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How to find a seasonal holiday gig

Holiday spending is kicking into high gear, which means it’s prime time to get a seasonal gig if you’re looking for extra cash.

This year, consumers are planning to spend an average of $890.49 per person on holiday gifts, food, decorations and other seasonal items, according to the . And stores need more manpower to get those items sold: Amazon has it plans to hire 250,000 people this holiday season, while is adding more than 30,000 people to its workforce and is hiring 10,000.

With inflation still high and layoffs running rampant, many workers need these jobs to cover basic needs. Three in five seasonal employees are relying on temporary jobs to pay bills in the upcoming months, who have or plan to have a seasonal job commissioned by , a consumer fintech banking platform, and conducted online by Talker in September 2025. For 26% of them, seasonal work is their only source of income (21% of those respondents were laid off this year). But most respondents have another full-time (33%) or part-time (26%) job.

Whether you’re looking for seasonal work to cover your essentials or to bulk up your wallet for your own holiday spending, there are many options out there, including traditional holiday work at retailers and side gigs you can pick up via apps and social media.

Snag a seasonal retail job

If you’re looking for a seasonal job at a retailer, the first step is to make a list of all your local stores, says Dr. Annie Cole, money coach and author of . Think shops at the mall, your local grocery stores and traditional retailers. Then, go in person with your resume and ask if they’re hiring.

“When applying online, you’re just going to be lost in a sea of resumes,” Cole says. “People really just need people who show up and are available.”

She says to make it clear you’re available to start ASAP and are flexible (if that’s the case). If you’re able to take shifts at odd hours or overnight, make sure to mention that as it could give you a leg up.

“Those are going to be things that make a hiring manager go ‘this person is awesome, they’re already showing their commitment and flexibility and I need a body to help out now,’” Cole adds.

Offer to do seasonal tasks

When the holidays hit, there’s a lot of extra tasks to do around the house — and those are all chores you can offer to do on apps like TaskRabbit and Airtasker. Hop on those platforms and list yourself as available to do activities like wrapping gifts, hanging lights, assembling toys and other gifts, and dropping off and removing Christmas trees.

When people are traveling or attending holiday parties, there’s also more opportunity for pet sitting and babysitting, says Nick Loper, the founder of the website . Platforms like , Rover and Wag can help connect you with people who are looking for help caring for their children and pets.

Cole also recommends posting a profile on freelance sites like Upwork and Fiver so people can find you for their needs with graphic design, business consulting and more: “You may get a couple of nibbles throughout the holiday season.”

And don’t discount the power of your community. Loper suggests posting in neighborhood networking apps like Nextdoor and on your neighborhood Facebook page about the services you offer.

“Or if anyone is looking for recommendations, you can throw your name in the ring,” he adds. “That can be pretty effective and it can be evergreen. I’ve gone in looking for contractor recommendations or plumber recommendations and used a thread from over three years ago.”

Turn your hobbies into a side gig

Come December, offices tend to throw holiday parties, and those can be the perfect time to pick up pre- or post-party cleaning gigs, as well as other event services. If you’re a photographer, DJ, party planner or caterer, the holidays are a great time to find some extra work, Loper says. He points to GigSalad as a platform where you can find these types of jobs.

If you’re crafty, Cole recommends creating an Etsy profile and selling your art online. You can also find holiday markets and craft bazaars in your area and apply for a booth to sell.

“You can make a ton of money because people are likely to just buy a bunch of stuff at those events all at once,” Cole adds.

Loper says his wife makes some extra cash photographing families for Christmas cards, and he has a friend who has taken custom cookie orders. So get creative.

“The easiest way to make money is thinking, ‘how can I provide value to others?’” Cole says. “It doesn’t have to be a professional job. It could be ‘I love doing this or I’m skilled at this’ and share it with your network, and people may exchange money for your talent.”

Then make your hard-earned money work better for you

Once you’ve got your seasonal gig, don’t discount the power of early access to your funds and being able to grow them with a higher savings rate. You don’t want to let the extra cash you’re earning sit idly. Instead, put the money you make into a high-yield savings account and watch it grow.

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