One thing companies see pretty often is recognition momentum starting strong, then flattening out once the year gets busy. A simple way to keep things moving is to use 2026 holidays and seasonal moments as reasons to run light, ad hoc recognition programs throughout the year. Recognition Programs in Awardco are built to support tailored initiatives like holiday programs, wellness programs, and other special moments, which makes them a great tool for keeping your platform active and useful over time. When admins create consistent reasons for people to come back and recognize, it helps employees and leaders keep seeing value in the platform instead of treating it like a once-in-a-while tool.
π Step 1 β Build one simple holiday program you can reuse
Start with one clean program setup, then reuse that structure for multiple 2026 moments.
- Select the Admin button at the bottom of the left navigation menu.
- Go to Recognition β Programs β Recognition Programs.
- Click Create Program to build a new recognition program.
- Add a clear Program Name and short Program Description so people immediately know what the moment is for.
- If helpful, turn on the Learn More message or FAQ so you can explain what the holiday theme is and what kind of recognition you want people to submit.
A quick win here is to think in moments, not just major holidays. You do not need to save this for year-end. A few well-timed touchpoints across the year can do a lot more for engagement than one big push in Q4.
A few strong 2026 examples are International Day of Friendship on July 30th, Payroll Week September 7β11, 2026, World Kindness Day on November 13 for a gratitude push, Thanksgiving on November 26 for appreciation messaging, Giving Tuesday on December 1 for generosity themes, and International Volunteer Day on December 5 for community impact stories.
Pro tip: Keep your first version broad enough that you can duplicate it later for different moments across the year, then lightly retheme the description, image, and prompt to match the holiday or observance you want to spotlight.
π Step 2 β Match the setup to the type of holiday moment
Once the shell is built, tune the settings so the program fits the goal.
- In Eligibility, decide who should be able to give and receive recognitions. You can allow everyone, or limit access by specific users or metadata.
- In Points, decide whether this holiday moment should be non-monetary or include points.
- If you want consistency, use preset point values or labels instead of leaving the moment too open-ended.
- Add a question or prompt that helps people write better recognitions tied to the theme.
Common pitfall: making the program too complicated. If there are too many rules, too many amounts, or too much explanation, people are more likely to skip it.
A better approach is to keep each holiday program focused on one behavior:
- gratitude
- team wins
- culture values
- seasonal appreciation
- milestone celebrations
That makes the program easier to launch and easier for employees to actually use.
ποΈ Step 3 β Schedule ahead so recognition does not stall out
The real win is planning ahead instead of scrambling the week of.
- Once your program is ready, use Publish Now if it should go live immediately, or Schedule if you want it to launch at a future date and time.
- From the main Recognition Programs page, use the option to duplicate a program so you can reuse your setup for the next holiday without rebuilding from scratch.
- Update the name, description, points, or instructions for the new moment, then schedule it.
This is where long-term adoption really starts to show up. When recognition campaigns show up consistently throughout the year, Awardco stays visible, useful, and tied to real culture moments instead of fading into the background.
π§Ή Quick holiday program checklist
Check | Where to review | Why it matters |
|---|
Program name and description are clear | General | Helps users know exactly when and why to use it |
Eligibility is intentional | Eligibility | Keeps the right people in scope |
Points are simple and consistent | Points | Reduces confusion and keeps budgets cleaner |
FAQ or Learn More text is useful | General advanced settings | Cuts down on employee questions |
Launch date is scheduled | Top of the program settings page | Helps you stay ahead instead of reacting late |
Join the Conversation
What 2026 moments are already on your recognition calendar? Are you planning around days like Random Acts of Kindness Day, World Kindness Day, Giving Tuesday, or International Volunteer Day, or are there other holidays that work especially well for your teams?
If you have already tried ad hoc holiday programs, what has worked best for you so far? Share your favorite examples, any lessons learned, or a holiday you are still trying to turn into a strong recognition moment.
