What Happens When You Miss a Hashtag Holiday?

We’ve all been there.

You open Instagram, see National Whatever Day all over your feed, and think:
“Ahh… I totally meant to post for that.”

If you’re a business owner and a parent, there’s a good chance you didn’t miss a hashtag holiday just because you forgot. You missed it because someone needed a snack, a permission slip, or your attention right then.

And the result?
You abandon the idea entirely.

Totally understandable. Hashtag holidays come with an unspoken rule: if you don’t post that day, you've missed your chance. The moment passed. The internet moved on. Better luck next year.

But here’s the truth:
Missing a hashtag holiday is not a content failure. 

Hashtag Holidays Are Prompts, Not Deadlines

Most hashtag holidays are really just content prompts in disguise.

They’re designed to spark ideas around:

• relatable moments
  
  
• shared interests
  
  
• light engagement
  
  
• personality-driven content
  
  

The mistake we make is assuming the calendar date is the only thing that makes the post relevant.

For example:
If you love tacos, why limit yourself to talking about tacos on National Taco Day (October 6)? Your audience doesn’t suddenly stop caring about tacos on October 7.

If you miss the holiday, zoom out and ask:

• What was I actually going to say?
  
  
• Was this meant to be funny, relatable, opinionated, or conversational?
  
  

Then post that.

Post it while you’re juggling school pickups, work deadlines, and real life. Posting on the exact right day isn’t always realistic, and that’s okay. Content that goes up a day later (or a week later, let’s be honest) still does its job.

Use the Topic, Not the Timestamp

One of the easiest pivots when you miss a hashtag holiday is to simply remove the holiday reference altogether.

Instead of:
“It’s National Taco Day, so here’s why I love tacos 🌮”

Try:
“Hot take: tacos are always the right choice.”

Same topic.
Same vibe.
Way less stress.

Especially if you’re a club member with content ideas already mapped out, most holiday posts can stand on their own without the actual holiday mention. The topic is what’s actually valuable.

When Hashtag Holidays Still Matter (And When They Don’t)

Yes, some holidays are time-sensitive (i.e., major cultural moments, awareness days, launches, or promotions tied to a specific date).

But most of the “fun” or niche hashtag holidays?
They’re flexible. Forgiving. Reusable.

Hashtag holidays are meant to save you time and help you show up. They do not exist to create more pressure or punish you for being busy. If using the idea later helps you show up without burning out, it’s doing exactly what it’s supposed to do.

The Bottom Line

If you miss a hashtag holiday:

• Don’t scrap the idea.
  
  
• Don’t wait a full year.
  
  
• Don’t assume the content is “expired.”
  
  

Use the holiday as inspiration, not an obligation.

If you’re a mom running a business, your content doesn’t need to be perfectly timed to be effective. It needs to fit into your life… not compete with it.

And remember: the goal isn’t to catch every hashtag holiday. It’s to keep showing up in a way that works for you.

And honestly?
Your audience probably never noticed you missed National Whatever Day anyway 😉