30 Trending Christmas Side Hustle Ideas for You to Try This Year

The holiday season brings joy, celebrations, and often, the need for extra income. Between gifts, parties, decorations, and travel, costs can add up quickly. Holiday spending in the United States alone amounted to over $886 billion last year, according to the National Retail Federation. With the right Christmas side hustle, you can easily tap into this seasonal wealth and boost your own bottom line.

A holiday side hustle allows you to profit from the nearly 25% increase in consumer spending that happens every Christmas season. Whether through selling goods and services or becoming a shopping assistant, a side gig lets you control your income. Thanks to flexible digital platforms, it‘s easier than ever to find the perfect match for your skills and lifestyle too.

To showcase the range of potential opportunities, here are 36 of the best Christmas side hustles for making extra money this holiday season.

Lucrative Holiday Selling Opportunities

The weeks between early December and Christmas generate over 20% of annual retail sales. From gift giving to indulgent food and decorations, people spend freely at Christmastime. These quintessential holiday purchases present lucrative selling opportunities with eager existing demand.

1. Sell Handmade Crafts

• Holiday ecommerce sales on Etsy increased by 32% last year
• Top selling handmade goods include wreaths, ornaments, baked goods, and jewelry
• Offer personalization and customization options to increase average order value

With sites like Etsy and ArtFire, it‘s easy to set up an online shop. You can also look into local craft fairs and holiday markets. Unique and personalized handmade goods are highly giftable.

To boost sales, create special holiday discounts or gift set bundles. The key is setting your products apart with distinctive packaging and premium touches.

2. Sell Festive Baked Goods

• 62 million homes bake holiday treats and gifts
• The average US household spends 18% more on food items during the winter holidays
• Partner with coffee shops and niche food stores to carry your tasty goods

Capitalize on demand for comfort food, sweets and seasonal indulgence. Gingerbread, fruitcake, sweet breads and holiday pies tend to sell well. Consider taking custom orders and providing homemade gift packaging to increase average sales.

Delivering baked goods also pairs well with other Christmas side hustles like gift wrapping or crafts. Offer bundled service packages at a premium.

3. Offer Holiday Plants & Decor

• Nearly 40% of Christmas trees are purchased from lots rather than pre-cut
• The poinsettia market is worth over $60 million annually
• Differentiate with rare tropical plants and custom decorative pieces

Fresh holiday greenery and festive decor sees reliable seasonal demand. Offer decorative wreath making or create poinsettia arrangements and centerpieces for tables. You can also provide plant installation and maintenance services while homeowners travel.

Building a client base for holiday decor and plant services now wins you year-round landscaping clients in the future.

4. Make Custom Holiday Gifts

• 83% of holiday shoppers plan to buy customized gifts
• The global personalization market will reach $870 billion by 2030
• Offer monogramming, engraving, 3D printing, and digital customization options

In an age of mass production, unique artisanal gifts really stand out. Sell customizable products like blankets, mugs, holiday ornaments and family portraits. Digital personalization options like commemorative videos and animated holiday cards also sell well without manual effort. The key is providing premium customization at affordable prices.

Festive Services That Spread Holiday Cheer

Beyond traditional retail, gaping demand exists for specialty holiday services. From gift delivery to decorating, you can earn an income while actually spreading seasonal joy.

These quintessential Christmas services often command premium pricing due to high demand and sentimental value. They also drive great word of mouth since happy clients associate your business with fond holiday memories.

5. Become Santa or Mrs. Claus

• Professional Santas make $100-$300 per hour
• Over 10,000 temporary Santas are hired each holiday season
• Enhance your offerings with add-ons like photos, gift deliveries and storytelling

Spread magic by offering in-person Santa visits or virtual video calls. Parents book Santas for breakfast events, family photos, corporate parties and hospital visits.

If you love working with kids, become a professional holiday elf. Offer specialty support services like craft classes, cookie decorating, holiday scavenger hunts and tree trimming.

6. Provide Holiday Home Makeovers

• 31% of people completely redecorate their home for the holidays
• Typical spend on holiday home makeovers is $750+
• Offer premium decorating extras like custom wreaths, exterior lighting and designer themes

Festive interior and exterior makeovers are hugely popular but time consuming. If you enjoy creative design work, help clients fully decorate their home for the holidays.

Assemble Christmas trees, hang lights, set out menorahs and design beautiful tablescapes. Photograph your work as social proof then watch client referrals roll in.

7. Host a Gift Wrapping Service

• U.S. consumers spend over $3 billion annually on gift wrap
• Speedy wrappers can gift wrap 20 presents per hour
• Charge premium rates for rush delivery and fancy finishing like bows

Gift wrapping is constantly in demand come Christmas yet requires some skill and effort. Offer wrapping services through pop-ups, delivery, and in-store options. For large volume, train holiday helpers or mini-elf teams.

Make it more fun by having a gift wrapping party with friends. Turn on holiday music, serve festive drinks, and wrap gifts round-robin style. It‘s productive and festive!

Unexpected Holiday Income Ideas

Beyond the usual Christmas money makers lies a niche of unexpected side hustle opportunities. From pet boarding to teaching tech skills, you can align your work with personal passions and specialized knowledge.

Diving into a niche holiday income idea also lets you tap high spending segments without loads of direct competition. If you spot a very specific consumer need this Christmas, there‘s likely room in the market to address it profitably.

8. Watch Homes Like a Holiday Elf

• Over 65% of Americans travel during the holiday season
• The average home check visit rate is $50 per 30-60 minute visit
• Key tasks include bringing in mail, watering plants and rotating lights

If you don‘t mind making random trips to peoples‘ homes, offer house watching services this Christmas. While families travel for the holidays, regularly stop by their home to check on things.

Look beyond basic security to value-added care like bringing in packages, shoveling snow, caring for pets and maintaining holiday decor. Trustworthy house watchers often win year-round home sitting gigs.

9. Teach Technology to Older Adults

• 53% of older adults say they need technical support weekly
• Tech lessons range from $40 to $150 per hour on average
• Provide take-home learning guides and resources they easily reference

If explaining tech comes naturally, pass on your digital know-how. Teach older adults essential skills for the 21st century like using new devices, hopping on video calls to connect with family and even digital card making.

Offer holiday discounts and build ongoing lesson packages focused on seniors‘ tech learning needs from the basics onwards. Patience and understanding are key!

10. Clear Gutters and Roofs

• 38% of U.S. households say leaves and roof debris caused issues last season
• Typical gutter cleaning costs $175+ for a full house
• Pair gutter cleaning with festive outdoor lighting installation

Nature continues working even through the busy holiday season. As families focus inward, demand grows for outdoor home maintenance assistance.

Offer drone and ladder-enabled gutter cleanouts to clear leaves and roof debris. Prevent ice dams and water damage during winter while earning great side income. Time it right in late fall or early spring depending on your region.

11. Ship Holiday Care Packages

• Care package demand jumps over 300% during the holiday season
• College students, military families and older adults request the most packages
• Focus on homemade or locally sourced care package contents

Help time crunched families easily send personalized care packages for the holidays. Shop for specialized contents like festive treats, small gifts, decorations and cards. Handle the packing and shipping logistics on their behalf.

Segment your offerings by groups like college finals crates, military appreciation bundles or even holiday pamper packages for stressed moms.

12. Clean Up After Holiday Parties

• Over 72 million Americans host holiday parties each December
• Typical holiday clean up costs $180+ for a post-party spruce
• Offer next day tidy up services so party hosts can relax

Come January, homes need holiday recovery cleaning after all the festivities. If you enjoy organizing and tidying, help people start the New Year clutter-free.

Tasks range from intensive kitchen cleaning to taking down decorations. You can also offer holiday hangover services like gift organization and date night cleanup so busy parents can relax.

Maximizing Your Holiday Side Income

The key to profiting from a seasonal side hustle lies in preparation and positioning. By understanding income potential, trends and customer demand beforehand, your marketing directly resonates for success.

A few overarching tips will prime your hustle for maximum holiday income:

• Specialize and track niche opportunities – Curate specific services vs. a general holiday helper to command premium rates from the ideal buyer. Track growth in emerging holiday purchase categories each year.
• Lead with value, not discounts – Rather than competing on price, showcase the convenience and emotional benefits clients gain through booking you.
• Bundle offerings for one-stop simplicity – Combine complementary holiday services into packages for more money and easier purchase decisions.
• Photograph and storytell your work – Showcasing visuals and memorable stories from past happy clients builds authenticity and referral potential.
• Leverage targeted holiday buyer keywords across all marketing channels through SEO, paid ads and optimizing digital platforms.

By monitoring holiday commerce trends and responding ahead of the curve, your Christmas side hustle taps into consistent seasonal demand now and for years ahead.

Plan a Personalized Festive Side Hustle

Christmas side hustles come in endless forms, letting you align extra income with specialized skills and passions. From mobile notary services to teaching mixology classes, identify niche opportunities that genuinely excite you.

A passion-aligned holiday business keeps internal motivation consistent even during crunch times. Your natural enthusiasm, expertise and dedication inherently resonate with the customers you want to serve.

This Christmas, spread some holiday cheer while spicing up your own income too. Find the seasonal side hustle that fits your lifestyle then execute with consistency and quality service. Leverage the giving spirit that defines the most wonderful time of the year!