How to post your holiday hours on Instagram

Holidays are when people most need to know your hours, and when they’re least sure. Will you open late? Close early? Close all day? If your Instagram doesn’t say, a regular might find a locked door and go somewhere else. An hours post takes a minute, and it’s the post people actually look for.

What to include

Keep it plain. Someone glancing at their phone should get the answer from the first line.

Include	Example	Why
The holiday	Thanksgiving	It’s the word people look for
Date and weekday	Thursday, November 26	“Thursday” is what people remember
Your hours	9:00 AM to 2:00 PM	Opening and closing, not just “short day”
Closed or early close	Closed all day / closing early	Say it outright, no guessing
What’s next	Back to regular hours Friday	Saves the follow-up question

Add one line of personality if you like: a thank-you, a last-minute item, or what to pick up before you close. The hours stay the headline.

When to post

Two moments matter.

• About a week before. An hours post gives people time to plan, order ahead or shop early.
• The day before. A Story reminder catches the people who missed the post.

These are ShelfSocial’s defaults: an hours post 7 days before and a Story reminder the day before. You can switch either off.

Three examples

US Thanksgiving, closed all day. The hours post goes out on Thursday, November 19, and the Story on Wednesday, November 25.

Closed for Thanksgiving. We’re closed Thursday, November 26, so the team can be with family. Need something for the table? We’re open regular hours Wednesday. Back Friday at 9:00 AM. Happy Thanksgiving.

Christmas Eve, closing early.

Christmas Eve hours. Thursday, December 24, we’re open 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM, then closing early for the holidays. Last-minute gifts are wrapped and ready by the till. Closed Christmas Day.

Canada Day, special hours.

Canada Day hours. Thursday, July 1, we’re open 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Cold drinks and snacks for the park are by the door. Regular hours return Friday. Happy Canada Day.

How ShelfSocial does it

You don’t have to remember the dates or write the post.

1. It lists the holidays coming up for your shop, in the US or Canada, including occasions for your kind of shop. See the holiday Instagram calendar for the year ahead.
2. You confirm your hours for each one: regular, special or closed. For special hours you pick the opening and closing times, and you can add a short note, like “closing early for trick-or-treat”.
3. It drafts the hours post and the Story reminder from what you confirmed, with the date and the weekday spelled out.
4. You look it over and schedule it. A quick note reminds you to check the details before it goes out.

Each image uses 1 credit: one for the post, one for the Story. Caption rewrites are free. More on holidays and hours.

A few habits that help

• Post even when you’re open. “Open regular hours on Victoria Day” is useful news.
• Use the same wording every time, so regulars learn where to look.
• Update your hours elsewhere too: on your door and wherever else customers check them.
• Plan the busy stretch at once. Confirm hours for Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Eve in one sitting.