Holiday Shopping Calendar for International Shoppers: Your Guide to Seasonal Savings

The UK holiday shopping season begins with Black Friday (last Friday of November) and continues through Cyber Monday with significant discounts on tech, fashion, and toys. The festive spirit peaks with Boxing Day (December 26), the UK’s biggest shopping day, offering steep markdowns on clothing, electronics, and home goods. January Sales extend the shopping frenzy, focusing on winter clearances and New Year’s resolutions with deals on fitness and organizational products. Popular stores like John Lewis, Next, and Argos are key destinations during this time.

Major seasonal deals in the UK: 

• Black Friday (Last Friday of November): Imported from the US, it marks the beginning of the holiday shopping season.
• Cyber Monday (Monday after Black Friday): Focuses on online shopping discounts.
• Boxing Day (December 26): Traditional post-Christmas sales day with significant discounts in stores and online.
• January Sales (From January 1): Major clearance sales to offload unsold inventory from the holidays, starting New Year's Day.
• Blue Monday (Third Monday of January): Traditionally marketed as the "most depressing day of the year" due to post-holiday blues and gloomy weather, Blue Monday has recently become a sales event in the UK. Retailers offer discounts to cheer shoppers up and encourage spending during an otherwise slow retail period. Promotions often target wellness, travel, and fitness products.

The US holiday shopping season is a major retail event starting with Black Friday and Cyber Monday, known for massive discounts on electronics, appliances, and fashion. The excitement continues with Green Monday (second Monday of December) and Free Shipping Day (mid-December), catering to online shoppers. Last-minute buyers flock to stores on Super Saturday (the Saturday before Christmas). The season wraps up with New Year’s Sales in January, offering discounts on seasonal goods, fitness equipment, and home organization. Retail giants like Amazon, Walmart, and Best Buy dominate the scene.

Discount dates in the US: 

• Black Friday (Last Friday of November): A major shopping day with steep discounts both in-store and online.
• Cyber Monday (Monday after Black Friday): Deals geared towards online shoppers.
• Green Monday (Second Monday of December): Initially coined by eBay, Green Monday refers to one of the busiest online shopping days of the year. It occurs during the holiday rush, when shoppers aim to buy gifts in time for Christmas delivery. Retailers often promote special discounts on this day.
• Free Shipping Day (Around mid-December, date varies): A promotion where retailers offer free shipping with guaranteed delivery by Christmas.
• Super Saturday (Saturday before Christmas): Also known as "Panic Saturday," it’s one of the busiest shopping days as last-minute shoppers head out.
• New Year’s Sales (January 1 and early January): Retailers offer discounts on seasonal goods, fitness items, and organization products.
• Martin Luther King Jr. Day Sales (Third Monday of January): A US federal holiday that often coincides with retail sales, especially for furniture, home goods, and mattresses.

Germany’s holiday shopping season kicks off with Black Friday and Cyber Monday, which are increasingly popular for tech and fashion deals. The Advent season in December brings charming Christmas markets where shoppers can buy handmade gifts and seasonal treats. After Christmas, January Sales (Räumungsverkauf) dominate, as retailers clear out winter inventory with discounts on clothing, electronics, and home goods. Stores like MediaMarkt, Saturn, and H&M attract shoppers during this period.

Major shopping events in Germany: 

• Black Friday (Schwarzer Freitag, Last Friday of November): Widely adopted for sales both online and in-store.
• Cyber Monday (Last Monday of November): Popular for tech and e-commerce discounts.
• Nikolaustag Discounts (December 6): St. Nicholas Day often features promotional events, particularly for children’s goods and festive items.
• After-Christmas Sales (From December 27): Known for clearance discounts to transition into the new year.
• January Clearance Sales (Räumungsverkauf, January): Similar to other countries, retailers clear out holiday inventory.

Japan’s holiday shopping season revolves around the New Year. While Christmas is celebrated more for festive fun than gift-giving, Fukubukuro (Lucky Bags) are the highlight of post-holiday shopping. Starting on January 1, stores offer mystery bags filled with products at deep discounts. Additionally, New Year’s Sales (Shinshun Sale) feature promotions on fashion, home goods, and electronics. Popular retailers like Uniqlo, Don Quijote, and department stores such as Isetan draw huge crowds.

Shopping events in Japan: 

• Black Friday (Burakku Furai, Last Friday of November): Increasingly popular, particularly in larger retail chains.
• Fukubukuro (Lucky Bags, January 1–3): Traditional New Year’s sales event where stores sell "lucky bags" filled with mystery items at discounted prices.
• Oseibo (End-of-Year Gifts, December): While not a sales day, this tradition encourages shopping for gifts for family, friends, or business associates, leading to retail promotions.
• Christmas Eve Sales (December 24): Some retailers host sales leading up to and on Christmas Eve, particularly for Christmas-themed goods.
• Shinshun Sale (Early January): Similar to Western January sales, stores offer discounts on clothing and seasonal items.

The holiday shopping season is packed with opportunities to snag incredible deals, whether you’re exploring Black Friday bargains in the US, the charm of German Advent markets, Boxing Day sales in the UK, or Fukubukuro surprises in Japan. By planning your shopping around these key events and using a parcel forwarding address, you can access exclusive discounts from retailers across the globe.