2019 Christmas Freebies and Promotional Offers: A Guide to No-Cost Holiday Opportunities

The holiday season in 2019 presented a diverse array of free offers and promotional opportunities for U.S. consumers. Information gathered from various online sources indicates that these freebies spanned multiple categories, including digital content, printable goods, retail store giveaways, and food and beverage promotions. The availability of these offers varied significantly, ranging from immediate digital downloads to in-store events limited to specific dates and locations. This guide synthesizes the available data regarding these promotions, focusing on the types of offers accessible to consumers during the 2019 holiday period.

Printable and Digital Content Freebies

A substantial portion of the 2019 holiday freebies consisted of printable items and digital patterns, primarily targeting crafters, parents, and educators. These offers were largely distributed through personal blogs, crafting websites, and educational marketplaces.

Craft Patterns and DIY Projects

For individuals interested in sewing and DIY projects, several free patterns were available. A round-up of "12 days of Christmas freebies" included specific downloadable content such as a felt breakfast set pattern and a Bianca blanket wrap pattern, both accompanied by tutorials. Another source, a gift guide from a crafting website, highlighted a curated list of free patterns. This list featured a DIY Christmas stocking pattern described as a fast and easy project, a DIY knot wristlet with a free video tutorial, and a DIY no-sew scarf project suitable for making with children. The same guide also mentioned a DIY Advent Calendar with an associated free video tutorial and a collection of free cut files for digital crafting.

Gift Tags and Educational Materials

In the days leading up to Christmas, free printable gift tags were offered on a personal design blog. These tags, available as downloadable images in single or letter-size formats, featured a snowman design and were categorized as a "Christmas Gift Tags - Freebie."

For educational use, a free Christmas activity packet was available through a teachers' pay teachers platform. This resource was designed for classroom or homeschool use and included three "Color It, Read It, Write It" worksheets for vocabulary and handwriting practice, a Christmas word search, a Christmas flip book, and a color-by-sight-word sheet. The source noted that this packet was utilized in special education classes for nonverbal and emerging readers.

Retail and In-Store Promotions

While digital content was prevalent, traditional retail also participated in holiday giveaways, often as a strategy to drive foot traffic during the high-traffic Black Friday and Christmas Day periods.

Black Friday Incentives

During the 2019 Black Friday shopping period, several retailers offered freebies to customers who visited physical stores. Reports indicated that Belk planned to give away at least $1 million in gift cards, with individual stores distributing at least 200 gift cards on Thursday and 100 on Black Friday, with values ranging from $5 to $500. Half Price Books offered a free tote bag and a $5 gift card to the first 100 Black Friday shoppers, with one tote bag containing a $100 gift card. JC Penney provided coupons worth $10, $100, or $500 to early arrivals for its Thursday sales event. Macy’s also offered incentives, though specific details on the nature of these incentives were not fully detailed in the provided data.

Christmas Day Food and Beverage Offers

On Christmas Day 2019, specific national and regional chains offered complimentary food and beverages. Cumberland Farms provided a free any-size hot or iced Farmhouse Blend coffee, cappuccino, tea, or hot chocolate (including Peppermint Hot Chocolate) at participating stores starting at 8 a.m. on December 25. Flavor shots were also available. Sheetz offered free coffee at all 600 of its locations across several states, available from 12 a.m. to 12 a.m. on Christmas Day. IHOP offered a "kids eat free" promotion from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. Additionally, the Apple App Store ran a promotion from December 24 to 29, offering a daily "surprise" or "treat" for users to discover on the App Store.

Conclusion

The landscape of 2019 holiday freebies was characterized by a mix of digital and physical offerings. Consumers had access to a variety of downloadable craft patterns, printable gift tags, and educational materials, alongside targeted in-store promotions from major retailers. The timing of these offers was critical, with Black Friday and Christmas Day being the peak dates for physical retail and food service giveaways. The data highlights that while many freebies required no purchase, others were tied to specific store visits or time-sensitive digital events.