The Christmas Shopping Season Is Longer, Louder and Emotional — Here’s How to Reach It Effectively

September 15, 2025

Christmas shopping in the GCC follows global trends across seven phases, where emotion matters more than price.

Christmas may not be a public holiday in the GCC, but it has firmly established itself as one of the most important retail moments of the year. With large expatriate communities preparing for the season’s festivities, malls across the UAE and Saudi Arabia see a sharp rise in seasonal shopping activity. For brands, this creates a unique opportunity to connect with audiences who are ready to buy

Insights From the Research

A recent global study by Intuit and Mailchimp, based on more than 9,000 respondents globally, shows that the Christmas shopping period is not confined to December. Instead, it unfolds in seven phases from October through early January, each marked by distinct motivations and behaviors.

• October (Early Lead-up): Planning and first purchases.
• Early November (Pre-peak Sales): Meaningful, connection-driven gifts.
• Mid–Late November (Peak Sales): Deal-driven shopping tied to global sales events.
• Early–Mid December (Festive Phase): Thoughtful, story-led gifting.
• Late December (Last-minute Sprint): Urgency and in-store buying, often for both others and self.
• Post-Christmas (Betwixtmas): Self-gifting tied to post-holiday sales.
• Early January (New Year): A pivot to self-improvement, wellness, and renewal.

Emotion Matters

One finding stands out: 31% fewer shoppers globally say price is their top consideration during Christmas compared with other times of year. Instead, the focus shifts to emotion, meaning, and connection.
During this season, purchases are less about discounts and more about experiences. Shoppers are motivated by giving to family, buying gifts to take home, and making choices that feel personal. For brands, it means emotional storytelling is not optional — it is what drives relevance.

Why Cinema Works Best

Cinema is uniquely positioned to deliver this kind of message. It offers:

• Emotional impact: Storytelling on the big screen connects more deeply than in any other medium.
• Attention: Audiences are distraction-free, relaxed, and receptive.
• Proximity to retail: Cinemas are located inside major malls, close to the point of purchase.

For brands in the region, aligning campaigns with the seven shopping phases means being present when audiences are most motivated — from early planners in October to self-improvers in January.

Plan the Season Around the Movies

The final quarter of the year brings some of the biggest films to cinemas in the UAE and Saudi Arabia. These releases attract huge audiences across demographics, making them an ideal anchor for brand campaigns.
To help plan ahead, we’ve created the Screentalk Movie Planner, a quarterly guide to upcoming releases. It gives marketers a clear view of what’s on screen, when, and how to match campaigns to audience peaks.

Download the latest Screentalk Movie Planner and start aligning your campaigns with the moments — and movies — that matter.

Source: Warc

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