Turn Your Feed into an Advent Calendar This Christmas
December is the busiest month of the year for church social media. Carol services, parties, school nativities, Christmas Day, and somewhere in the middle of it all, someone is meant to be posting on social media. So here’s an idea I love recommending: turn your feed into an Advent calendar.
The concept is simple. One post for every day of Advent, each with its own number and its own small surprise behind the door. The clever part is that you do all the work in November, schedule the lot, and then Advent quietly runs itself.
Why it works
• It builds a daily habit. Advent calendars are all about coming back tomorrow. When people know there’s something new each day, they check in, and that regular engagement signals to the platforms that your content is worth showing.
• It builds anticipation. A countdown naturally points towards Christmas, which makes it the perfect place to weave in invitations to your carol service, Christmas parties and Christmas Day service.
• It’s made for sharing. A beautiful, positive daily post is easy for your congregation to pass on. Each share is a gentle invitation into your community, including for people who wouldn’t usually walk through your doors.
• It takes the pressure off. Batching and scheduling in advance means December becomes about people, not posting.
How to make it happen
• Choose a thread. A carol a day, the nativity story told in 25 parts, a word for each day (hope, peace, joy, love), or moments from your local community.
• Design one consistent look. A shared style, colour palette and number treatment makes the series instantly recognisable as it scrolls past.
• Write your captions in one sitting. Keep them short and warm, and drop in service details on the days leading up to each event.
• Schedule everything. Meta Business Suite handles Facebook and Instagram, and LinkedIn has its own scheduler. Set it up by the end of November and you’re done.
• Decide your dates. Most calendars run 1 to 24 or 25 December, but you could start on Advent Sunday (29 November this year) to follow the church calendar.
An example
Last Christmas I designed a 25-day Advent calendar for CLM Church Ormskirk. Each day had its own illustrated number, from wreaths and nutcrackers to snowmen and gift-wrapped presents, all in one festive palette so the series felt like a set. Posted daily, it gave their feed a real sense of occasion right through December.
Days in gold flagged CLM’s events, each one an open invitation to come along.
Want one for your church?
If you’d like an Advent calendar for your church, charity or business this year, there’s still time. I can design the full set, help shape the captions, and get everything ready to schedule so you can enjoy the season. Get in touch at wilks.digital.
