December is here (finally!), and if you’re anything like most small business owners, you’re counting down the days until you can switch off the laptop, hit the beach, and enjoy a well-earned break.
But before you shut down for the year, it’s worth giving your website a quick once-over. A few small tweaks now can save you stress over the holidays — and help you roll into 2026 feeling organised.
Here are five easy website fixes you can knock out before Christmas.
1. Update Your Holiday Hours & Contact Info
Customers will check your website first over the break — especially if you offer services or run a physical location.
Make sure your:
- Holiday hours
- Closure dates
- Last shipping dates
- Emergency/after-hours info
…are clear and visible.
Pop them on your homepage, contact page, and Google Business Profile to avoid confusion.
2. Add a Quick Holiday Message or Banner
Nothing fancy needed — just a small note that you’re closed or operating reduced hours.
It helps manage expectations, avoids missed enquiries, and shows customers you’re still active.
If you’re running a summer promo or January special, this is also a great spot to highlight it.
3. Do a Speed Check (It Takes 30 Seconds!)
Before people start browsing on patchy holiday mobile data at the bach or beach, make sure your site loads quickly.
Run your website through:
- Google PageSpeed Insights
- GTmetrix
Look for:
- Oversized images
- Slow custom scripts
- Clunky sliders
Even shaving off a couple of seconds makes a huge difference to user experience.
4. Back Up & Update Your Site
Nothing says “Merry Christmas” like a broken plugin or a site that crashes while you’re trying to relax.
Before you go:
- Update WordPress
- Update your plugins + theme
- Take a fresh backup
- Check your security plugin/dashboard
If you use managed hosting, make sure automatic backups are turned on too.
5. Refresh Your Most-Visited Page
You don’t need a full website overhaul — just give the page that gets the most traffic a quick tidy-up.
This could be your:
- Home page
- Services page
- Pricing page
- Most popular blog post
Update any outdated info, improve the copy slightly, or swap out an old image.
A tiny refresh now can boost your SEO heading into the new year.
Ready to Sign Off for 2025?
Once you’ve done these five quick fixes, your website will be safer, faster, clearer — and ready for the summer slowdown. A little bit of prep now means you can fully switch off later.
If you’d like help with a pre-holiday tidy-up, SEO refresh, or 2026 strategy, I’m here all December until shutdown — just flick me a message.
Enjoy the sunshine and the break
— Kaeli @ onLine you