Christmas On Hold Messages: Your Festive Phone Audio Checklist

By the time the first set of fairy lights goes up on your
high street, your phone lines are already changing shape.
Calls get busier. Questions get more urgent.
People want to know whether you are open
on the 24th, whether their order will arrive in time
and who they can speak to if something goes wrong.

Most businesses sort out the decorations long before they sort out the recordings. That is a shame, because your phone audio is doing a lot of quiet work at this time of year.

Here is a practical checklist for Christmas on hold messages, with timings, wording and the mistakes we hear most often.

Why festive phone audio deserves proper planning

Retail footfall has been falling during the golden quarter, with total UK footfall down 2.2% year on year across the three months to December, according to BRC and Sensormatic data. More buying decisions are happening by phone and online, which makes the quality of every call more important, not less.

Callers in December are also less patient. They have lists, deadlines and a lot to organise. A clear message that answers their question before they speak to anyone saves time for everyone.

What good festive audio achieves

• It answers the three questions nearly every caller has: are you open, can I still order and when will I get it
• It reduces the number of calls your team needs to handle
• It gives your business a warm, seasonal personality without sounding like a supermarket advert
• It reassures customers during a period when expectations are high

Your Christmas phone audio checklist

1. Confirm your dates first

Nothing else can be written until you know:

• Your last working day before Christmas
• Your opening hours between Christmas and New Year
• Your reopening date in January
• Delivery, collection or order cut-off dates
• Any changes to support or emergency cover

Get these signed off internally before the script is written. Changing dates after recording costs time you will not have in December.

2. Update every message, not just the on hold loop

A festive update usually needs more than one recording:

• Your welcome greeting, if opening hours are changing
• Your on hold messages
• Your out of hours message
• A dedicated closure message for the days you are shut
• Your IVR menu, if any department is unavailable over the break

Callers notice when one recording mentions Christmas and the next one does not.

3. Lead with the practical, then add the festive

A good structure for a festive on hold production looks like this:

1. A short seasonal welcome and thank you
2. Opening hours over the Christmas period
3. Order or delivery cut-off dates
4. One or two seasonal products, services or offers
5. Alternative ways to get in touch, such as your website or email
6. A warm closing line

Put the dates near the top. Callers who only hear 30 seconds should still get the information they need.

4. Choose music that fits your brand

Festive music lifts the mood, but it should still suit the business. A funeral director and a toy shop need very different treatments. Our Christmas music collection covers a wide range of styles, and all of it is royalty free, so you avoid the licensing questions that come with commercial recordings.

If you do want to play chart Christmas songs to callers or in store, check your position with PPL PRS first.

5. Plan the January reset

Nothing dates a business faster than a message wishing callers a merry Christmas on the 8th of January. Decide now:

• Who removes the festive audio
• What date it comes down
• What replaces it

Clients on a managed service have this handled as part of their update schedule, which is one less thing to remember during a quiet first week back.

Example festive script

Here is a short example for a fictional builders' merchant. Adapt the structure to your own business.

"Thank you for calling Hensall Building Supplies. One of our team will be with you shortly.

Our yard is open as normal until 4pm on Wednesday the 23rd of December. We then close for the festive break and reopen at 7:30am on Monday the 4th of January.

If you need materials before Christmas, please place your order by midday on Monday the 21st so we can get it loaded and out to you in time.

Our winter range is in stock now, including frost-resistant mortar, de-icing salt and insulation boards. You will find the full range on our website, along with your account balance and previous invoices.

From everyone at Hensall, thank you for your custom this year. We look forward to working with you in the new year."

Notice that it gives dates clearly, never asks the caller to phone and ends on a human note.

Timings: when to get it done

When	What to do
Mid to late October	Confirm closure dates and cut-offs
Early November	Approve scripts and book recording
Mid November	Festive audio live on your phone system
Late December	Check the closure message is switched on
First week of January	Revert to your standard messages

Recording in November rather than mid December means you are not competing with everyone else for studio time. Most Onhold Studio productions are delivered within two working days, with 24 hour turnaround available, but December is our busiest month too.

Common festive phone audio mistakes

• Dates that are wrong or vague. "We close over Christmas" tells the caller nothing.
• Last year's recording left running. Check the year, the days of the week and the dates.
• Forgetting the closure message. Callers who ring on the 28th should not hear your standard greeting and then silence.
• Overdoing the sleigh bells. A little goes a long way, especially for trade and professional firms.
• No alternative route. Always give callers something they can do while you are closed, such as email, an online form or an ordering portal.

Real-world example: Simply Lunch

Simply Lunch, a family-owned sandwich supplier in South London, wanted seasonal content that stayed fresh and relevant, with particular emphasis on their Christmas range.

We wrote an audio branding script that blended evergreen brand messaging with a festive section highlighting five products due to launch that November. After feedback from their marketing team, we added more descriptive language so the products sounded as appealing as they taste.

Since 2018 the production has been refreshed with each new range, from the Festive Feast on Farmers Bread to more recent launches. The seasonal layer changes, the brand core stays consistent, and callers always hear something current.

Frequently asked questions

• When should I record my Christmas on hold messages?
  Aim to have the audio live on your phone system by the middle of November. That gives you time to check everything is working before your busiest weeks.
• Should small businesses bother with festive messaging?
  Yes. If anything, it matters more. Clear closure dates prevent wasted journeys and frustrated calls, and a warm seasonal message makes a small team sound organised and professional.
• Can I just change the music and leave the script?
  You can, but you will miss the real benefit. Most of the value sits in the practical information: opening hours, cut-off dates and reopening dates.
• What should callers hear when we are closed?
  A dedicated closure message with your reopening date and one alternative route to help, such as your website or an email address. Our guide to out of hours messages covers this in more detail.
• Do I need a licence for Christmas music on my phone system?
  If you play commercial recordings, usually yes. Royalty free festive tracks, such as those in our library, avoid the issue. PPL PRS can confirm what applies to your business.

Conclusion

Christmas phone audio is not about jingles. It is about making life easier for the people who call you during the busiest, most time-pressured weeks of the year.
Confirm your dates, update every message, lead with the practical information, choose music that suits your brand and plan the January reset before you need it. Do that in October and November and December takes care of itself.