It was around a month ago now that my first Christmas email of the year arrived in my inbox. It was like receiving that very first Christmas card at school - a simple form of communication, but somehow managing to announce the start of the most wonderful time of the year.

But, just like your 14th Christmas card (gone are those days!), it takes a lot for your 400th Christmas email to really make a big impression on you - the sad fact is, after a while they all start to look the same.

Luckily, there will always be the odd Christmas card - and Christmas email - that reignites that first, nostalgic Christmassy feeling in you. Whether it’s because of its amazing design or beautifully written message, some things just have the magic touch.

For me, these eight brands have just that - all for very different reasons.

Ever since artist Haddon Sundblom created the (now legendary) Father Christmas ads for Coca Cola during the early twentieth century, Christmas has been recognised as a huge commercial opportunity within the retail world and beyond.

Fast-forward almost a century and Christmas has become a time of year that's noisier than ever - and not just around the dinner table following a few too many sherries.

With retail giants spending an increasing amount of money on powerful TV adverts and impressive billboards, how can smaller brands cut through the competition and make their mark?

Using data.

For this blog post, we've looked at four ways retailers - big and small - can join up the different channels at their disposal to target customers in a personalised, relevant way this Christmas.

As the nights get even shorter and Selfridges’ Christmas Shop starts to get busier, it’s becoming increasingly clear that Christmas is on its merry way. 

Whilst your Christmas email marketing strategy is probably signed, sealed and waiting to be delivered, have you thought about how you can reach out to those who really matter most?

From bespoke gifts in the post to an in-store carol service, here’s how you can make your favourite (after all, these are the people who spend most with you) customers feel loved this Christmastide. 

If you're not sure who your best customers are, you can read our post on identifying VIPs here.

Between November and December last year, 38 million tweets were sent about Christmas in the UK alone.

Christmas food, Christmas TV and films, Christmas traditions, Christmas trees and decorations, that Christmassy feeling, Christmas wrapping paper, Christmas gifts, Christmas shopping, Christmas ads. You name it - if it was about Christmas, it was probably tweeted.

Why is Twitter so great at Christmas? Because it's the perfect medium to interact with people across the globe in a quick and easy way. Unlike other social media channels, it enables users to have an ongoing and inclusive conversation - usually about global issues or celebrations - in a seamless, straightforward fashion.

And so, if your marketing team was thinking of sidelining Twitter this Yuletide, think again. Whether you're a retail giant or small, independent store, here are four ways all you ecommerce marketers can make the most of Twitter come November.