen Foster by embedding a video of one of his songs in your newsletter
14 January 2024
World Logic Day: Add a logic question to your email newsletter, or share some downloadable PDF activities for families
National Dress Up Your Pet Day: Dress up your pet and include a selfie in your email (bonus points if the costume is linked to your business)
15 January 2024
Bagel Day: Just like a bagel needs the perfect toppings, share the best “ingredients” that go into your business (e.g. your wonderful colleagues, top-quality products, etc.)
Martin Luther King Jr. Day: Link to a landing page quiz where people can learn more about the Civil Rights Movement and Martin Luther King Jr.’s life
16 January 2024
National Religious Freedom Day: Commemorate this day in 1786 when the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom was adopted, allowing freedom of religion for all Americans
National Nothing Day: No need to celebrate or honor anything—instead, post an empty infographic about Nothing Day, to add a touch of humor to your email
17 January 2024
International Mentoring Day: Coaches can promote an online course or run a limited-time offer where subscribers get a free call or ebook if they sign up on Mentoring Day.
18 January 2024
National Thesaurus Day: Create a word cloud with key phrases that link to your company and embed it in your newsletter
19 January 2024
Popcorn Day: Share a roundup of your favorite movie recommendations for your subscribers to enjoy with a bag of popcorn
Get to Know Your Customers Day: Run an email survey to know your audience better and identify any common FAQs
20 January 2024
International Day of Acceptance: Create a downloadable workbook that teaches children how to embrace and empower their peers with disabilities
21 January 2024
National Hugging Day: Send a virtual hug to your email list, thanking them for supporting you and your business
22 January 2024
Celebration of Life Day: Share a recap of everything that you’re grateful for this year
23 January 2024
Handwriting Day: Include a handwritten email signature, and use it in your future newsletter templates as a personal touch
24 January 2024
National Compliment Day: Tell your subscribers why they’re awesome and offer them a discount or free delivery as an extra sweetener
25 January 2024
National Opposite Day: Share successful ‘before and after’ testimonials for your business and product
Library Shelfie Day: List 5 books that impacted you and your business
26 January 2024
Australia Day: (See key events)
National Spouses Day: Offer a ‘His and Her’ email discount code for couples
27 January 2024
Chocolate Cake Day: Link to your favorite chocolate cake recipe and share a photo with your end result
28 January 2024
Data Privacy Day: Remind your subscribers how you keep their data safe by linking to your privacy policy
National Have Fun At Work Day: Feature your team members doing a group activity together (e.g. art, paintballing, etc.) in your company newsletter
29 January 2024
National Puzzle Day: Add a printable crossword puzzle or word search to your newsletter, with keywords linking to your business
30 January 2024
Croissant Day: Share your favorite French patisserie recipe or list 10 crazy facts about croissants (e.g. the first croissant was called Kipfel and it actually comes from Austria) 😱
31 January 2024
National Backward Day: Re-order your newsletter to be upside down, starting with the email signature
Inspire your Heart with Art Day: Link to an easy art tutorial on YouTube for your subscribers to try
Plan for Vacation Day: Shake the January blues by sharing a list of your favorite travel destinations
New year, new newsletters
Et voila! Your January newsletter ideas are good to go. Pick events that are relevant to your industry or niche, and then get creative and add them to your newsletter in an engaging, interactive way. Quizzes, printable resources, and special discounts are a great place to start, or you can encourage people to support charities, social media campaigns, and hashtags.
Now your January newsletters are done and dusted, get inspired for next month with these February newsletter ideas:
Are you going to use any of these email newsletter ideas? Let us know in the comments!
