Christmas in July: Getting Ahead For Festive Success

While most of us are still in summer mode or about to jet off on a sunny holiday, broadcasters and media teams are already planning their festive content. If you want your story to cut through during the crowded Christmas period, preparation is essential – and it starts much earlier than you think.

Our deputy head of newsroom Ashleigh Carroll sat down with Heart Breakfast creative producer Pete May and BBC’s Jonathan Hallewell to discuss the dos and don’ts of PR Christmas stories.

Planning Ahead: Christmas Starts Early

Christmas content is decided months in advance. Planning and pitching early gives you the best chance of success.

Pete told us that on Heart Breakfast, they are thinking about next Christmas in January. By April, the planning is getting started, and by mid-November, everything is essentially locked in their diaries.

Jonathan noted that BBC Radio 4’s You and Yours begins planning for Christmas in September. That’s the window for pitches, especially as newsrooms start thinning out with annual leave in December. If you wait until the festive period to pitch, you’ve missed it.

What Makes a Great Christmas Story?

Christmas is a competitive content window. The challenge is to deliver something that feels fresh yet familiar, resonating with audiences but avoiding tired tropes.

According to Pete:

• Familiarity is crucial. Stories about family, children, pets, food, and shared traditions evoke strong emotional connections and work well for Heart’s audience
• Quirky works, but only to a point. “We love the weird and wonderful, but it still needs to be familiar”
• Relevance matters. The top 10 festive songs have been covered before, and Mariah Carey will always make the list. Pete wants a story that is right for right now

Jonathan adds:

• Avoid clichés unless there’s a new, compelling twist.
• Case studies bring stories to life. “It doesn’t matter what the topic is, if there’s someone directly affected, it becomes real for listeners.”
• Expert voices are essential for You & Yours. Not just informed, but able to speak in a way that captures attention.

A Good Story Is Always in Season

Not every pitch needs a festive hook. Both broadcasters agree: if it’s a strong, relevant story, it can still land—even in December.

“Just because it’s Christmas doesn’t mean the story has to be about Christmas,” Jonathan said. “A good story is a good story.”

However, if you do have a festive angle, ensure it has substance. Strong data, quality surveys, and genuine insight go a long way on the BBC —especially when paired with a human story.

The Right Way to Pitch

Good content isn’t enough. How you pitch it matters. Here are a few guiding principles:

• Lead with the value. Think about the listener or viewer: Why does this matter? Who cares?
• Be flexible. Pete appreciates when PRs ask, “How can we make this work for you?”
• Avoid over-branding. Jonathan noted that “if you sound like a walking advert, you won’t be invited back”
• Don’t exaggerate. Credibility is key—especially around emotionally loaded content like Christmas.

By planning ahead and thinking strategically, you can secure festive coverage that resonates, long before the decorations go up.