How The Holidays Affect Custom Orders [Updated for 2023]

Apart from the 10 national holidays, Australia's five states and two territories celebrate seemingly dozens of days off statewide, and sometimes city-wide.

The Melbourne Cup falls on Tuesday 7 November 2023 but because of the huge pressure on the local event industry with the string of celebrations, promotions, product launches and corporate entertaining within and around the racing carnival, you need to place Melbourne Cup Carnival event prop orders locally by early September 2023.

Easter falls in the second week of April 2023. Good Friday is 7 April, Easter Monday is 10 April. Good Friday will create one four-day work week 3-6 April, with the Easter Monday creating another one for 11-14 April 2023.

Wouldn't you take off time, too, making use of all the public holidays?

If your Australian event is in May (such as Mothers Day, Sunday 14 May 2023) you will need to place your custom event-related order in Australia by late March 2023.

As China has grown into a wealthy manufacturing powerhouse, you might be surprised to discover its citizens enjoy almost as many national holidays as western countries.

So what, you ask? If you want to source lower-cost customised goods, you simply must be aware of and plan for Chinese national holidays.

The Chinese New Year will be officially celebrated for one week from 22-29 January 2023. Did you notice that's barely three weeks after the Western New Year when people are just returning to work?

However in reality, the Chinese workers travel home to their families to celebrate for several weeks over the new year. Factories typically halt mass production and even sample orders by 15 January 2023. They will not start production until 6 February at the earliest, and those orders will be the ones still in the pipelines from early January.

Custom decor and prop orders for January events (ie Australia Day 2023) must be finalised during November 2022, especially if you need a sample to check quality.

Did you know there are four more Chinese national holidays, each taking 3-5 days long between February and October 2023 which may affect your event planning.

They down tools again in October for the Chinese National Holiday which runs 1-7 October 2023. Again, you need to place orders by early September 2023 for a November 2023 event.

Importing unique decor from the USA?

This year Thanksgiving falls on 23 November 2023. With the international sales event weekend of Black Friday (Thursday 24 November) and Cyber Monday (27 November), there is a tight window for delivery between then and Christmas.

This coincides with the northern winter whose massive snowstorms seem to start earlier, create more havoc and last longer every year.

As a result, there is a incredible pressure on the airfreight courier companies such as DHL, Fedex and UPS to successfully deliver items purchased on online sales before Christmas Day.

Don't believe the expected delivery date either - build in a couple of weeks' contingency time at least! Frequently they simply cannot deliver in time.